Association of Optometrists | Optometrists and Opticians throughout Ireland |

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DIABETIC RETINOPATHY SCREENING IN CORK

The Association is delighted that the DR screening initiative run in Cork in 2011 is being repeated this year. The process has now begun and letters are being issued to people with diabetes who are patients of the GP grouping Diabetes in Practice. Those who are eligible will be able to attend a local optometrist’s (optician’s) practice for the screening service.

The service involves taking digital images of the back of the eyes and these images being graded by trained optometrist graders in line with internationally established quality standards. In every case a report is issued to the appropriate GP.

The 2011 scheme was very effective for those who availed of it, which was about 50% of those eligible. We hope that the take-up this year will be significantly higher.

Eye Examinations under PRSI contribution.

PRSI contributors are still entitled to a free eye examination every two years under the Optical Benefits Scheme*. There is no longer an entitlement to glasses or contact lenses since 2009 but contributors should continue to have their eye health checked regularly for free under the scheme.

* Subject to qualification criteria.

European Commission adopts health warning: "smoking increases the risk of blindness"
New scientific evidence on the health effects of tobacco use and the benefits of effective tobacco labelling has emerged since the adoption of Directive 2001/37/EC (on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products). The evidence for a causal link between smoking and visual impairment has been one factor that led the European Commission to revise the health warnings set out in the same Directive (Annex I). In March 2012, the European Commission has therefore adopted a number of new health warnings including "smoking increases the risk of blindness" which will in future be printed on tobacco products.

The European vision charity sector led by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) from the UK has been lobbying in partnership with representatives from ophthalmology, to convince the European Commission and EU governments to introduce this new sight loss warning on tobacco packets since 2006, and has since called for timely implementation across the EU.

Member States have until 2014 to introduce the new written health warnings on tobacco products. ECOO encourages its members to closely monitor the implementation of the directive in their respective countries and to join forces locally with the rest of the eye care sector to ensure the timely implementation

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