Indigenous Eye Health

An estimated 1.1 billion people were living with untreated vision impairment in 2020, but researchers say more than 90 per cent of vision loss could be prevented or treated with existing, highly cost-effective interventions.

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) has launched a new campaign to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with type 2 diabetes to reengage with their diabetes healthcare teams and their diabetes management in 2021.

Registrations are now open for the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC): The Gap and Beyond

Supported by the Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Strategy (VAEHS) CommitteeThe Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Regional Stakeholder Forum was held online via Zoom on Thursday 26 November 2020. This was the first Forum organised by a Working Group of the Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Strategy (VAEHS) Committee to support regional efforts to close the gap for vision.

As part of the national evaluation of regional implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision, we are looking for regional groups or networks who have been working to address the eye care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to participate as 'case studies' to share their learning and experiences.

We are pleased to present the December 2020 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Abstract submissions are now open for the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference: The Gap and Beyond.

A new global study has found no significant reduction in the number of people with treatable sight loss since 2010.

The 2020 Annual Update on the Implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision was launched today by Professor Ian Anderson AO and Professor Hugh Taylor AC at an online event.

You are invited to attend the online launch of the 2020 Annual Update on the Implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) released the ‘Indigenous eye health measures 2020’ report today via a virtual launch event.

In the latest instalment of the ‘Share Your Story: Success Story’ initiative, we hear about how Emma Dargin, an Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) at Condobolin's Aboriginal Health Service helped to save the sight of a patient with diabetic eye disease using her skills in retinal photography triaging and primary care eye health, during recent COVID-19 restrictions.

Thursday 8 October 2020 is World Sight Day.World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. Established in 2000, World Sight Day is the main advocacy event for raising awareness about blindness and vision impairment for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, a global initiative created by WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

IEH would like to congratulate our Advisory Board member, Shannon Drake, for being announced as a semi-finalist in the 2020 Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards in the Leadership and Innovation category. Shannon was nominated for her leadership in advancing Indigenous eye health programs and outcomes in the Lower Hume region of Victoria.

COVID-19 has changed our lives. It has changed the way we work, the way we socialise, the way we travel and our hygiene habits. The importance of face and hand washing has always been of the upmost importance in our work to prevent trachoma in remote communities across Western Australia, and it is great to see the handwashing messages appearing in mainstream arenas.

In the latest instalment of the ‘Share Your Story: Personal Reflections’ initiative, we talk to Tania McLeod, Senior Project Officer with the Indigenous Australia Program at the Fred Hollows Foundation.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at the University of Melbourne are pleased to invite you to save the date for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC) 2021: The Gap & Beyond, which will be held virtually on 20 – 22 April 2021.

Tony Coburn is an Aboriginal man from Brisbane and the Statewide Indigenous Eye Health Coordinator with CheckUP.

James ‘Jock’ Peterson is an Aboriginal man who works for Mallee District Aboriginal Corporation (MDAS) in Mildura, Victoria.

Welcome to the July 2020 edition of the ‘Check Today, See Tomorrow’ Diabetes Eye Care eBulletin. This edition includes:

Thanks for taking the time for have a chat with us Chris. Would you mind telling us a bit about yourself and your role at Diabetes Australia?Thank you for the opportunity to have a chat. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge all traditional custodians on the lands on which we work, live and play and to pay my deepest respects to our Elders past, present and emerging.

National community health service EACH has partnered with the Australian College of Optometry to provide free eye tests for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.The latest story from the Share Your Story: Success Stories initiative explores the fantastic work of EACH and the ACO, including the Bunjils Mirring Nganga-djak project - which aims to increase the number of eye exams in the local Indigenous community.

We are pleased to present the June 2020 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it.

In this interview for Share Your Story, Colin shares his journey from NSW to Central Australia and the importance of culture to his work in Indigenous eye health. Central to this are relationships and respect, including between people and place.

Image: The Alfred Hawes Stone 1860s photograph of Bessy Flowers pictured in No–Longer a Wandering Spirit – Imaginaries of Bessy Flowers, 2016. Photograph © Sharon Huebner.In This Together 2020 a webinar for Reconciliation Week co-hosted by the Indigenous Studies Unit and Indigenous Eye Health Unit.

