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

Median and 90th percentile waiting times for patients who completed cataract surgery: Measure 3.6.1

The median waiting time (or the number of days within which 50% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery) and the 90th percentile waiting time (or the number of days within which 90% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery).

The waiting times measures provide an indicator of access to cataract surgery for those on waiting lists managed by public hospitals (Figure 39 and Figure 40).

Latest data and time trend

In 2023–24, there were 2,504 admissions for First Nations people from public hospitals waiting lists for elective cataract surgery. The days waited at the 50^th percentile for elective cataract surgery for First Nations people (138 days) was longer than that for non-Indigenous Australians (114 days). The average number of days waited was also longer for First Nations people than non-Indigenous Australians (180 days and 158 days, respectively). The days waited at the 90th percentile for First Nations people who were admitted for cataract surgery was longer than that for non‑Indigenous Australians (356 days and 351 days, respectively). 

Between 2017–18 and 2023–24, the days waited at the 50^th percentile for elective cataract surgery for First Nations people fluctuated but overall rose from 132 days to 138 days. The days waited at the 50^th percentile for non-Indigenous Australians also fluctuated between 2017–18 and 2023–24 but overall rose from 84 days to 114 days (Figure 39). 

From 2017–18 to 2023–24, the number of days waited at the 90th percentile was, with one exception, greater for First Nations people than for non-Indigenous Australians. In 2022–23 fewer days were waited at the 90th percentile by First Nations people than by non-Indigenous Australians (369 and 381 days, respectively) (Figure 39).

By remoteness

In 2022–24, the days waited at the 50^th percentile was longest in Inner regional and Remote areas for First Nations people (both 174 days) and in Inner regional areas for non-Indigenous Australians (179 days). The days waited at the 50^th percentile for First Nations people were shortest in Major cities (104 days) and shortest for non-Indigenous Australians in Remote areas (77 days) .

The number of days within which 90% of patients were admitted for elective cataract surgery was longest for First Nations people in Outer regional areas (365 days) and shortest for those in Remote areas (353 days). For non-Indigenous Australians, waiting times were longest in Inner regional areas (370 days) and shortest in Very remote areas (277 days) (Figure 40 – remoteness). 

By jurisdiction

In 2022–24, the days waited at the 50^th percentile were longest for First Nations people and non‑Indigenous Australians in New South Wales (242 days and 280 days, respectively).

At the 90th percentile, days waited were longest for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians in New South Wales (370 days and 390 days, respectively) (Figure 40 – jurisdiction).