More than 500,000 Australians over the age of 40 are vision impaired or blind and approximately 75 per cent of their conditions are preventable or treatable.
The non-correction of visually disabling refractive errors is an important cause of visual impairment in both children and adults. Refractive error can be simply diagnosed, measured and corrected with spectacles in the majority of cases.
Australians need to protect their eyes as they get older and have regular eye tests to help prevent permanent vision loss in later years. Early detection is the key to protecting your sight as you age. The earlier you detect and treat a condition the more likely you are to reduce the chance of further vision impairment or blindness in later years.
More than 80 per cent of vision loss in Australia is caused by five conditions:
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – Australia’s leading cause of blindness. Nearly one person in four who lives into their nineties will eventually lose vision from this condition.
• Cataract – is a large and growing issue in Australia. Reducing smoking and high UV exposure would halve the need for cataract surgery.
• Diabetic Eye Disease – around 13% of newly diagnosed adults will have the eye disease known as diabetic retinopathy at the time of diagnosis. Regular eye examinations can prevent a great majority of vision loss instances, caused by this condition.
• Glaucoma – early diagnosis and treatment are important to control glaucoma and protect sight. Estimates suggest half of those with glaucoma are undiagnosed and untreated.
• Refractive Error – over half of Australians who present with vision impairment could have their vision improved with prescribed glasses or with correct prescriptions.
Regular eye tests are recommended to allow for early detection and diagnosis especially if there is a family history of eye conditions, you have diabetes, or are over 40 years of age, as vision loss impacts on other health related issues.
Eye Health