Indigenous eye health measures 2018

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

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

• In 2017–18, there were around 7,365 spectacles provided to Indigenous people under the New South Wales state scheme (31 per 1,000 population), 5,755 under the Queensland state scheme (26 per 1,000 population), 1,980 under the Victorian state scheme (18 per 1,000 population) and 82 under the South Australian state scheme (2 per 1,000 population).
• Comparing the number of spectacles dispensed with the estimated need showed that Victoria (1,980) was closest to meeting the estimated number of glasses needed for Indigenous people over 40 (3,696).
• In the other jurisdictions the estimated number needed was considerably greater than the number dispensed—7,365 compared with 16,988 in New South Wales; 5,755 compared with 14,161 in Queensland; and 82 compared with 2,703 in South Australia.