In a statement, the Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists (IPAO) said this move aims to provide millions of Filipinos with greater access to primary eye care and assistive devices, addressing widespread vision-related issues.
The announcement came during a joint Senate Health and Demography and Finance Committee meeting, chaired by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who emphasized the importance of preventive eye care, particularly for children.
Vision care services are essential to improve learning, academic performance, and prevent complications of high myopia like early cataract, retinal detachment, and myopia macular degeneration, he said.
IPAO chairman Dr. Charlie L. Ho lauded the move, calling it a timely response to the 2019 World Report on Vision, which projected that half of the global population would be near-sighted by 2050.
“Many eye issues and even blindness are preventable with early intervention, but many Filipinos lack access to primary eye care from optometrists,” he said.
The initiative aligns with the Universal Health Care Law’s goals, according to PhilHealth executive vice president Eli Dino D. Santos.
The expansion of coverage is expected to address vision-related challenges affecting 1.98 percent of the Filipino population, including over one million cases of cataracts and hundreds of thousands suffering from uncorrected refractive errors.
IPAO thanked Senator Go and Agri party list representative Wilbert T. Lee for championing the inclusion of eye care services in PhilHealth, which will provide vital support to millions, especially the underprivileged.
