Thirteen patients who need cataract surgery travelled from Cork and Kerry to Northern Ireland over the weekend where they had their operations carried out under the Cross Border Initiative.
The elderly group, aged in their 70s and 80s, made the eight-hour journey to Kingsbridge hospital in Belfast.
The Health Service Executive's National Clinical lead for Ophthalmology said it was "an intolerable situation".
There are more than 8,500 people on the cataract surgery waiting list across the country.
Some people have been told they will have to wait three to four years before the operation can be carried out.
Gerry Higgins from Cork says he will be able to get back to living after having cataract surgery in Belfast pic.twitter.com/HJbX2QD0rk
— Aisling Kenny (@KennyAKE) December 18, 2017
The HSE's Professor Billy Power said there is a need to increase cataract theatres and provide specialist theatres that deal only with patients with cataracts in an efficient and timely manner.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Prof Power said one of these is up and running in Dublin's Eye and Ear Hospital but others need to be funded.
He said: "If we don't do things differently, we're facing a tsunami in terms of the numbers of people who are waiting and who will be waiting for cataract surgery."
One specialist cataract theatre operating five days a week would be able to deliver approx 2,000 to 2,500 cases a year, he said.
He said: "If you have three to four of those around the country, suddenly we're now in a position to meet the demand that's currently existing but it needs to be rolled out".
Prof Power said he believes the HSE is close to making a decision on other specialist cataract theatres around the country and he is hoping these units will be funded for next year.
