In NI, children treated differently in the rest of Britain

Julie McCulf

BBC News Ni

13 -year -old Danny, who was detected Myopia at the age of seven, is not able to use his NHS voucher

The BBC is a boy smiling short brown hair and blue eyes on camera. He is wearing braces on his teeth and has a gray hoodi top. — 13 -year -old Danny, who was detected Myopia at the age of seven, is not able to use his NHS voucher

Optomatristians of Northern Ireland have stated that unlike other parts of the UK, using NHS vouchers to help pay for new treatment is being prevented children.

The chairman of Optometri Ni, Brian McCain said that it was “disappointing” and should change the rules, while the county down-based optometry, Vishwas Donaldson said that progress in the drug can now “slow down myopia’s progress”.

However, the Health Department stated that “the evidence is not yet enough to support funded use”.

Myopia, which is a medical term for short -sightedness, is an extremely common eye condition UK affects one of the three people,

Vishwas Donaldson has been working as an optometrist in Kilkel, County for almost 20 years

A woman with long brown hair and dark wire glasses is watching a screen, smiling. You can see staining glasses in the background. — Vishwas Donaldson has been working as an optometrist in Kilkel, County for almost 20 years

Children can use NHS vouchers, between £ 40 and £ 60, to help them look more clearly towards the cost of glasses, but cannot use them for special glasses or contact lenses that help treat myopia.

Treatment – Known as Myopia management – may slow down or prevent short -sightedness from getting worse.

Ms. Donaldson said that she feels obliged to tell families about Myopia management and that the college of optometrysts said that this is “the best practice and we should advise and tell our patients about it”.

Vishwas Donaldson said the new treatment slows down myopia’s progress

A boy is shining a light in his eye as part of an eye test. His head is resting on a metal frame and an optometrist is examining his eye through a lens. Optometrist has long black hair and a cream colored jacket. His back is for the camera. The boy has short hair and is wearing gray colored hoodie. — Vishwas Donaldson said the new treatment slows down myopia’s progress

The 13 -year -old Danny wears contact lenses that treats myopia and can see the difference for themselves that they can.

He said that he saw that his vision was deteriorating while wearing glasses, which was confirmed by eye testing.

But myopia slowed down that progress by starting the management.

“My next eye test after receiving my contacts for the first time, you saw that there was a big stop or there was no difference.”

Emma Macmans has two children who are myopic

Woman with long brown hair and sunglasses on her head smiling on camera. He is wearing a denim colored top and has glasses in the background. — Emma Macmans has two children who are myopic

Danny’s sister is also short -sighted. Her mother Emma Mcmanus said that both of them were a “no-grain” to pay privately for Myopia management.

He said that whatever they can do, he can “slow down that (myopia), to save his vision”.

About 30 pounds per month for Danny contacts and a total of £ 300 for her daughter’s glasses, which treats the condition.

Ms. Mcmanus knew that she could not use the NHS voucher towards Myopia management, but did not know that it could be used in other parts of the UK.

He feels that here causes damage to families.

“This may difference between another house in Myopia management or to say: ‘No, I can’t do it right now.”

“I think it’s just so unfair.”

Brian McCain from Optometry Ni says they are actively advocating for change

A man with short dark brown hair is smiling on camera. He is wearing a thick remand blue glass and a pace -pattern shirt. — Brian McCain from Optometry Ni says they are actively advocating for change

Brian McCain, the chairman of Optometri Ni, who represents all optometrist in Northern Ireland, stated that “evidence is definitely increasing” for Myopia management.

He said that he has patients in his own practice who have seen benefits and it was “disappointment” that people in the rest of Britain could use vouchers for treatment.

“We think there should be a change,” he said.

Mr. McCain said that the body has been presented a paper that decides on funding cases like these and they are waiting for the official reaction.

The Health Department said that it “continues to monitor the situation, and checks the available evidence, but till date the situation remains unchanged”.

It states that the authorities have met Optometri Ni and “is the profession that continues to take interest in the health department”.