Eye Care in FocusEye Care in Focus Conference 2026
National conference brings together Ireland's extended eye-care team to share developments in community and hospital eye services.
Spotlight on Eye Health, World Sight Day 08.10.2026
The Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) hosted its annual Eye Care in Focus education conference for eye care professionals in Dublin today (Wednesday, 7 October), highlighting developments in integrated care, new clinical pathways and the expanding role of the multidisciplinary eye-care team.
The one-day conference at The Ashling Hotel in Dublin brings together ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists, dispensing opticians, ophthalmic nurses and technicians working in the community and hospital setting. The meeting aims to promote collaboration across the eye care community and to share best practice in addressing current and future challenges in the specialty.
Key topics on the agenda included the development of integrated ophthalmology services in primary care, a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of dry eye, a digital pathway for retinopathy of prematurity screening in Ireland, vision standards for driving and the evolving role of allied health professionals in an integrated eye care team model.
Mr Gerry Fahy, President of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists, said:
“Eye Care in Focus provides an important opportunity for colleagues from across the eye-care professions to come together and share what is working in practice.
The delivery of eye care is changing, with greater emphasis on integrated services, multidisciplinary working and providing care closer to where patients live. Collaboration and shared learning across the profession is essential if we are to meet growing demand while continuing to provide safe, high-quality care for patients.
This conference gives us an opportunity to share experience from different parts of the country, look at new models of care and consider how we can build on these developments nationally to improve patient access to services.”
Cataract eReferral Healthlink Form
Cataract remains the highest-volume surgical procedure in Ireland, and demand continues to grow with an ageing population.
In response, the HSE in collaboration with the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology, has introduced new pathways designed to streamline referrals and ensure hospital surgical capacity is used efficiently.
Dr Geraldine Comer, Consultant Medical Ophthalmologist for HSE West / North West, spoke to delegates about the implementation of the Healthlinks Direct Cataract Referral in the Galway region.
“A standardised Healthlinks Direct Cataract eReferral form has been developed for GPs and optometrists referring to the HSE system. This ensures that patients referred for surgical assessment are suitable, informed and ready to proceed if surgery is offered. Patients who do not yet require surgery can remain under community optometric care until the appropriate time.”
Dr Comer told delegates;
“The new model of care is designed to reduce unnecessary hospital visits, shorten waiting times and allow more services to be delivered closer to patients’ homes through community-based clinics. Community pre-assessment clinics, supported by technicians, nurses and optometrists, also allow much of the preparatory work to be completed locally before surgery. Cataract waiting times have fallen from three years to six weeks, while the improved referral pathways mean 90% of patients referred now proceed to surgery.”
Developing New Clinical Pathways and Integrated Care
Delegates heard about the continuing establishment of new integrated ophthalmology services in primary care across the country, including recent eye care service developments in the Midlands and in Co. Mayo.
Led by Consultant Medical Ophthalmologists, the integrated eye care teams bring together optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses and technicians to deliver cataract, glaucoma, medical retina and paediatric eye care in the community closer to patients' homes.
Discussion focused on the eye-care team working together to provide appropriate care at the right point of access in the health service, supporting more efficient use of specialist services while maintaining high standards of patient care.
Sharon Kennelly, HSE Programme Management Office Lead updated delegates on the Integrated Eye-Care Service Improvement initiative within the HSE Dublin & Midlands Region (IHA Midlands - Portlaoise).
Speaking at the conference, Ms Kennelly said,
“The HSE Portlaoise initiative establishes a community-based, multidisciplinary integrated eye-care service to shift patients off acute hospital waiting lists and provide care closer to home. Despite initial hurdles with funding and recruitment pauses, the project successfully secured a dedicated space at the Treo Nua Family Resource Centre. Backed by HSE Spark innovation, the site deployed advanced trial clinics, specialised visually impaired wayfinding, and direct MediSight IT links with the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital.”
Keynote speaker Mairéad King, a Clinical Optometrist at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital outlined a service evaluation of the long waiter glaucoma clinic in the hospital, and the operations of a new optometry-led review clinic in the outpatients department.
Cherly Deehan, Senior Orthoptist at the HSE Castlebar Primary Care Centre, Co. Mayo, spoke about orthoptic-led vision screening and rehabilitation services, demonstrating the contribution of the wider eye-care team in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.
Digital Screening Programme for Retinopathy of Prematurity
The conference programme highlighted developments in specialist care pathways, including a new digital pathway for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a sight-threatening condition affecting premature babies.
Dr Bobby Tang, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda outlined the project which aims to establish a nationwide digital screening programme for ROP across Ireland. Currently, many neonatal units do not have access to ophthalmologists trained to provide ROP screening, meaning services are unevenly distributed across the country. In 2025 alone, up to 100 premature infants had to be transported in incubators from their local neonatal units to central hospitals for screening examinations.
Ultimately, the programme aims to provide equitable, high-quality ROP screening for premature infants across Ireland while reducing unnecessary transfers and improving clinical outcomes for some of the country’s most vulnerable newborns.
Vision Standards and Driving
Dr Mary Jo Ryan, Irish College of Ophthalmologists' Representative for the Working Group on Traffic Medicine at the RSA National Office of Transport Medicine spoke to delegates about the system in place for citizens to obtain or renew a driving licence and the standard of vision required. Dr Ryan also discussed the eye conditions that may impede an individual obtaining this standard and what eye professionals must do if this occurs.
World Sight Day - a global focus on eye health
The Eye Care in Focus conference takes place the day before World Sight Day (Thursday, 8 October).
According to the World Health Organisation, at least 2.2 billion people worldwide have a vision impairment or blindness, and nearly half of these cases could have been prevented or have yet to be addressed. In Ireland, conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and cataract remain the leading causes of vision loss. Early detection and timely treatment can prevent much of this.
Marking the awareness day, ICO President Mr Gerry Fahy said:
“Sight is the sense people fear losing the most, yet many are unaware of how much can be done to protect it. Regular eye examinations are vital, not just for detecting vision problems, but also for identifying broader health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure. On World Sight Day, we want to remind everyone in Ireland that eye health is essential to overall health and wellbeing and to encourage people to have their eyes checked regularly.”
An international perspective on eye health was delivered at the Eye Care in Focus conference by Ms Lisa McAnena, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Mater Misericoridae University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital in relation to the work of Orbis Ireland. Dr McAnena’s presentation outlined the implementation of the SAFE strategy for trachoma eradication in Ethiopia, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in preventing avoidable sight loss
ENDS
7th October 2026