I'm willing to believe that a "third world" country does better than Britain. Here we often do have to fight to get the correct drugs (if the NHS decides that the drug or treatment "isn't worth the cost" you're out of luck, and they often substitute cheaper versions which contain different ingredients). Adults here don't get glasses or eye surgery discounts at all (children may, I'm not sure whether that's means-tested) unless they are on 'benefits' (i.e. below minimum wage) except when the (private) shops do offers; we do get free eye tests (again done privately, NHS subsidised to the testers) at intervals (and employers are required to provide them as as well).

Prescribed medicines are subsidised, being fixed price per item (I take enough that I buy a fixed-price prepayment certificate, it works out cheaper if you have more than 2 items per month), or again free to those on benefits. But anything else you buy from a pharmacist (but they compete and for common drugs like Ibuprofen the "own brand" ones are cheap).

Better than the US system? For emergencies, certainly, there's no checking of insurance on admission. For 'elective' and non-urgent surgery I'm not so sure...