People who use medical contact lenses now have increased financial support, with up to €1,000 available every two years.
Galway Senator Aisling Dolan said that the changes to the Treatment Benefit Scheme will be of huge financial benefit to many people.
“This will really make a difference for people at work and the self-employed who have to cover the cost of medical contact lenses.”
“With these changes €1,000 will now be available every two years instead of a four-year period.”
There are more than two and a quarter million people who qualify for some form of financial aid under the Treatment Benefit Scheme, Aisling Dolan said.
“It also covers dental, eye-tests and glasses, hearing tests so do call into your local dentist and optician in the treatment benefit scheme to find out about a free check-up.”
“I know people are slowly getting back into the routine of check-ups after the pandemic and lockdown and we can put it on the long finger,” Aisling Dolan said, adding “Tese benefits make it easier for people who are working to do those check-ups”
The Treatment Benefit Scheme is available to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions, and to their adult dependents.
The change in the TBS was announced recently by Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys.
Minister Humphreys said “Contact lenses can be a costly expense and this measure is designed to assist people who require specialised lenses for medical reasons.”
“It follows on from my introduction of a new €500 grant towards the cost of a hairpiece, wig or hair replacement and the easing of PRSI conditions for 25-29 year olds.”
For those who are prescribed to wear contact lenses for medical reasons the frequency of the need to change the lenses varies with their particular eye condition.
Some people must wear these lenses because they have a distortion in the shape of the pupil and the lens stops the distortion. In this case, the lens is a hard glass lens.
Sometimes medical lenses are needed because glasses can’t correct the bad eyesight issue sufficiently.
