The Indigenous and Remote Eye Health Service (IRIS) has this week delivered on its two-year government contract to perform 500 cataract surgeries, as the organisation warns of the disastrous implications if the program loses funding. Read more
Roadmap falls short of 2020 target
Australia has missed its 2020 target to close the gap for vision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders but has made significant inroads, a new report reveals. Read more
Optometry student spearheads efforts to attract Indigenous Australians into university education
A Deakin optometry student who pursued a career in healthcare after seeing her family’s health deteriorate to diabetes and eye disease is fronting a new campaign to inspire more Indigenous Australians into higher education. Read more
Gov report shows ‘substantial’ Indigenous eye health improvements
A new government report has shown that more Indigenous Australians are accessing eye health services than ever before, with significant strides reported in cataract surgery rates and the suppression of trachoma. Read more
Exorbitant prices in remote communities hinder trachoma efforts
Access to basic cleaning and hygiene products are essential in Australia’s efforts to eliminate trachoma in remote Indigenous communities, however residents in those areas can pay up to three times more for items such as towels and soap, an inquiry has heard. Read more
WA Government throws support behind new Broome eye clinic
A $4.7 million Western Australian Government investment will help to employ the eye health workforce at the under-construction Northwest Hub – the first permanent eye clinic in the sparse Kimberley region. Read more
$1.4 million for South Australian diabetic retinopathy project
Flinders University will direct $1.4 million in new Federal Government funding towards increased screening and improving treatment options for diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness among Aboriginal Australians. Read more
‘Don’t forget’ Indigenous eye health in elective surgery return, advocates warn
The Fred Hollows Foundation and Australia’s only Indigenous ophthalmologist are calling for governments to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health when elective surgery resumes amid concerns over a cataract surgery backlog. Read more
Lions Outback Vision faces funding conundrum for urgent chartered flights
Lions Outback Vision is concerned about losing traction on its ‘Close the Gap’ efforts after the COVID-19 emergency curtailed its Vision Van and Visiting Optometrist Services, leaving the organisation to treat only urgent cases through costly chartered flights. Read more
First Doctor of Optometry course announced for WA
The University of Western Australia (UWA) has announced a new three-year postgraduate Doctor of Optometry program, which will begin in 2021 and have an initial intake of up to 60 students. Read more