Eye health measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2024: interactive data

The number of spectacles dispensed to First Nations people under state subsidised spectacles programs, per 1,000 population: Measure 3.10

All jurisdictions have subsidised spectacle schemes but only 4 jurisdictions – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia– could provide data on First Nations people for this measure. The eligibility criteria and entitlements provided by the state schemes vary across jurisdictions.

Latest data

In 2022–23, around 10,611 spectacles were provided to First Nations people under the New South Wales scheme (35 per 1,000), 2,819 under the Victorian scheme (42 per 1,000), 7,199 under the Queensland scheme (28 per 1,000) and 1,292 under the South Australian scheme (27 per 1,000) (Figure 51).

Victoria was closest to meeting the estimated number of glasses needed by First Nations people aged over 40 (2,819 dispensed compared with 4,339 needed). In the other jurisdictions, the estimated number needed was considerably greater than the number dispensed:

• 19,206 needed (10,611 dispensed) in New South Wales
• 16,346 needed (7,199 dispensed) in Queensland
• 3,063 needed (1,292 dispensed) in South Australia.

Figure 51: Spectacles dispensed under state schemes, 2022–23

Note: 'Estimated need' refers to the estimated number of people over 40 requiring spectacles. This estimate was derived from the University of Melbourne Indigenous Eye Health Unit's (IEHU) Calculator for the coordination and delivery of eye care services (2017).

Source: AIHW analysis of NSW Department of Family and Community Services data (unpublished); Australian College of Optometry Victorian data (unpublished); Queensland Health data (unpublished); SA Department of Human Services

By age and sex

In New South Wales in 2022–23, higher rates of glasses were dispensed under the spectacle programs to First Nations females than males in all age groups. The highest rates were for First Nations males and females aged 65 and over (115 and 124 per 1,000, respectively) (Figure 52 – population groups).

In Victoria in 2022–23, the Australian College of Optometry dispensed 1,151 glasses (mainly in metropolitan areas), the largest number and highest rate being for First Nations people aged 61 and over (47 per 1,000) (Figure 52 – population groups). A network of rural providers dispensed 1,668 glasses.

In Queensland in 2022–23, 7,199 glasses were dispensed to First Nations clients. The largest number was for First Nations people aged 50 to 64 (2,452, 81 per 1,000) while the highest rate was for those aged 65 and over (2,079, 148 per 1,000) (Figure 52 – population groups).

In South Australia in 2022–23, the number of glasses dispensed to First Nations people was highest among people aged 45–64 (540), while the rate was highest among First Nations males and females aged 65 and over (54 per 1,000 and 191 per 1,000, respectively) (Figure 52 – population groups).

Time trend

The rate per 1,000 population of spectacles dispensed to First Nations people:

• fluctuated in New South Wales between 2014–15 and 2022–23, but overall increased from 27.9 to 35.3
• fell in Victoria from a high of 44.4 in 2014–15 to 41.6 in 2022–23
• increased in Queensland from 10.7 in 2014–15 to 28.2 in 2022–23
• increased in South Australia from 1.9 in 2017–18 to 27.0 in 2022–23 (South Australia only had data available only from 2017–18).
• fell in Tasmania from 17.4 in 2019–20 to 16.2 in 2021–22 (Tasmania had data available only from 2019–20 and did not have data available in 2022–23) (Figure 52 – time trend).

Figure 52: Spectacles dispensed under state schemes: interactive data