NDIS minister promises to ‘escalate’ blind boy Leo Hall appeal for prosthetic eyes after funding snub

There is a major development in the case of eight-year-old boy Leo Hall, who was born without eyes after funding for his prosthetic replacements was stripped away. SEE THE VIDEO

Exclusive: A little boy whose funding for new prosthetic eyes was taken away by the NDIS has appealed the decision.

A week after this masthead revealed Leo Hall’s plight, the NDIS Minister has promised to escalate the case.

The eight year old, who was born with no eyes, and tiny eye sockets, needs on average two pairs of artificial eyes a year as his face grows, at $5000 a pop.

But his funding was stripped away in his last plan review, despite the NDIS paying for them since he was five years old.

The decision comes as the $1 billion a week scheme is under pressure to cut costs.

Watch the video about Leo Hall above.

Lauren Hall with 8-year-old Leo who was born with no eyes. They have been receiving NDIS funding for prosthetics since he was five years of age. Picture: Tara Croser

His mum Lauren, 34, who lodged an appeal this week, said she called Minister Jenny McAllister’s office for help and was told Leo’s case would be escalated. Reviews can take up to 90 days.

The NDIS Minister has promised to escalate the case of a boy who has been denied funding for new prosthetic eyes, after his predicament was highlighted by this masthead.

Last week we revealed that Leo Hall, 8 – who was born with no eyes, and tiny eye sockets – had funding for artificial eyes taken away in his last plan review, despite the NDIS paying for them since he was five years old.

On average Leo needs two pairs a year, at $5000 a pop, as his face grows. The decision comes as the $1 billion a week scheme is under pressure to cut costs.

His mum Lauren, 34, who lodged an appeal this week, said she called Minister Jenny McAllister’s office for help and was told Leo’s case would be escalated. Reviews can take up to 90 days.

Ms Hall said if the review goes against Leo, she will have to take the case to tribunal, which could take more than a year.

Leo Hall, 8, was born with eye sockets smaller than an uncooked grain of rice. Picture: Supplied

She argues Leo needs prosthetic eyes to support his facial bone structure, so his face grows normally. It also helps to have eyes when it comes to socialising with other kids.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) which makes decisions about funding, said in correspondence to Leo’s parents that while ocular prosthesis assists with maintaining the structures of the eye, it does not “assist in the control and function of a person’s neuromuscular skeletal system” and therefore cannot be funded as an NDIS support.

Ms Hall said she has previously fought the NDIA on the same issue at tribunal in 2022 and won. She said Leo’s eyes were not cosmetic but vital medical items relating to his disability.

Along with his blindness Leo has an intellectual disability, speech impairment and global developmental delay.

A freedom of information (FOI) request revealed that the NDIA is set to spend up to $50 million on hiring legal firms to fight participants at tribunal this financial year, despite more than 70 per cent of cases going against the agency.

Ms Hall, from Brisbane, said the process of appealing, and the prospect of having to go through the tribunal again, was “exhausting”.

“It’s so tiring to keep fighting for what Leo needs,” she said.

Ms Hall, will have to seek help from the public system if Leo’s funding is not met through the NDIS.

She was told this week that the public waiting list is booked solid until the end of November, 2026.

Lauren and Josh Hall with Lucas, 5, and Leo. Leo was born with no eyes and has been receiving NDIS funding for prosthetics since he was 5 years of age. Picture: Tara Croser

Leo normally has two to four appointments a year.

Ms Hall said the concern was that without NDIS support Leo’s progress will start to go backwards.

She added that it was horrible to feel like Leo was being pushed from one government body to another because no-one wants to stump up the money.

She fears the public system won’t meet Leo’s needs.

“The really tricky thing is in Leo’s case, ocularists a very few and far between,” Ms Hall said. “This guy we see is pretty much the only person in all of Queensland.”

She said Leo has surgery booked for next month to remove stitches and plastic from his eye socket and was due to have new NDIS-funded eyes afterwards, before the funding was cancelled.

She said his specialist has managed to squeeze him in for an appointment in the public system, after the surgery as Leo needs eyes in his sockets, otherwise the operation would be a waste of time.

Originally published as NDIS minister promises to ‘escalate’ blind boy Leo Hall appeal for prosthetic eyes after funding snub