The debate over eye operation waiting times took a fresh twist today when two pensioners contacted the Evening Press to say they faced long waits just to get on hospital waiting lists.

One 75-year-old York woman, who did not want to be named, told the Evening Press she was being asked to wait 40 weeks just for an appointment with a specialist at the York District Hospital.

Only then will the woman, who has cataracts in both eyes, be put on the waiting list for the operation.

She told the Evening Press: "My doctor referred me to hospital on September 21. I waited for ages for a letter to come with the outpatients' appointment, and when it did come it said I could see a specialist in July.

"It said they would tell me where I was on the waiting list when I went along. If that waiting list is as long, I could have been waiting two years to get my eyes fixed.

"It is an outrage that this goes on. I didn't know about this 'hidden' waiting list. Should I pay for it myself? It's a hell of a lot of money when you're on a pension. There must be lots of people out there who are in the same position.

"It's not the doctors' fault. There is something seriously wrong with the system."

York pensioner Joan Merryweather added she had been told it would be at least a year before she could see a consultant about eye problems.

She said she was told it would then be at least another year to wait for the operation itself.

In a letter published in the Evening Press today she says: "At 77 it looks like I am going to be living with impaired sight for the rest of my life and many of the things I like doing I can no longer take part in."

The latest revelations come as charity Age Concern today warned pensioners were being refused treatment on the NHS because of their age.

A survey by the charity claims to have found one in 20 people over 65 have been denied treatment.

It quoted one elderly patient as saying "I was refused treatment because the money would be better spent on someone younger. It was a new treatment for cancer."

York GP Dr Tony Sweeney said he was concerned about waiting times. But he added when it came to emergency eye care, the YDH was "excellent".

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