Optometry Australia is encouraging members to identify if they are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin at membership renewal time. This will ultimately help improve care for Indigenous people.

Trachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness globally. Based on reporting by the WHO in 2018, trachoma remains endemic in 41 countries. Australia is the only developed country to have endemic trachoma. This is alarming.  But it gets worse - almost all the cases of trachoma are detected in remote Aboriginal communities.

With the commencement of elective cataract surgery on 27 April, thousands on waiting lists can now to look forward again to their upcoming surgery. Two Indigenous leaders in the eye health sector, Dr Kris Rallah-Baker and Mr Shaun Tatipata, have called for equity when working through the cataract surgery waiting lists.

The World Health Organization’s SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign brings people together in support of hand hygiene improvement globally on May 5th. This year’s theme focuses on clean care, including hand hygiene practices and the central role played by nurses and midwifes. This year’s theme aligns with the WHO 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife. To launch their campaign, WHO developed a campaign resources and materials to support nurses and midwifes to provide clean care.  View here.

Corona virus (COVID-19) Health PromotionIn collaboration with our partners, we developed a suite of health promotion materials that are aimed at preventing the spread of Corona virus (COVID-19) in the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community.  Included in the suite of resources is a poster template that can be customised with local information and messages. We are available to assist communities and organisations to create their own adaptations of these COVID-19 resources. View the resources here.

In lieu of being able to hear the keynote presentations face-to-face at the conference, a number of our keynote speakers have kindly recorded presentations and video messages for conference delegates and the Indigenous eye health sector more broadly.

Welcome to the April 2020 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin - a quarterly newsletter about progress in the elimination of trachoma in Australia and the 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' health promotion campaign.

Feltman is a diabetes teaching tool made by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and Diabetes Victoria. It is designed to help health professionals explain diabetes in a way that is easy to understand and can be used with individuals and community groups, as a one-way demonstration or as a two-way interactive workshop.

In 2008, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults had 6x more blindness than other Australians. The leading cause was unoperated cataract followed by uncorrected refractive error, diabetic retinopathy and trachoma. One third had never had an eye exam.

This week, Indigenous Eye Health staff in Alice Springs are coordinating the distribution of 11,000 bars of free soap to organisations and communities in Central Australia from organisation SoapAid. Soap Aid is a not-for-profit organisation committed to saving children’s lives through improved hygiene while positively impacting the environment. They reprocess and deliver recycled hotel soap to disadvantaged communities in Australia and overseas.

In 1976, Professor Hugh Taylor spent a year working as part of an Australia-wide program led by Fred Hollows assessing and providing eye care to Australia’s Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Islander people

Good hygiene practices are more important than ever with the COVID-19 outbreak, but soap isn’t provided as standard in all schools.

Lions Outback Vision travels the State of Western Australia from Albany through to Wyndham stopping in rural and remote towns to address the effects of vision loss and blindness. Outreach services are coordinated visits by ophthalmologists to regional communities primarily in locations which host a regional hospital or medical centre where surgical procedures can be performed. Lions Outback Vision works closely with WA Country Health Services, Population Health Networks, Aboriginal Medical Services, local health organisations and community groups.The latest story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - Cultural Safety in Eye Care – Lions Outback Vision follows the journey of Kerry Woods (Everett), an Aboriginal woman from the clan Plangermairreenner of the Ben Lomond people; a clan of the Cape Portland nation in North-East Tasmania who lives on Noongar country (Perth) in her role with Lions Outback Vision.

The Close the Gap Campaign has warned that only systemic reform will make up for the harrowing failure of the last 12 years of government policy on closing the gaps in health equity, social and economic disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Dear Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 Conference Delegate,I am writing to provide an important update regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the 'Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond - National Conference 2020' to be held in Adelaide on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 March 2020.Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at The University of Melbourne and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) have made the very difficult decision this afternoon to postpone the upcoming Close the Gap for Vision conference.

