asked the Minister for Social Welfare the approximate number of sight tests carried out under his Department's optical benefit scheme; and the number of persons who have availed of the extension of the scheme to spouses of those insured.
Written Answers. - Optical Benefit Scheme.
33.
Approximately 71,000 claims for optical benefit, from insured persons and dependent spouses, have been received since 1 January 1988. It is estimated that 60,000 of these included a sight test.
Since the treatment benefits scheme was extended to dependent spouses on 19 October, 1987, 25,571 optical benefit claims have been received from dependent spouses; 25,173 of these claims for optical benefit were from women and 398 from men.
Since 1 January 1988 approximately 18,000 claims have been received from dependent spouses of insured workers.