Cork sees surge in waiting lists for ophthalmology appointments  

There are currently 6,835 people, including 614 children, waiting for ophthalmology appointments in Cork — more than double the amount recorded this time last year.

Data on the total number of people by county on ophthalmology waiting lists as of September 2025, and the number awaiting cataract surgery, was provided by health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in response to a parliamentary question from Dublin Fine Gael TD Emer Currie.

The data showed that 6,325 Cork people are waiting for an outpatient ophthalmology appointment and 510 for an inpatient appointment, including 614 children.

There are 237 people in Cork currently awaiting cataract surgery.

This is up considerably from the same time last year, when 2,271 adults and 239 children were waiting for an outpatient ophthalmology appointment and 370 adults for an inpatient appointment in Cork.

Waiting too long

Ms Carroll MacNeill said it was acknowledged that many patients are “still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments”.

"I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families," she said.

"I published the Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) for 2025 in February, representing this Government’s commitment to reducing waiting times for patients and improving access to hospital care.," said Ms Carroll MacNeill

“In keeping with this commitment, significant funding of €420m was allocated to the Waiting List Action Plan for 2025, €190m for the HSE and €230m for the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

“With the 2025 plan, we are continuing to build upon the progress delivered to date under the multi annual action plan approach, progressing towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.”