The latest story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - ‘Housing Maintenance Officers play an important role in Trachoma Elimination’ explores the delivery of trachoma education and training to housing maintenance and repair staff working in remote communities and shines a light on the important role they play in trachoma elimination by maintaining functioning health hardware in homes.

Expansion of non-clinical support services is crucial if Australia is to meet its 2025 target to eliminate avoidable blindness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, says a leading ophthalmologist.

In 2015 Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) took an iterative, engaging, community-driven process to develop eye health promotion branding, messages and resources focusing on promoting awareness on diabetes eye care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Community consultations were undertaken in selected regions, partly because of their progress in implementing the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision (‘Roadmap’) where eye care service improvements were being implemented.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - ‘Indigenous eye care pathway mapping of services identifies the level of need in Windorah, Central West Queensland’ which explores the process and outcomes of the Central West Eye Health Mapping Project.The ‘Share Your Story’ initiative aims to share a selection of stories of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative, titled ‘Regional Collaboration Enables Aboriginal Access Eye Clinic for Ophthalmology’. The story which discusses the establishment of an Aboriginal Access Clinic at Barwon Health to reduce wait times for cataract surgery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

Welcome to the December 2019 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) Newsletter

While the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision is working to improve vision and eye health for Indigenous Australians, there are still areas that need attention. By Professor Hugh Taylor AC, University of Melbourne.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative, titled 'The Strength of Partnership for Outreach Optometry in Central Australia'. The story explores Congress’ model of partnership for outreach optometry service delivery in Central Australia, Northern Territory.

Welcome to the November 2019 edition of the ‘Check Today, See Tomorrow’ Diabetes Eye Care eBulletin. This edition includes:What's newRetinal photography MBS item 12325 uptakeA 'leading-practice' example of retinal camera integrationCollaborating to promote eye health at state carnivalTriaging retinal images for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetesVACCHO launch new eye health training initiativeEACH Optometry Clinic release short film5th Annual Ngar-Wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health ConferenceResources update'Asking the Question' (AtQ) resource now available to orderNew poster featuring MFCs Aliesha NewmanGet involvedIEH launch 'Share your Story' initiativeOrder your 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' t-shirtsHave you thought about adapting the 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' posters with your community champions?Have you liked us on Facebook yet?Upcoming activities and eventsClose the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond - National Conference 2020

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at the University of Melbourne and co-host Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) are pleased to announce that registrations and abstract submissions are now open for the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond National Conference 2020 which will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 March 2020 in Adelaide, South Australia. This conference is also supported by our partners Optometry Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and Vision 2020 Australia.

Today is World Diabetes Day (WDD) (14 November) - an annual international day to raise awareness about diabetes and its complications. Vision loss and blindness is one of the major complications of diabetes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but simple action can reduce the risk.

Australia is on track to close the gap for vision for Indigenous Australians by the end of next year, but this won’t be achieved without ongoing support for long-term solutions.

IEH are pleased to launch the ‘Asking the Question’ resource – a desktop resource that can be used on a reception or consulting desk as a simple prompt to ensure the question ‘Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Origin’ is asked.

The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is a time-limited charitable foundation established in 2012 to mark and celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year contribution to the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. The Trust received donations from governments, corporate partners, trusts, foundations, community groups and individuals from across the Commonwealth, and its programmes worked in alliance towards eliminating avoidable blindness and to empower a new generation of young leaders. The Trust’s mission has been to leave a lasting legacy, owned by the whole Commonwealth, to honour Her Majesty The Queen.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) recently announced the launch of its new initiative, ‘Share Your Story’ which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Welcome to the October 2019 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin - a quarterly newsletter about progress in the elimination of trachoma in Australia and the 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' health promotion campaign.

Indigenous Eye Health are pleased to invite you to save the date for the 2020 national Close the Gap for Vision conference.

Dust Up is all about sharing education and knowledge across the Ngaanyatjarra Lands WA. Warburton, Warakurna, Jameson, Wanarn, Blackstone, Wingellina, Tjukurla & Kiwirrkurra Schools came together for 3 days of festivities including; learning, sport, music, dance, visual arts, health, language, culture and strength.

