He waits a long time, in the public, even for eye examinations and treatments necessary to save sight, such as in the case of glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy
And cataract surgery? It can take up to three years to do so in a facility of the National Health Service. Those who can afford it go to the private sector, paying for it, otherwise it waits. As well as you have to wait to get an appointment, in the public, for the ophthalmological examination and to carry out tests necessary for the diagnosis of ocular pathologies that can compromise vision. the cry of alarm from the Italian Ophthalmological Society (SOI). If we do not take action immediately, the ophthalmologists warn, the number of blind and visually impaired people could double by 2030. The reasons? Diseases that impair vision are on the rise, mainly due to aging of the population. According to data from Iapb Italia onlus, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, o
Over 3 million Italians are at risk of serious diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy
. From here thereappeal of ophthalmologists to institutions
so that millions of compatriots are guaranteed access to the best eye care at the right time.
Not cosmetic surgery
Before receiving the diagnosisdenounces the Italian Ophthalmological Society, often the patient forced to face a tortuous path with over three accesses to the public structure and waits that exceed many months; and more and more people find themselves having to put their hand to their wallet to safeguard the health of their eyes. According to the World Health Organization, vision defects are the main cause of low vision and blindness. In Italy, on the other hand, underlines the Scientific Society, the elimination of vision defects with the implantation of artificial crystalline advanced technology continues to be considered as a surgery for aesthetic purposes, not provided for by the National Health Service.
For example, explains the president of SOI, Matteo Piovella: Cataract surgery, what an intervention of c
High-complexity major eye surgerybut with long waiting times in the audience, it corrects all vision defects both from far and near, allowing the person to drive, watch television, read a book or newspaper.
As for the people who suffer from maculopathyreports Piovella: Ben 70% of patients do not access adequate therapies only for bureaucratic failures.
Save the view
The good news that in many cases it is possible to save the view especially by focusing on prevention. Once more the experts advise periodic checks, starting from the first years of life. Even the new technologies in the ophthalmology field they can be of help for increasingly precise diagnoses come
by and treatments of even complicated eye diseases. According to the Italian Ophthalmological Society, however, only 1 percent of new eye technologies are publicly available. Cos – comments the president Piovella – often the National Health Service fails to guarantee the best eye care. Adequate economic resources are needed for g
guarantee all patients access to new equipment and technologies for diagnostic accuracy – which just a few years ago could not be obtained – and cutting-edge therapies.
October 21, 2022 (change October 21, 2022 | 14:39)
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