This page gives some key facts about eye health in Australia. More detailed information can be found elsewhere on this website and through the AIHW publications.
The prevalence of eye problems in Australia is not known with any great certainty. However, we can use a number of data sources to get an idea of the scale of eye disorders in Australia. These sources are either based on administrative data, self-reported information or clinical examinations. These three types of data provide different kinds of information, and have both weaknesses and strengths when it comes to estimating prevalence.
Further information
Prevalence estimates
According to the 2004-05 National Health Survey (NHS):
- Just over 10 million Australians reported a long-term eye problem. This represents about half of the Australian population. Eye problems are therefore one of the most common health problems experienced by the Australian population.
- Approximately 5.3 million people reported being long-sighted, while about 4.3 million reported being short-sighted. This represents a slight increase in the proportions of people reporting these conditions compared with the 2001 survey.
- Other commonly reported conditions include the accommodation disorders of astigmatism and presbyopia (both 850,000 persons), as well as cataract (350,000), glaucoma (200,000) and macular degeneration (100,000).
- Approximately 9.4 million people wear glasses or contact lenses in order to correct sight.
Disability
- It has been estimated that over 50,000 Australians are blind. A further 430,000 are estimated to have low vision, which impacts on their ability to live independently, especially in regards to driving.
- The most common cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration. Blindness and low vision increase exponentially with age, so that about 40% of people over 90 are estimated to have low vision.
Risk factors
- Age and Sex
The prevalence of most types of vision impairment increases as people get older. This is especially the case with age-related macular degeneration and senile cataract. The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) also found that, after taking age into account, women were significantly more likely than men to suffer from vision impairment.
- Diet
According to the BMES, a high intake of protein, vitamin A and B1, and riboflavin protects against some forms of cataract. High dietary fat is a risk factor for macular degeneration, while high fish consumption may protect against it.
- Other lifestyle factors
Smoking and heavy alcohol intake can increase the risk of some forms of cataract and macular degeneration. Excessive sun exposure may also lead to eye problems.
- Diabetes
The BMES found that diabetic retinopathy was present in one third of those with diabetes. People with diabetes also had significantly worse vision than those without diabetes, and are at higher risk of cataract and glaucoma. The Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study found that 15% of people with diabetes had retinopathy.
- Genetics
Like many illnesses, genetic susceptibility may make some people more at risk of poor eye health. For example, the risk of glaucoma is increased by a factor of three if a close family member suffers from it. Additionally, Aboriginal Australians have been reported to show lower levels of refractive error and higher visual acuity than non-Aboriginal persons, which may have a genetic component.
Hospitalisations
- Eye problems account for about 1 in 30 hospitalisations in Australia.
- At over 160,000 per year, cataract procedures are the most common eye procedures performed in hospitals.
- About $500 million is spent treating eye problems in both private and public hospitals each year.
- The median waiting time for ophthalmology surgery is the longest of any surgical speciality.
Primary care
- According to the 2004-05 NHS, 190,000 people had visited an optometrist or optician in the two weeks prior to the survey.
- 75% of primary eye care in Australia is performed by optometrists.
Labour force
- In the 2006 census, 627 persons reported 'ophthalmologist' as their occupation. Just over 3,000 reported being optometrists, while nearly 3,300 reported being optical dispensers.
- Of these eye-related professions, just over half were female. However, only about a fifth of ophthalmologists were women.