At least 2.2 billion people have vision impairment or blindness, of which over 1 billion cases could have been prevented or have yet to be addressed

This week Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) announced the launch of its new initiative, ‘Share Your Story’ which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

To coincide with World Sight Day (Thursday 10 October 2019) - an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment, IEH is launching a new initiative, titled ‘Share Your Story’, which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Are you interested in helping to design an evaluation of regional implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision across Australia?

Welcome to the June 2019 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin. It's been a busy start to 2019 for the trachoma team with the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference held on 14 & 15 March in Alice Springs.Read the full June 2019 eBulletin below.

Eye health is one of few areas where real progress is being made to ‘Close the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2020.

Welcome to the first 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' eBulletin for 2019. We have had a busy start to 2019 and 2018 closed with a flurry of activities. The Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL) Senior Aboriginal Football and Netball Carnival was in October, World Diabetes Day activities in November and our Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference held in Alice Springs in March 2019.Read the full May 2019 eBulletin below.

Indigenous Eye health (IEH), the University of Melbourne and Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) co-hosted the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference 2019 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre on March 14 and 15 2019.

The announcement today by Opposition leader Bill Shorten of $13 million to support Indigenous eye health is warmly welcomed. This was included in a packet of $115 million to cover a range of health issues in Indigenous communities including youth suicide, rheumatic heart disease, sexual health and smoking.

Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University have prepared jurisdictional snapshots of some of the key data available in Indigenous Eye Health Measures in Australia 2017, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in April 2018.

Professor Hugh Taylor recently spoke with the Anangu Lands Paper Tracker about eye health, ways to keep your eyes healthy and strong and the recent launch of the 2018 Annual Update on the Implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision.https://www.papertracker.com.au/radio/hugh-taylor-closing-the-gap-on-vision/

VIEW THE 2018 ANNUAL UPDATE  REPORTThe 2018 Annual Update on the Implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision was launched on Monday 19 November at the 50th Annual Scientific Congress of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists in Adelaide by Shane Mohor, CEO of the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia and Professor Hugh Taylor, Head of Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University. Dr Heather Mack, President-Elect of RANZCO hosted the launch.

The fight to end preventable blindness among Indigenous Australians has made “unbelievable strides” in the last decade, but the relentless push for reform continues.

Professor Hugh Taylor AC is the founder of Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University, and is fighting to close the gap of preventable blindness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by 2020. He is this week’s Changemaker.

Following the success of the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 national conferences in 2017 and 2018, Indigenous Eye Health and co-host Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), are pleased to invite you to save the date for the 2019 national conference.The Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 – National Conference 2019 will be held in Alice Springs, Northern Territory on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 March 2019 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.

Laureate Professor Hugh Taylor used the fourth Jean McCaughey Oration to outline a reduction in adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander blindness rates from six to three times the non-Indigenous population. The Oration recognises the contribution of the late doctors Jean and Davis McCaughey to social justice and human rights.

A new national program will be established to support development of an electronic eye health record and ensure people registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme get regular reminders to have their eyes checked.Minister Hunt media release Media Release Background

In South Australian the Trachoma Elimination Program is coordinated by Country Health SA Local Health Network in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in at-risk communities. The first 4 months of the year have been busy as we engage with our communities to develop localised programs. Nganampa Health Council commenced trachoma and trichiasis screening on the APY Lands in March, assisted by Aboriginal Community Services with the roll out of their environmental and health promotion activities.

On the 28 February, the Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) team in partnership with Prime Minister & Cabinet (PM&C) and the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) held a workshop in Alice Springs to bring together various stakeholders from across the Northern Territory to discuss environmental health aspects of the SAFE Strategy. 19 government and non-government organisations were represented at the workshops – including the NT Departments of Health, Education, Housing and Infrastructure.

Conference Report

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released Indigenous eye health measures 2017 as an online presentation of the latest Indigenous eye health data.

Indigenous eye health is a good news story for closing the gap

The Journal of the American Medical Association have published a new article using data from the National Eye Health Survey on the Prevalence and Causes of Unilateral Vision Impairment and Blindness in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Striving TogetherNational Conference 2018

Great achievement by Congress in winning Australian Human Resources Institute awards for Indigenous employment.

