Eye examinations among those tested for diabetes (MBS data)
- Measure 2.3.1
- The number of First Nations people screened for diabetic retinopathy in the 12-month period who also had a diabetes test in the 12-month period or in the year before, as a proportion of those who had a diabetes test (MBS data). First Nations people who had a diabetes test may not have been found to have diabetes. For this reason the rate of those screened for diabetic retinopathy may be an underestimate.
Current guidelines recommend a diabetic eye examination annually for First Nations people with diabetes, and at least every 2 years for non-Indigenous Australians with diabetes (Figure 19 and Figure 20).
Figure 19: Eye examinations among those tested for diabetes (MBS data), 2021–22
Measure 2.3.1: The number of First Nations people who had an eye examination in the 12-month period or in the year before, as a proportion of those who had a diabetes test (MBS data). First Nations people who had a diabetes test may not have been found to have diabetes.
Eye examinations among those tested for diabetes (MBS data), 2021–22
Number and proportion of First Nations people who had a diabetes test who also had an eye examination by profession type, 2019–20
This dual axis vertical bar chart and scatter plot displays the number and proportion of First Nations peoples creened for diabetes who had had an eye examination by an optometrist, ophthalmologist or GP. The chart shows that in 2019–20, an estimated 40% had an eye examination by an optometrist, 3.1% by an ophthalmologist and 1.4% by a GP.
Eye examinations among those tested for diabetes (MBS data): interactive data
This interactive data visualisation shows 3 separate charts showing the proportion of those who had a diabetes test who had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by age and over time. by various characteristics.
Proportion of First Nations people who had a diabetes test who also had an eye exam by region, 2021–22
This vertical bar chart shows the proportion of First Nations people screened for diabetes who had an eye examination in 2019–20, by remoteness. While the proportion is highest in Inner regional areas (51.3%), in general it decreases with remoteness—with the lowest rate in Very remote areas (32.1%).
Proportion of First Nations people who had a diabetes test who also had an eye exam by jurisdiction, 2021–22
This vertical bar chart shows the proportion of First Nations people screened for diabetes who had an eye examination in 2021–22, by jurisdiction. The jurisdictions with the highest proportions were Queensland and Tasmania (49.7% and 53.8%, respectively), and the lowest was the Northern Territory (33.2%).
Proportion of people who had a diabetes test who also had an eye exam by age and Indigenous status, 2010–11 to 2021–22
This grouped line graph shows the proportion of those screened for diabetes who had an eye examination from 2010–11 to 2021–22, by age group and Indigenous status. The chart shows that for First Nations people the proportion has risen across all years from 2010–11 to 2018–19 before declining for the older age groups (35–44, 45–54, 55–64 and 65 and over) in 2019–20.
For Non Indigenous persons the proportion has risen over time, with proportions rising with age across all years from 2010–11 to 2018–19 before declining for all age groups from 2018–19 to 2019–20.
- In 2021–22, the proportion of First Nations people screened for diabetic retinopathy was highest in Tasmania (54%), and lowest in the Northern Territory (33%).
- Between 2010–11 and 2018–19, the total age-standardised proportion of First Nations people tested for diabetes who had an eye examination increased from 33% to 38% before decreasing to 37% in 2019–20, while for non-Indigenous Australians it rose from 37% to 46% before decreasing to 43%. The First Nations proportion increased to 43% in 2020–21 before decreasing to 40% in 2021–22.