TORONTO — Ontario optometrists are pressing the pause button in a job action that's affected government-insured eye services.
It means eye exams for seniors and children will resume on Tuesday.
The announcement came Monday as the association representing optometrists said it it has reached an agreement with the province to begin formal negotiations about OHIP funding of optometric care.
At the beginning of September, the Ontario Association of Optometrists withdrew some services, saying its members are currently forced to cover about 45 per cent of their costs out of pocket.
The province said it's committed to reimburse some costs retroactively and to increase the reimbursement rate in future, but the association responded that this would still leave a significant shortfall.
The OAO has said it wants a deal that aligns with how optometric care is funded in other provinces.
With talks expected to begin shortly, the association said it is pausing its job action as a sign of good faith, "ensuring that millions of Ontarians insured by OHIP can again benefit from the expertise of their optometrist during these negotiations."