Democratising Indigenous DataProfessor Ian Anderson AO, Deputy Secretary Indigenous at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet recently delivered the 2017 Menzies Oration on Democratising Indigenous Data.

The MBS Item 715/12325 Eye Check Card is designed to support vision screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by outlining the key steps required for GPs and other health professionals providing eye and vision screening for MBS Item 715 and diabetic retinopathy screening for MBS Item 12325.

Blindness is a devastating disability that impacts disproportionately on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but the good news is that some solid progress is being made

Indigenous eye health is improving, but more needs to be done.

The head of IEH, Professor Hugh Taylor, talks about the importance of diabetic retinopathy screening and the latest data for the related Medicare item.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) engaged Ninti One to conduct an independent evaluation of the Trachoma Health Promotion Programme (THPP) in six remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and The Fred Hollows Foundation have developed a visually engaging health practice resource that complements the more detailed written information available on the HealthInfoNet dedicated eye health website. The video and resources are free for educational purposes.

The Paul Ramsay Foundation will invest more than $1.5 million from now until 2020 to support Indigenous Eye Health in their work.

Sean Choolburra LIVE on Big Breaky- CAAMA Radio, NT

Interview by CAAMA Radio, NT

By Rosamond Gilden and Carol A HoldenIndigenous Eye Health, The University of Melbourne

New funding announced

On 25 July 2016, Indigenous Eye Health at the University of Melbourne hosted ‘Non-mydriatic retinal photography - a roundtable in preparation for new MBS items for people with diabetes’. This meeting brought together representatives from peak national bodies across Australia, covering Indigenous health, eye care and diabetes, to discuss approaches and actions necessary to support the successful introduction of new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for non- mydriatic retinal photography (NMRP) for people with diabetes. Participants were provided with updates including currently available information and resources, discussed the barriers and solutions to increase diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening rates in Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) and mainstream practices, and identified some of the next steps for implementation. Thirty-one people attended the meeting representing fourteen organisations.Download Report

Andrew Trounson, University of Melbourne

Indigenous Eye Health and Katherine West Health Board have partnered together with Aboriginal comedian Sean Choolburra for the upcoming Katherine West Health Board Health Fest 2016. Sean will be conducting school and evening comedy performances in eight communities in the Katherine West region from 17th to 28th September. The festival promotes keeping faces clean to stop trachoma and tobacco smoking reduction.

Hugh Taylor, University of Melbourne; Emma Stanford, University of Melbourne, and Fiona Lange, University of Melbourne

Below you will find our three new Trachoma 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' Hip Hop Music Videos.

An estimated 1.1 billion people were living with untreated vision impairment in 2020, but researchers say more than 90 per cent of vision loss could be prevented or treated with existing, highly cost-effective interventions.

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) has launched a new campaign to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with type 2 diabetes to reengage with their diabetes healthcare teams and their diabetes management in 2021.

Registrations are now open for the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC): The Gap and Beyond

Supported by the Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Strategy (VAEHS) CommitteeThe Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Regional Stakeholder Forum was held online via Zoom on Thursday 26 November 2020. This was the first Forum organised by a Working Group of the Victorian Aboriginal Eye Health Strategy (VAEHS) Committee to support regional efforts to close the gap for vision.

As part of the national evaluation of regional implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision, we are looking for regional groups or networks who have been working to address the eye care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to participate as 'case studies' to share their learning and experiences.

We are pleased to present the December 2020 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Abstract submissions are now open for the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference: The Gap and Beyond.

A new global study has found no significant reduction in the number of people with treatable sight loss since 2010.

The 2020 Annual Update on the Implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision was launched today by Professor Ian Anderson AO and Professor Hugh Taylor AC at an online event.

You are invited to attend the online launch of the 2020 Annual Update on the Implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) released the ‘Indigenous eye health measures 2020’ report today via a virtual launch event.

