Irish profession warns against benefit cut

Abolition of an optical benefit scheme in Ireland could lead to increased blindness, especially among the elderly, the Association of Ireland (AOI) has warned.

According to the AOI, the recently published McCarthy report has recommended that the Treatment Benefit Fund, which is run by Ireland's Department of Social & Family Affairs, be abolished.

The optical body pointed out that this would lead to an inevitable reduction in regular eye examinations among pensioners and older people, who currently benefit from this fund.

In a statement posted on its website, the AOI stated: 'The Association believes that this is a misguided short-term action. It is likely that many older people who currently avail of regular eye examinations (every two years under the scheme) will not continue to do so. If this is so there will inevitably be an increase in the incidence of blindness and visual impairment in future years, the burden of which will fall upon the state.'