Visual impairment is the partial or full loss of sight in one or both eyes. Visual impairment may be the result of disease or injury, may progress over time, and may be permanent or corrected with visual aids (such as glasses) or with surgery.

  • Cat. no: PHE 260
Findings from this report:

  • Over 13 million Australians had one or more chronic (long-term) eye conditions in 2017–18

  • In 2017–18, long-term vision disorders affected 93% of people aged 65 and over

  • Females (59%) experienced a higher prevalence of long-term vision disorders than males (51%) in 2017–18

  • About 411,000 Australians (1.7% of the population) had cataract and 244,000 (1.0%) had macular degeneration in 2017–18