In the latest instalment of the ‘Share Your Story: Success Story’ initiative, we hear about how Emma Dargin, an Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) at Condobolin's Aboriginal Health Service helped to save the sight of a patient with diabetic eye disease using her skills in retinal photography triaging and primary care eye health, during recent COVID-19 restrictions.

Thursday 8 October 2020 is World Sight Day.World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. Established in 2000, World Sight Day is the main advocacy event for raising awareness about blindness and vision impairment for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, a global initiative created by WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

IEH would like to congratulate our Advisory Board member, Shannon Drake, for being announced as a semi-finalist in the 2020 Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards in the Leadership and Innovation category. Shannon was nominated for her leadership in advancing Indigenous eye health programs and outcomes in the Lower Hume region of Victoria.

COVID-19 has changed our lives. It has changed the way we work, the way we socialise, the way we travel and our hygiene habits. The importance of face and hand washing has always been of the upmost importance in our work to prevent trachoma in remote communities across Western Australia, and it is great to see the handwashing messages appearing in mainstream arenas.

In the latest instalment of the ‘Share Your Story: Personal Reflections’ initiative, we talk to Tania McLeod, Senior Project Officer with the Indigenous Australia Program at the Fred Hollows Foundation.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at the University of Melbourne are pleased to invite you to save the date for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC) 2021: The Gap & Beyond, which will be held virtually on 20 – 22 April 2021.

Tony Coburn is an Aboriginal man from Brisbane and the Statewide Indigenous Eye Health Coordinator with CheckUP.

James ‘Jock’ Peterson is an Aboriginal man who works for Mallee District Aboriginal Corporation (MDAS) in Mildura, Victoria.

Welcome to the July 2020 edition of the ‘Check Today, See Tomorrow’ Diabetes Eye Care eBulletin. This edition includes:

Thanks for taking the time for have a chat with us Chris. Would you mind telling us a bit about yourself and your role at Diabetes Australia?Thank you for the opportunity to have a chat. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge all traditional custodians on the lands on which we work, live and play and to pay my deepest respects to our Elders past, present and emerging.

National community health service EACH has partnered with the Australian College of Optometry to provide free eye tests for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.The latest story from the Share Your Story: Success Stories initiative explores the fantastic work of EACH and the ACO, including the Bunjils Mirring Nganga-djak project - which aims to increase the number of eye exams in the local Indigenous community.

We are pleased to present the June 2020 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it.

In this interview for Share Your Story, Colin shares his journey from NSW to Central Australia and the importance of culture to his work in Indigenous eye health. Central to this are relationships and respect, including between people and place.

Image: The Alfred Hawes Stone 1860s photograph of Bessy Flowers pictured in No–Longer a Wandering Spirit – Imaginaries of Bessy Flowers, 2016. Photograph © Sharon Huebner.In This Together 2020 a webinar for Reconciliation Week co-hosted by the Indigenous Studies Unit and Indigenous Eye Health Unit.

Optometry Australia is encouraging members to identify if they are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin at membership renewal time. This will ultimately help improve care for Indigenous people.

Trachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness globally. Based on reporting by the WHO in 2018, trachoma remains endemic in 41 countries. Australia is the only developed country to have endemic trachoma. This is alarming.  But it gets worse - almost all the cases of trachoma are detected in remote Aboriginal communities.

With the commencement of elective cataract surgery on 27 April, thousands on waiting lists can now to look forward again to their upcoming surgery. Two Indigenous leaders in the eye health sector, Dr Kris Rallah-Baker and Mr Shaun Tatipata, have called for equity when working through the cataract surgery waiting lists.

The World Health Organization’s SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign brings people together in support of hand hygiene improvement globally on May 5th. This year’s theme focuses on clean care, including hand hygiene practices and the central role played by nurses and midwifes. This year’s theme aligns with the WHO 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife. To launch their campaign, WHO developed a campaign resources and materials to support nurses and midwifes to provide clean care.  View here.

Corona virus (COVID-19) Health PromotionIn collaboration with our partners, we developed a suite of health promotion materials that are aimed at preventing the spread of Corona virus (COVID-19) in the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community.  Included in the suite of resources is a poster template that can be customised with local information and messages. We are available to assist communities and organisations to create their own adaptations of these COVID-19 resources. View the resources here.

