Expanded coverage improving access to eye care, province says
Expanded coverage of optometry services in the province has reduced the need for referrals to ophthalmologists, visits to family doctors, emergency departments and walk-in clinics, says P.E.I. Health Minister Robert Henderson.
The expanded Optometry Service Program began last August and covers costs associated with the treatment of dry eye, red eye and diabetes retinopathy screening by optometrists.
Since the program began, optometrists have seen and treated about 2,500 Island patients for dry eye, and more than 2,000 people for retinopathy, according to the Health Department.
The province is spending about $200,000 a year on the expanded coverage.
'Prevention is key'
The province says approximately 14,000 lslanders are living with diabetes and at a higher risk of developing damaging eye conditions such as retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness in North America.
Early detection and ongoing eye health management can reduce this risk, said Dr. Jayne Toombs, president of the Prince Edward Island Association of Optometrists.
"Prevention is key, and screening for these conditions early on gives the patient an increased chance of management or recovery," she said.
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