The Alberta Association of Optometrists are keeping a close eye on the ramifications from changes to optometry coverage implemented earlier this month by Alberta Health.
Dr. Sophia Leung, President of the AAO, points out that – effective February 1st – there are several specific changes. According to the AAO, they include the delisting of partial eye exams for children and seniors, a 50 per cent reduction in the frequency of retinal imaging and photography, retinal imaging and retinal photography can only be claimed up to two times per patient per benefit year, basic eye services and medically necessary care cannot be billed on the same day, plus the fees for computer assisted visual field components will be reduced.
She adds, the Association worries about the impact these changes will have on those with eye disease, our vulnerable populations, and those living in rural areas. Dr. Leung says “for one, the travel time to get to an eye doctor, you know, thankfully the Alberta Association of Optometrists represents over 900 optometrists in over 100 communities but in the rural area that’s still a bit of a drive, right? To get to the optometrist’s office much closer than, let’s say, the urban centres or the specialist’s office but it’s still going to be a bit of a drive. You can imagine during harvest season or, you know, things like that. Well, if you have to now come back a second time to get an assessment that was originally covered for same day, this just adds and extra burden.”
Dr. Leung also highlights the fact that for dilation exams, optometrists usually recommend that someone drives them because typically a patient’s eye sight will be a little bit blurry afterwards with sensitivity to light as well. She says “so now you are going to ask somebody else to take time off of work to do that. So what Alberta Health has effectively done is increase the barrier and increase the challenges of, especially in rural populations, to be able to get efficient care. With that delay, then now we are talking about a delay potentially in the referral to a specialist that are often times in urban centres. This whole delay impacts the rural population so much more because it means more travel.”
She notes every optometrist is going to navigate this and make the decision within their own practice for fees. Dr. Leung says “it is hard for me to see across the whole province what that will look like but having that conversation with the optometrist directly to understand what that means for each Albertan. That’s going to be really important because it really depends on what’s going on, the conditions, right? We want to be sure the people that need to be seen, and who are needing care understand what avenues that will look like for them going forward. So, yeah, just encourage Albertans and those listening to chat with their optometrist and know that their optometrists are going to be there to still walk them through and make sure their eyes are taken care of as best as they can.”
Dr. Leung encourages patients to go to the optometrists.ab.ca website to learn more about how these eye care services changes will impact them and if there are any costs that are no longer covered by Alberta Health. She says AAO made every effort to ensure Alberta Health was aware of the impact these changes will have on Albertans.
Nathan Cooper, the MLA for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, notes that whenever there is change inside the system there is always some concern. He has reached out to the Minister of Health to seek some clarification and have a better understanding of the impact on a couple of these issues with respect to eye care – and in particular the impact specifically for rural Alberta. He says “sometimes it is more difficult for us out here in rural Alberta then some of our urban counterparts. I look forward to continuing that discussion both with service providers as well as the Ministry to ensure that we got that decision right and I will report back after I get some additional information from them.”
Listen to 96.5 The Ranch’s conversation with Dr. Sophia Leung.
