The Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists (IPAO) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) began their work to finalize the coverage guidelines for optometric services and prescription eyeglasses by the end of November.
This was after DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. signed a commitment in response to AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee’s interpellation during the Lower House’s budget deliberations.
On March 5, 2024, House Resolution No. 1623 was filed and urged PhilHealth to include optometric services worth up to P4,000 in the state health insurer’s benefit package.
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness or IAPB Vision Atlas and the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health report showed that 90 percent of vision loss can be prevented or treated if detected early based on.
The Philippine Eye Research Institute also reported that 16 percent of high school students have an error of refraction, 90 percent of which have myopia or near-sightedness.
“HR No. 1623 paved the way and advocated for Filipinos’ right to comprehensive optometric services and free prescription eyeglasses to improve productivity and reduce the financial burden of the Filipinos.” IPAO Chairman Dr. Charlie Ho said.
“Based on IPAO’s estimates, about 28 million Filipinos suffer from presbyopia or have difficulty seeing near, and most especially the marginalized sector who can hardly afford quality eye care and prescription glasses due to poor access and affordability. Several Filipinos visit their eye care professionals only when vision loss begins to manifest or when it’s too late for any intervention. Thus, PhilHealth’s expanded program to cover preventive optometric services and prescription eyeglasses comes very timely as it will benefit millions of Filipinos,” Ho added.
Dr. John U. Nakpil, President of IPAO, added: “The commitment of DOH and PhilHealth paved the way for the creation of a technical working group (TWG) to work the Guidelines for its implementation. The IPAO proposed to cover school children during the initial rollout to emphasize preventive eye and vision care and detection of early myopia.”
“The whole optometric community is thankful to the House of Representatives, DOH and PhilHealth officials led by Ledesma and Chief Operation Officer Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos for being sensitive to the health care needs of the people, especially the poor who cannot see and cannot afford expensive eyeglasses. Ang mga mahihirap nating kababayan ang matutulungan po dito.” Nakpil said.
