Roll Out of Standardised Cataract-only Referral Letter Aims to Ensure Efficient Use of Resources and Reduce Cataract Waiting List
The Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) hosted its annual Eye Care in Focus conference 2025 at The Gibson Hotel, Dublin on Wednesday, 1 October, bringing together leading eye experts to share the latest developments in eye health and integrated models of care in the specialty.
The conference aims to promote collaboration across the eye care community and to share best practice in tackling current and future challenges in ophthalmology.
– Myopia Management and Care Pathways
A key topic on the agenda was a clinical session on myopia, led by Professor Ian Flitcroft, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Children’s Health Ireland Temple Street and a leading authority on the causes and management of the condition.
Professor Flitcroft was joined by Dr Michael Moore, Lecturer in Optometry at School of Physics, Clinical and Optometric Sciences Technological University Dublin during which they discussed the development of community care pathways and clear referral criteria of myopia cases to both hospital and community based services.
With myopia now affecting a growing proportion of children and young adults worldwide, the session provided eye care professionals with practical guidance to support best practice in management and referral.
Professor Flitcroft also outlined the implications of European Medicines Agency approval of low dose atropine for myopia control, including clinical evidence, prescribing practice, and integration into care pathways.
– The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology and workforce planning
Ms Aoife Doyle, HSE National Clinical Lead for Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and St James’s Hospital, Dublin, announced the roll outof a national standardised cataract-only referral letter which will be made available to referring optometrists and doctors across the HSE Regional Health Areas.
The new template is designed to streamline the referral process, making it more efficient for healthcare professionals, consultants receiving referrals, and ultimately for patients navigating their care pathway.
Speaking at the conference, Ms Aoife Doyle said;
“This letter is designed to provide the minimum dataset required to allow the hospital team to identify cataract patients likely to need surgery at the point of referral and to allocate them directly to one of the cataract care pathways with the primary integrated eye care teams. It follows guidelines established under the NHS GIRFT programme. The “Getting it right first time” guidelines for cataract surgery have already been implemented in a number of units around the country with high volume dedicated cataract theatres active in most regions as well as “one-stop shop ” dedicated pre assessment clinics for cataract in the community eye care units, which reduce the number of visits from 3 or 4 down to a single visit. This has shortened the time from listing to cataract surgery. The use of the dedicated referral form aims to maximise the number of patients listed for surgery at these clinics. Levels of conversion to surgery as high as 90-95% have been achieved in some units in the UK.”
The Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology is working with Healthlink to make the referral form available digitally through Healthlink.
Ms Doyle added,
“Experience in the HSE Dublin and North East region, where a standardised cataract referral process is now in operation, has been very positive. The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology plans to build on this by ensuring the standardised form is available to referring optometrists and doctors in all six HSE Health Regions.”
Sarah Spain, Senior Orthoptist, Roscommon Primary Care Centre; Health & Social Care Professions (HSCP) Lead for the National Clinical Programme in Ophthalmology spoke to delegates about the ongoing strategic planning in relation to the training, recruitment and retention of orthoptists in the Irish Health Service.
Deirdre Kenny, Health & Social Care Professions (HSCP) Assistant National Lead outlined the ‘HSCP Deliver’ plan, a strategic framework launched by the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) to harness the collective potential of the HSCP workforce to improve health services and outcomes for the population. The framework focuses on identifying impacts, outlining HSCP commitments, and detailing the supports and actions needed to enhance integrated, person-centred care.
Speaking to delegates at the Eye Care in Focus Conference, Ms Kenny said,
“Optometrists and orthoptists are part of the HSCP family, a group of 26 Health and Social Care Professionals working across therapeutic, diagnostic and social care domains. HSCP Deliver is a Strategic Guidance Framework for Health and Social Care Professionals that was co-created with service users, HSCP and senior managers to articulate the impact of the full collective potential of the 26 HSCP on our health services and the population they serve. Key strategic developments have included the creation of HSCP Regional Directors alongside teams of regional HSCP focused on workforce education and development, and the initiation of Advanced Practice for HSCP.”
Other keynote talks which featured on the ICO Eye Care in Focus Conference included;
- Overcoming language barriers for eye care patients, delivered by Dr Emily Greenan, Surgical Ophthalmology Trainee at the Irish College of Ophthalmologists.
Dr Emily Greenan’s talk explored the impact of language and communication barriers in ophthalmology, the role of professional and ad hoc interpreters, and how these factors shape patient care, safety, and equitable access to services.
Dr Greenan’s presentation was based on a cross-sectional study carried out at University Hospital Limerick recently which found that language barriers significantly affect patient understanding and communication in ophthalmology care. The study assessed translation services for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) attending UHL’s ophthalmology department between September 2024 and March 2025.
- Expanding roles within the multidisciplinary team in orthoptics, nursing, and optometry
The panel discussion highlighted examples of team delivered eye care in Ireland and the opportunities for further development. Miss Angela Knox, Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust highlighted the evolving roles in modern glaucoma care, emphasising the need for efficient management of resources and patient care due to the growing elderly population and the implementation of innovative strategies and technologies. She was joined on the panel by Kendal Hinds, Senior Orthoptist, Community Eye Clinic, Grangegorman Primary Care Centre in Dublin, Mary O’Mahony, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork and Olivia Burke, Clinical Optometrist at HSE Community Healthcare West.
- Eyes on Tomorrow podcast hosted by Ophthalmologist Mr John Ferris and Optometrist, Dermot Keogh.
Podcast hosts Mr John Ferris, Consultant Ophthalmologist (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust) and Dermot Keogh, Specialist Optometrist, Keith Holland Clinic, Gloucestershire, UK spoke to pioneering Irish eye surgeon Mr Patrick Condon about his new book ‘Eye Healthcare – A 90 Year History of Progress‘ and his insights on how ophthalmic healthcare is organised and delivered.
- Case Based Discussion
A case-based discussion, led by Dr Karen Curtin, Consultant Ophthalmologist at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and Ballincollig Primary Care Centre, Cork, presented on a range of patient cases, discussing the best treatment and management options with the audience of eye care professionals.In his closing remarks, Mr Gerry Fahy, President of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists said;
“The Eye Care in Focus conference has been a very welcomed and important event for all involved in the delivery of eye care in Ireland. The meeting programme is designed to be of interest to ophthalmologists and those in specialist ophthalmology training, optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses and technicians working in the hospital and community setting as an important forum for shared learning across the disciplines. We’re delighted to see the meeting go from strength to strength each year as we host our 4th consecutive annual meeting and the appetite for a collaborative approach in the interest of enhancing eye care and the patient experience.”
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