48,848 visually impaired people on waiting lists for first appointment with eye specialist last year

There were 48,848 visually impaired people on waiting lists for their first appointment with an eye specialist last year, and more than a quarter of those had been waiting at least 18 months.

The figures, referred to by the National Council for the Blind Ireland at the launch of its latest annual report, also showed that 7,434 of those on the waiting list were children.