North Wales eye patients facing potential ‘irreversible harm’ to sight

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

Patients with serious eye conditions in north Wales are facing “frightening” delays in ophthalmology check-ups leading to potential “irreversible harm” to their sight.

Figures published in a Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board report have revealed that ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and urology are “the three specialties with the highest volume of patients waiting beyond 100%” for a clinical follow up.

According to the health board’s September report, “the total number of patients that are overdue their clinical follow-up date stands at 170,584” in North Wales across the board.

Backlog

The same report warns that “the follow-up backlog includes ophthalmology patients prioritised as urgent and are over their clinical target date”, facing irreversible harm.

The report added: “Just over half of these patients are seen within 25% over their clinical target date, which may result in irreversible harm for those waiting beyond the clinical target date.”

Leading causes of blindness in the UK include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.

Other causes include uncorrected refractive errors, corneal opacity, trachoma, and hemianopia, amongst other eye conditions.

Diabetes Cymru warned it was “vital” eye checks were carried out on time to avoid “devastating complications” to people with both type-one and the more common type-two diabetes.

Rachel Burr, National Director at Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “Diabetes eye-screening is one of the vital health checks that people living with diabetes should receive and is a crucial tool in preventing sight loss.

“Sadly, many people in Wales are on long waiting lists and are not receiving their eye screening appointments as often as they should. This can be a deeply frustrating and even a frightening experience.”

Diabetes health checks

She added: “It is vital that diabetes health checks, including eye screening, are provided at the right time, to help avoid devastating diabetes complications.”

Tehmeena Ajmal, BCUHB’s chief operating officer, said: “As outlined in the report presented to Board on September 25, we are systematically looking through follow-up lists, in order to identify those patients in greatest need.

“We have already commenced new glaucoma and medical retina pathways through primary care providers and, in addition, are implementing see-on-symptom (SoS) and patient-initiated follow-ups on priority specialties such as ophthalmology.”