
People in Kildare are waiting, on average, 2 years for cataract surgery.
Children in the county face a year long delay.
Nationally, there's been an increase in the amount of people travelling to Northern Ireland for cataract surgery.
74 per cent of optometrists reported an increase in patients availing of the Cross Border Directive in the last year.
A cataract scheme rolled out in the Sligo Leitrim area has reduced the waiting list to 14 months.
Optometrist Lynda McGivney Nolan says the HSE has no excuse for not rolling out the scheme nationwide.
Stock image.