Eye examinations by an eye care professional
- Measure 2.2
- The number of First Nations people who had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months, proportion of the population.
Eye care professionals play an important role in screening for eye and vision problems by conducting basic eye examinations (Figure 17 and Figure 18). Current data provides an incomplete picture of the extent of First Nations eye health services. For example, data do not capture many of the ophthalmological services – such as eye examinations undertaken by salaried ophthalmologists in public hospitals.
Figure 17: Eye examinations by an eye care professional, 2021–22
Measure 2.2: The number of First Nations people who had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months, proportion of the population
Eye examinations by an eye care professional, 2021–22
Number and proportion of First Nations people that had an eye examination by an eye care professional, by profession type, 2021–22
This dual axis combined vertical bar chart and scatter plot displays the number and proportion of Indigenous Australians, in 2021–22, that had had an eye examination by ophthalmologists and optometrists in the preceding 12 months. The chart shows that in 2021–22 there were around 141 First Nations people who had an eye examination undertaken by an ophthalmologist in the preceding 12 months (0.0% of the population) and around 114,080 who had an eye examination undertaken by an optometrist (12.9% of the population).
In 2021–22, there were around 114,000 First Nations people who had had an eye examination undertaken by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the preceding 12 months – 13% of the population.
Figure 18: Eye examinations by an eye care professional: interactive data
Eye examinations by an eye care professional: interactive data
This interactive data visualisation shows 3 separate charts showing the proportion of the population that had an eye examination by an eye care professional in the preceding 12 months, for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by various characteristics.
Proportion of First Nations people that had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months, by remoteness, 2021-22
This vertical bar chart compares the proportion of eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months in 2021–22, by remoteness. The chart shows that the was highest in Inner regional areas (14.7%). The proportion was lowest in Very remote areas (7%).
Proportion of First Nations people that had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months, by jurisdiction, 2021-22
This vertical bar chart compares the proportion of eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months in 2021–22, by jurisdiction. The chart shows that the was highest in Australian Capital Territory (16.4%). The proportion was lowest in Northern Territory (8.2%).
Proportion of people that had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months, by Indigenous status, 2010-11 to 2021-22
This grouped line chart the proportion of eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months in , by Indigenous status from 2010-11 to 2021–22. The chart shows the proportion rose steadily from 2011-11 to 2018-19 rising from 32.8 per cent to 38 percent. It dipped to 36.7 percent in 2019-20, then rose sharply to 42.9 per cent in 2020-21 before decreasing in 2021-22 to 39.9 percent.
The non Indigenous proportion followed a similar pattern but was consistently higher that the First Nations proportion.
- In 2021–22, there were around 114,000 First Nations people who had had an eye examination undertaken by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the preceding 12 months – 13% of the population. This was less than the estimated number of eye examinations needed for First Nations people each year (145,469) (IEHU 2017).
- In 2021–22, the proportion of First Nations people who had had an eye examination in the preceding 12 months was lowest in Western Australia and the Northern Territory (8.7 and 8.2%) followed by South Australia (8.7%) and was highest in Australian Capital Territory (16.4%).
- Between 2012–13 and 2021–22, the total age-standardised proportion of the First Nations population that had had an eye examination increased from 17.2% to 17.7%, while the proportion for non-Indigenous Australians increased from 22.1% to 25.2%.