Ophthalmology medicine offers increasingly refined solutions but must deal with a healthcare system that imposes outdated rules and with cuts in public spending that slow down their use, with increasingly longer waits and disparities between patients in the different Regions. It was discussed at the third SISO (Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences) national congress, underway in Rome, with over 2800 specialists from all over Italy. "On the one hand we are seeing advances on a scientific and clinical level - explains Teresio Avitabile, President of SISO and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Catania - on the other we have regulatory problems. An example for everyone is cataract surgery: today we perform it in 20 minutes, we have very advanced lens prostheses, we make 600 thousand of them a year but anachronistic regulations force us to follow redundant rules that raise costs and consequently lengthen waiting lists".
Italy is also first place in Europe for the administration of intravitreal injections which administer drugs which, by inhibiting the growth factors of new blood vessels, slow down the degeneration of the macula, i.e. the central area of the retina. "We practice around 400 thousand a year - declares Scipione Rossi, Secretary Siso and Director of the UOC of Ophthalmology at S. Carlo di Nancy Hospital in Rome - The problem is the provision of services: the reimbursements, i.e. the DRGs, for this type of diseases are decreasing". In the case of glaucoma, a special artificial lens has also been produced.
Schillaci, 46 thousand requests for sight bonus
“The vision bonus, in 2023, saw 46 thousand requests for reimbursement for purchases made up to 4 May last year. 245 thousand vouchers were spent on the purchase of eyeglasses and corrective contact lenses, for a total value of over 14 million 500 thousand euros". This was made known by the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci speaking at the congress of the Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences (Siso).
Schillaci, “working on new remuneration for cataracts”
“We must try to find an adequate price, also by comparing ourselves with scientific societies. Let's find a solution to this problem because the cataract, along with other benefits, has been underpowered." Thus the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci speaking at the congress of the Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences (Siso).
The updating of the tariffs for the services included in the new essential levels of assistance has caused concern due to the reduction in the reimbursement attributed to some of them. For cataracts, a fee of around 800 euros was foreseen, which was deemed insufficient by specialists.
“On the Lea, there has been a postponement to December 31st and I must say that this allows us to have some time because, objectively, alongside some laboratory services, the cataract has suffered a significant cut in remuneration,” he added the minister. “There are 50 million allocated in 2024 for the revision of the LEAs. There are many more, 200, starting from 2025 and 250 in 2026. We will try to have a frank contact to find an optimal solution." This, "especially for patients", he concluded.