Margaret Flynn (82) availed of the National Purchase Treatment Fund to get cataracts removed from her eyes. "I got one eye done last December and the second eye done in February," said Ms Flynn from Abbeyside in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. "It's made a great difference to me. I was afraid to cross the road, I couldn't see the cars coming, but I'm not afraid of crossing the road any more."
She developed the cataract problem two years ago and had already spent 12 months on the waiting list and was facing into a further two year wait for the operation at Waterford Regional Hospital when the hospital put her in touch with the treatment fund.
"I went up to Barrington's Hospital in Limerick and they did the operations for me. My eyes were very blurred beforehand but I can see clearly now again and it's made a huge difference to my quality of life.
"When I went into the church, I couldn't see the altar properly. When I went in the first time after having them done, I thought the church was after being painted . . . before I couldn't see the host when the priest was holding it up, I can see it very clearly now."
Apart from being able to read again, Ms Flynn is looking forward to visiting her daughter, Maria, in England at Easter, something she believes she could not have done if it was not for having the NTPF-funded operation.
NTPF chief executive Pat O'Byrne says Ms Flynn's experience is typical of many who avail of the scheme to have surgery for complaints such as cataracts, hip and knee replacements, ENT procedures, heart operations and hernias and gallbladders.