Concern about eyecare in Wales grows as Government confirms there have been 26 ‘serious incidents’ of deterioration while people wait for treatment – Wales Online

New figures show that there have been “26 serious incidents” this year involving people waiting for treatment whose eyesight has deteriorated.

The latest figures show there have been at least 26 “serious incidents” of people suffering deterioration of eyesight while on an NHS waiting list in Wales this year.

Conservative Shadow Assembly Health Minister Darren Millar asked the Welsh Government how many patients had lost their sight while waiting for an eye appointment.

Vaughan Gething, Labour Deputy Minister for Health, told the Clwyd West AM: “There have been 26 serious incidents reported to the Welsh Government this year which have involved a deterioration of sight of varying degrees.

“We have reinforced to health boards the need to report all such cases as serious incidents through clarifying the definition of harm with relation to loss of visual acuity. Ophthalmology is a high volume speciality; it accounts for more than 10% of all outpatient appointments in secondary care and cataract surgery is the most common operation performed in Wales…

“Visual acuity is recorded at every eye appointment. Some intervention, such as cataract operations, are designed to improve vision but others, such as treatment for glaucoma, aim to prevent deterioration in vision.

“However, even with optimal treatment some conditions progress and some eye conditions don’t affect visual acuity until in the very late stages of the disease.”

He said: “Just a few weeks ago the Labour government dismissed the RNIB’s concerns and tried to convince us all was well in its waiting times for eye treatment. Yet these figures clearly reveal there are severe problems that need urgent improvement; 26 known instances of sight deterioration while waiting for an operation is 26 instances too many.

Curated from Concern about eyecare in Wales grows as Government confirms there have been 26 ‘serious incidents’ of deterioration while people wait for treatment – Wales Online