In France, waiting times are now shorter to get an appointment with the ophthalmologist. According to a study by the main professional union published this week, the median time for a periodic inspection is 19 days in 2024, compared to 43 days in 2019.
The time frame differs depending on the method of making an appointment: 21 days by telephone versus 17 days via the Internet, according to the CSA institute survey for Snof.
Around 60% of appointments are given within a month and 25% within seven days. For non-urgent symptoms, half of patients get an appointment in five days or less, compared to 10 days in 2019. Although regional disparities persist, the median time has fallen in 11 out of 13 regions.
During a press conference, Vincent Dedes, president of Snof, declared that the improvement is the result of the sector's efforts, in particular thanks to "assisted work", delegation to orthoptists and the development of "secondary practices". br>
However, a quarter of attempts to make an appointment fail, and 59% of calls for non-serious symptoms are unsuccessful, indicating “difficulties” for some practitioners in managing unscheduled care, according to Dedes.
To improve the situation, “specialized care teams” are gradually being formed to deal with emergencies more quickly.
 Pascal Lemontel
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11/10/2024 | 
