Eye health measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2025: interactive data

The proportion of First Nations people with vision impairment and blindness: Measure 1.1.1

Latest data

Based on the available Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey (AEEHS) data, in 2022–25, the sampling prevalence of bilateral vision impairment for First Nations people aged 50 and over was 1 in 10 (11%) and the prevalence of bilateral blindness was 1 in 500 (0.2%) (Figure 1). 

After standardising for age and sex, the estimated prevalence of bilateral vision impairment for First Nations people was 2.9 times the rate for non-Indigenous Australians (10.9%, confidence interval (CI) 8.2–14.3; 3.8%, CI 3.2–4.5, respectively). 

By age and sex

The prevalence of vision loss (vision impairment and blindness) for both First Nations and non-Indigenous survey participants in 2022–25 rose markedly with age. For First Nations people, the prevalence of vision loss was 1 in 10 (9.8%) among those aged 50–59, compared with more than 1 in 5 (20%) among those aged 80 and over. First Nations’ rates were higher than non-Indigenous rates for all age groups (Figure 2 – age).

There was no significant difference between First Nations males and females in the rates of vision loss (Figure 2 – sex). 

By remoteness*

In 2022–25, the prevalence of vision loss for First Nations people in Inner regional and Remote areas was significantly higher than for non Indigenous Australians. (Figure 2 – remoteness).

*Information about remoteness is summarised in Defining remoteness.