The issues involved in eye health are not specific to the disability sector, but would span a number of areas in the health sector in regard to access to treatment, patient safety and quality of care. The policy with regard to the disability sector is not condition-specific, with a focus on the development and implementation of policies to enable the Health Service Executive to fund a broad range of supports which enable people with disabilities to live full and independent lives in the community, with health supports provided as appropriate. In this regard, the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services, will assist in achieving a more person-centred service for people with disabilities, including those with sight and blindness issues, as much as other persons who have physical disabilities or related impairments and whose needs and issues are acknowledged in the Review.
There are a number of eye conditions which are part of Vision 2020 including cataract, refractive error, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age related macular degeneration. There are detection and treatment services available at present in community and acute hospital settings for these conditions. In addition, there are a number of high level strategies which would be relevant to the area of eye health, including Clinical Programmes; Public Health; Health Protection; Positive Ageing and Carers Strategies and Screening initiatives. A number of these strategies link with the Clinical Ophthalmology Programme. The health sector will continue to provide and deliver vision services and supports through these programmes and specifically through health prevention, screening and intervention policies and programmes. In this context, it is not proposed to develop a national vision strategy.