In lieu of being able to hear the keynote presentations face-to-face at the conference, a number of our keynote speakers have kindly recorded presentations and video messages for conference delegates and the Indigenous eye health sector more broadly.

Welcome to the April 2020 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin - a quarterly newsletter about progress in the elimination of trachoma in Australia and the 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' health promotion campaign.

Feltman is a diabetes teaching tool made by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and Diabetes Victoria. It is designed to help health professionals explain diabetes in a way that is easy to understand and can be used with individuals and community groups, as a one-way demonstration or as a two-way interactive workshop.

In 2008, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults had 6x more blindness than other Australians. The leading cause was unoperated cataract followed by uncorrected refractive error, diabetic retinopathy and trachoma. One third had never had an eye exam.

This week, Indigenous Eye Health staff in Alice Springs are coordinating the distribution of 11,000 bars of free soap to organisations and communities in Central Australia from organisation SoapAid. Soap Aid is a not-for-profit organisation committed to saving children’s lives through improved hygiene while positively impacting the environment. They reprocess and deliver recycled hotel soap to disadvantaged communities in Australia and overseas.

In 1976, Professor Hugh Taylor spent a year working as part of an Australia-wide program led by Fred Hollows assessing and providing eye care to Australia’s Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Islander people

Good hygiene practices are more important than ever with the COVID-19 outbreak, but soap isn’t provided as standard in all schools.

Lions Outback Vision travels the State of Western Australia from Albany through to Wyndham stopping in rural and remote towns to address the effects of vision loss and blindness. Outreach services are coordinated visits by ophthalmologists to regional communities primarily in locations which host a regional hospital or medical centre where surgical procedures can be performed. Lions Outback Vision works closely with WA Country Health Services, Population Health Networks, Aboriginal Medical Services, local health organisations and community groups.The latest story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - Cultural Safety in Eye Care – Lions Outback Vision follows the journey of Kerry Woods (Everett), an Aboriginal woman from the clan Plangermairreenner of the Ben Lomond people; a clan of the Cape Portland nation in North-East Tasmania who lives on Noongar country (Perth) in her role with Lions Outback Vision.

The Close the Gap Campaign has warned that only systemic reform will make up for the harrowing failure of the last 12 years of government policy on closing the gaps in health equity, social and economic disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Dear Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 Conference Delegate,I am writing to provide an important update regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the 'Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond - National Conference 2020' to be held in Adelaide on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 March 2020.Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at The University of Melbourne and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) have made the very difficult decision this afternoon to postpone the upcoming Close the Gap for Vision conference.

The latest story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - ‘Housing Maintenance Officers play an important role in Trachoma Elimination’ explores the delivery of trachoma education and training to housing maintenance and repair staff working in remote communities and shines a light on the important role they play in trachoma elimination by maintaining functioning health hardware in homes.

Expansion of non-clinical support services is crucial if Australia is to meet its 2025 target to eliminate avoidable blindness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, says a leading ophthalmologist.

In 2015 Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) took an iterative, engaging, community-driven process to develop eye health promotion branding, messages and resources focusing on promoting awareness on diabetes eye care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Community consultations were undertaken in selected regions, partly because of their progress in implementing the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision (‘Roadmap’) where eye care service improvements were being implemented.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative - ‘Indigenous eye care pathway mapping of services identifies the level of need in Windorah, Central West Queensland’ which explores the process and outcomes of the Central West Eye Health Mapping Project.The ‘Share Your Story’ initiative aims to share a selection of stories of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative, titled ‘Regional Collaboration Enables Aboriginal Access Eye Clinic for Ophthalmology’. The story which discusses the establishment of an Aboriginal Access Clinic at Barwon Health to reduce wait times for cataract surgery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

Welcome to the December 2019 edition of the Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) Newsletter

While the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision is working to improve vision and eye health for Indigenous Australians, there are still areas that need attention. By Professor Hugh Taylor AC, University of Melbourne.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) are pleased to release the next story from the ‘Share Your Story’ initiative, titled 'The Strength of Partnership for Outreach Optometry in Central Australia'. The story explores Congress’ model of partnership for outreach optometry service delivery in Central Australia, Northern Territory.

