Overview

Eye health conditions are very common in Australia, and may be present from birth, as a result of illness or injury, or developed over time due to ageing. Eye health conditions can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life and ability to perform everyday activities.

Over 13 million Australians (55%) reported having at least one long-term vision disorder in 2017–18.
957,933 Medicare claims for all surgical operations by an ophthalmologist in 2017–18.
Median wait time for cataract surgery was 124 days for Indigenous Australians and 82 days for non-Indigenous Australians.
9.4 million Medicare claims for optometrist consultations for 7.2 million patients in 2017–18.

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Latest findings

The prevalence of active trachoma in children aged 5-9 in at-risk communities fell from 15% in 2009 to 2.2% in 2022

Around 47% of First Nations people who had a diabetes test had also had an eye examination in 2021–22

First Nations age-standardised cataract surgery rate increased from 6,462 in 2013–14 to 8,691 per million in 2020–21

Over 13 million Australians had one or more chronic (long-term) eye conditions in 2017–18

In 2017–18, long-term vision disorders affected 93% of people aged 65 and over

Females (59%) experienced a higher prevalence of long-term vision disorders than males (51%) in 2017–18