Welsh Tories warn 'tidal wave of blindness' about to hit and demand action on eye care

Sam Rowlands said more than 80,000 people are at the highest risk of irreversible sight loss, with eye care accounting for one in every eight patients on waiting lists in Wales

Calls for action on eye care amid warnings of a “tidal wave of blindness” about to hit Wales have been rejected by the Senedd. Conservative demands to address eye care were rejected by the Senedd.

Sam Rowlands, the Conservative shadow health secretary, highlighted that over 80,000 people are at extreme risk of non-reversible sight loss and said that eye care makes up 12.5% of all individuals on Welsh patient waiting lists. During a debate in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands pointed out the dramatic increase in ophthalmology patients exceeding their wait-time target, which has surged twofold in the past half-decade.

He warned that the need for eye care is expected to jump by up to 40% in the coming 20 years, which would add further strain to severely stretched services. With approximately 69,000 people in Wales suffering from diabetic retinopathy, Mr Rowlands relayed the concerns of a Swansea consultant about the overwhelming pace at which clinics are filling up in comparison to staffing levels.

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Taking the lead in a Conservative-led discussion, Mr Rowlands said that while sight loss conditions are often manageable, delayed treatment is resulting in irreversible vision impairment. The former leader of Conwy council warned: "This situation is at a crisis point – let's make no mistake."

Mr Rowlands who represents North Wales in the Senedd, called for investment by the Welsh Government to avert the "collapse" of eye care facilities. His proposed motion demanded that Welsh ministers establish benchmarks for clearing backlogs on waiting lists and follows advice laid out by the national clinical strategy for ophthalmology.

Mr Rowlands proposed that patients in Wales should have the option to undergo surgery in England, where he believes "they would be seen months, or, let’s be honest, even years quicker". He criticised Labour for stepping back from a commitment made at their annual conference in September, to cross-border NHS cooperation to tackle waiting lists.

Russell George, the Conservative chair of the Senedd’s health committee, questioned why capacity in Shropshire couldn't be utilised, blaming NHS Wales' unwillingness to pay. Mabon ap Gwynfor concurred that services are on the brink, citing the Royal College of Ophthalmology's description of the new strategy as the last chance.

He warned of a 'tidal wave of blindness' facing us, emphasising the urgency of the situation during a debate in the chamber. Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary highlighted the particularly fragile situation in north Wales, with 42,809 people waiting – the highest number in the country.

Mr ap Gwynfor, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, warned of the "same old pernicious paradox" of demand for services surging as the capacity of the workforce shrinks. Wrexham Senedd member Lesley Griffiths called for investment in digital technology, cautioning that ophthalmology has been behind the curve.

The former health minister acknowledged that while waiting times for surgery are reducing, they are not yet where everyone wants them to be. James Evans, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, expressed fears that guide dog services could become overwhelmed, leading to increased loneliness and social isolation for those they assist. His Conservative colleague Gareth Davies also voiced strong criticism, saying: "It's frankly unacceptable that in a developed nation an elderly woman and sole carer of her terminally ill partner should have to endure over two years of misery, living with cataracts, before she receives treatment. " He added that it is "an affront to human dignity" and called for immediate action.

Fellow Tory Altaf Hussain said there were also financial implications: "If we set aside the human cost – indeed, the human tragedy – and look at this in a purely economic light, tackling ophthalmology waiting times and preventing irreversible sight loss will help to reduce the strain on public finances."

In response, Welsh Government health secretary Jeremy Miles acknowledged the issue, informing Senedd members that the number of individuals waiting more than two years for treatment has dropped by 44% since March 2022. Despite this improvement, he was frank in stating: "For too many people who are referred to hospital, the waiting times are still too long. We must go further and quicker."

He said Wales is the only UK country with specific targets for hospital-based eye care aimed at those most at risk of losing their sight. Mr Miles highlighted the government's steps by investing an additional £30 million annually to shift more eye care services from hospitals to community-based optometry services.

Following the tense debate on October 2, the motion was narrowly defeated with a vote of 22-23, as Plaid Cymru sided with the Conservatives, while Labour voted in opposition. The Welsh Government’s "delete-all" amendment subsequently passed by an inverse margin.