Vision impairment cost the State over €380 million last year and this figure is expected to reach almost €450 million by 2020, a new report has shown.

The report, The Cost of Sight Loss, reveals that almost 225,000 people in Ireland are currently living with low vision or sight loss. By 2020, this figure is expected to reach more than 271,000.

According to Des Kenny, CEO of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), which commissioned the report, these findings represent ‘the most definitive data currently available about the cost of vision loss in the Republic of Ireland'.

"The burden placed by vision loss on the Irish healthcare system and wider economy will continue growing unless greater steps are taken to detect and treat eye conditions that cause vision impairment," Mr Kenny insisted.

The report states that the ‘real financial cost' of sight loss is broadly divided into two areas - healthcare costs, which are considered direct costs and other costs, which are considered indirect.

These indirect costs include lost productivity and welfare payments.

Altogether, healthcare costs were estimated to amount to over €116 million last year, while other costs totaled almost €270 million.

Healthcare costs included hospital costs for treating various eye conditions, prescription drug costs and general ophthalmic services.

Meanwhile, informal care proved to be the biggest indirect cost. This refers to the value of lost working or leisure time for loved ones who provide care to people with sight loss. It was estimated to cost over €108 million last year.

Mr Kenny pointed out that the NCBI expects these vision-related costs to increase in the coming years as the population ages.

However, he insisted that some of the burden highlighted in this report ‘can potentially be reduced through effective prevention, detection and treatment' of various eye conditions.

The NCBI makes a number of recommendations which it believes will help reduce the burden of eye disease, including:

-An education programme aimed at increasing the uptake of eye tests in those over the age of 70, as they are at greater risk of developing various eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - the most common cause of registered blindness in Ireland
-The provision of increased funds to hospitals in order to reduce waiting lists for cataract surgery.

For more information on the NCBI, click here