Nova Scotia says new contract will lead to shorter wait for eye surgeries

The Nova Scotia government says a new contract between Nova Scotia Health and Halifax Vision Surgical Centre will shorten wait times for eye surgeries.

In a release, the Department of Health and Wellness said under the new agreement, the centre will perform up to 6,000 cataract surgeries next year, an increase from the 3,700 performed this year.

“The surgeries will continue to be available to patients at no cost and will be performed by the same eye surgeons who perform surgeries through Nova Scotia Health,” it said.

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“Relocating cataract surgeries will free up operating room time for more complex eye surgeries at Nova Scotia Health’s Eye Care Centre, which provides specialized surgeries for people across the Maritimes.”

Those surgeries include retina, glaucoma and oculoplastic surgeries, “which can include procedures on eye sockets, eyelids, tear ducts and the face.”

The contract with Halifax Vision Surgical Centre will be worth about $5 million a year, it said.

“We know vision impairment can have a devastating effect on a person’s life,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness, in the release.

“This expanded partnership with Halifax Vision will help Nova Scotians who are waiting for much-needed eye surgeries see the world a little clearer and brighter, sooner.”

Nova Scotia Health has paid about $4.2 million to the Halifax Vision Surgical Centre since 2020.