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

The estimated number and proportion of First Nations people who had spectacle or contact lens correction for refractive error: Measure 3.9

The number of First Nations people who had spectacle or contact lens correction for refractive error, as a proportion of those who had refractive error (whether or not they had spectacle or contact lens correction).

Treatment of refractive error through the provision of spectacles is a low cost, effective intervention (Figure 49 and Figure 50). Along with coverage rate (REC), effective refractive error coverage (eREC) is a measure of both the availability and quality of refractive correction in a population. It is defined as the proportion of people in need of refractive error correction who have received services (spectacles, contact lenses, or refractive surgery) and have a good quality outcome.

Latest data

Based on the latest available Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey (AEEHS) data, in 2022–25, the total refractive error coverage was 96%. Coverage among First Nations people was 90%, lower than the rate for non-Indigenous Australians (97%) (Figure 49).

The total effective refractive error coverage was 94%, with lower rates observed for First Nations participants (87%) compared with non-Indigenous participants (Figure 49).