Indigenous eye health measures 2018

Measure 2.4: The number of Indigenous Australians who had a diabetic eye examination in the 12-month period who had 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.

Current guidelines recommend a diabetic eye examination annually for Indigenous Australians with diabetes, and at least every two years for non-Indigenous Australians with diabetes.

• An estimated 30,600 Indigenous people had a diabetes test in the previous two years, with 12,900 (42%) also screened for diabetic retinopathy at least once in 2017–18.
• Between 2005–06 and 2017–18, the estimated proportion of Indigenous Australians with diabetes who had an eye examination increased across all age groups, with the greatest increase in those aged 65 and over.
• The proportion of Indigenous Australians with diabetic retinopathy screened was lower than non-Indigenous Australians across all age groups.
• In 2017–18, the proportion of Indigenous Australians screened for diabetic retinopathy was highest in Victoria and Tasmania combined (49%), and lowest in the Northern Territory (30%).