The number and proportion of First Nations people who had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the last 12 months: Measure 2.2
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.
Latest data
In 2022–23, 126,898 First Nations people had an initial eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Figure 17: Eye examinations by an eye care professional, 2022–23
Notes
- People who had an eye exam are those who made a claim for MBS item 10900, 10910–10916, 11215 or 11218 within the financial year.
- Medicare data presented by Indigenous status have been adjusted for the under-identification in the Medicare Voluntary Indigenous Identifier (VII) database.
- MBS data do not cover services provided in the public health system.
- Data are based on date of service.
Source: AIHW analysis of Medical Benefits Schedule data.
Explore more aspects of the data in the following section. See also Figure 18.
By remoteness
In 2022–23, the proportion of First Nations people who had an eye examination in the preceding 12 months decreased with remoteness, with the lowest proportion being for those living in Very remote areas (7.9%) (Figure 18 – remoteness).
By jurisdiction
In 2022–23, the proportion of First Nations people who had an eye examination in the preceding 12 months ranged from 8.9% in the Northern Territory to 18% in the Australian Capital Territory (Figure18 – jurisdiction).
Time trend
Age-specific rates of eye examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the preceding 12 months increased between 2010–11 and 2020–21 for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians, before declining between 2020–21 and 2021–22 and then increasing again between 2021–22 and 2022–23 across all age groups (Figure 18 - time trend). Across all age groups, rates of eye examinations were higher for non-Indigenous Australians than for First Nations people in the same age group.
Between 2012–13 and 2022–23, the total age-standardised proportion of the First Nations population who had an eye examination was relatively stable, around 20% (Figure 18 – time trend).
Figure 18: Eye examinations by an eye care professional: interactive data
The following extended descriptions are provided to assist people using screen readers. To download the data tables, visit Data.
Indigenous status Year age Percent
First Nations 2012–13 15–24 8.6
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 15–24 13.7
First Nations 2013–14 15–24 9.3
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 15–24 14.4
First Nations 2014–15 15–24 9.5
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 15–24 14.0
First Nations 2015–16 15–24 9.0
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 15–24 13.1
First Nations 2016–17 15–24 9.6
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 15–24 14.3
First Nations 2017–18 15–24 10.2
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 15–24 15.3
First Nations 2018–19 15–24 10.9
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 15–24 15.6
First Nations 2019–20 15–24 10.2
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 15–24 14.6
First Nations 2020–21 15–24 10.9
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 15–24 16.0
First Nations 2021–22 15–24 9.7
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 15–24 14.8
First Nations 2022–23 15–24 10.1
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 15–24 15.0
First Nations 2012–13 25–34 8.6
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 25–34 13.5
First Nations 2013–14 25–34 9.0
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 25–34 13.9
First Nations 2014–15 25–34 9.1
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 25–34 13.5
First Nations 2015–16 25–34 8.5
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 25–34 12.6
First Nations 2016–17 25–34 9.2
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 25–34 13.3
First Nations 2017–18 25–34 9.8
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 25–34 14.3
First Nations 2018–19 25–34 10.2
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 25–34 14.7
First Nations 2019–20 25–34 10.1
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 25–34 13.7
First Nations 2020–21 25–34 11.0
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 25–34 15.1
First Nations 2021–22 25–34 10.3
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 25–34 14.4
First Nations 2022–23 25–34 11.0
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 25–34 14.9
First Nations 2012–13 35–44 12.5
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 35–44 16.9
First Nations 2013–14 35–44 12.8
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 35–44 17.2
First Nations 2014–15 35–44 12.5
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 35–44 16.5
First Nations 2015–16 35–44 11.6
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 35–44 15.5
First Nations 2016–17 35–44 12.1
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 35–44 16.4
First Nations 2017–18 35–44 12.4
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 35–44 17.7
First Nations 2018–19 35–44 12.6
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 35–44 18.1
First Nations 2019–20 35–44 11.7
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 35–44 16.7
First Nations 2020–21 35–44 13.1
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 35–44 18.8
First Nations 2021–22 35–44 11.8
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 35–44 17.8
First Nations 2022–23 35–44 12.8
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 35–44 19.4
First Nations 2012–13 45–54 22.5
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 45–54 27.5
First Nations 2013–14 45–54 23.0
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 45–54 27.7
First Nations 2014–15 45–54 21.3
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 45–54 25.8
First Nations 2015–16 45–54 20.4
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 45–54 24.2
First Nations 2016–17 45–54 21.1
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 45–54 25.9
First Nations 2017–18 45–54 21.5
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 45–54 28.3
First Nations 2018–19 45–54 22.0
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 45–54 28.4
First Nations 2019–20 45–54 20.2
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 45–54 26.2
First Nations 2020–21 45–54 23.3
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 45–54 30.2
First Nations 2021–22 45–54 21.1
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 45–54 28.7
First Nations 2022–23 45–54 22.3
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 45–54 30.9
First Nations 2012–13 55–64 27.9
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 55–64 31.2
First Nations 2013–14 55–64 28.7
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 55–64 31.5
First Nations 2014–15 55–64 27.4
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 55–64 29.9
First Nations 2015–16 55–64 26.2
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 55–64 28.5
First Nations 2016–17 55–64 27.2
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 55–64 30.3
First Nations 2017–18 55–64 28.0
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 55–64 32.9
First Nations 2018–19 55–64 28.2
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 55–64 33.0
First Nations 2019–20 55–64 25.2
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 55–64 30.0
First Nations 2020–21 55–64 29.1
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 55–64 34.7
First Nations 2021–22 55–64 26.3
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 55–64 32.9
First Nations 2022–23 55–64 28.0
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 55–64 35.6
First Nations 2012–13 65+ 46.5
Non-Indigenous 2012–13 65+ 35.3
First Nations 2013–14 65+ 44.1
Non-Indigenous 2013–14 65+ 36.5
First Nations 2014–15 65+ 44.9
Non-Indigenous 2014–15 65+ 40.9
First Nations 2015–16 65+ 45.2
Non-Indigenous 2015–16 65+ 44.3
First Nations 2016–17 65+ 44.2
Non-Indigenous 2016–17 65+ 46.0
First Nations 2017–18 65+ 43.7
Non-Indigenous 2017–18 65+ 48.0
First Nations 2018–19 65+ 42.4
Non-Indigenous 2018–19 65+ 49.3
First Nations 2019–20 65+ 37.7
Non-Indigenous 2019–20 65+ 45.2
First Nations 2020–21 65+ 41.4
Non-Indigenous 2020–21 65+ 51.1
First Nations 2021–22 65+ 37.1
Non-Indigenous 2021–22 65+ 49.0
First Nations 2022–23 65+ 38.6
Non-Indigenous 2022–23 65+ 52.7