Welcome to the November 2019 edition of the ‘Check Today, See Tomorrow’ Diabetes Eye Care eBulletin. This edition includes:What's newRetinal photography MBS item 12325 uptakeA 'leading-practice' example of retinal camera integrationCollaborating to promote eye health at state carnivalTriaging retinal images for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetesVACCHO launch new eye health training initiativeEACH Optometry Clinic release short film5th Annual Ngar-Wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health ConferenceResources update'Asking the Question' (AtQ) resource now available to orderNew poster featuring MFCs Aliesha NewmanGet involvedIEH launch 'Share your Story' initiativeOrder your 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' t-shirtsHave you thought about adapting the 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' posters with your community champions?Have you liked us on Facebook yet?Upcoming activities and eventsClose the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond - National Conference 2020

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at the University of Melbourne and co-host Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) are pleased to announce that registrations and abstract submissions are now open for the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: The Gap and Beyond National Conference 2020 which will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 March 2020 in Adelaide, South Australia. This conference is also supported by our partners Optometry Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and Vision 2020 Australia.

Today is World Diabetes Day (WDD) (14 November) - an annual international day to raise awareness about diabetes and its complications. Vision loss and blindness is one of the major complications of diabetes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but simple action can reduce the risk.

Australia is on track to close the gap for vision for Indigenous Australians by the end of next year, but this won’t be achieved without ongoing support for long-term solutions.

IEH are pleased to launch the ‘Asking the Question’ resource – a desktop resource that can be used on a reception or consulting desk as a simple prompt to ensure the question ‘Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Origin’ is asked.

The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is a time-limited charitable foundation established in 2012 to mark and celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year contribution to the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. The Trust received donations from governments, corporate partners, trusts, foundations, community groups and individuals from across the Commonwealth, and its programmes worked in alliance towards eliminating avoidable blindness and to empower a new generation of young leaders. The Trust’s mission has been to leave a lasting legacy, owned by the whole Commonwealth, to honour Her Majesty The Queen.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) recently announced the launch of its new initiative, ‘Share Your Story’ which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Welcome to the October 2019 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin - a quarterly newsletter about progress in the elimination of trachoma in Australia and the 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' health promotion campaign.

Indigenous Eye Health are pleased to invite you to save the date for the 2020 national Close the Gap for Vision conference.

Dust Up is all about sharing education and knowledge across the Ngaanyatjarra Lands WA. Warburton, Warakurna, Jameson, Wanarn, Blackstone, Wingellina, Tjukurla & Kiwirrkurra Schools came together for 3 days of festivities including; learning, sport, music, dance, visual arts, health, language, culture and strength.

At least 2.2 billion people have vision impairment or blindness, of which over 1 billion cases could have been prevented or have yet to be addressed

This week Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) announced the launch of its new initiative, ‘Share Your Story’ which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

To coincide with World Sight Day (Thursday 10 October 2019) - an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment, IEH is launching a new initiative, titled ‘Share Your Story’, which aims to share a selection of ‘stories’ of successful activities and significant achievements in Indigenous eye health by individuals, organisations, regional eye stakeholder groups, and through other collaborations relating to efforts to close the gap for vision.

Are you interested in helping to design an evaluation of regional implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision across Australia?

Welcome to the June 2019 edition of the Trachoma eBulletin. It's been a busy start to 2019 for the trachoma team with the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference held on 14 & 15 March in Alice Springs.Read the full June 2019 eBulletin below.

Eye health is one of few areas where real progress is being made to ‘Close the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2020.

Welcome to the first 'Check Today, See Tomorrow' eBulletin for 2019. We have had a busy start to 2019 and 2018 closed with a flurry of activities. The Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL) Senior Aboriginal Football and Netball Carnival was in October, World Diabetes Day activities in November and our Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference held in Alice Springs in March 2019.Read the full May 2019 eBulletin below.

Indigenous Eye health (IEH), the University of Melbourne and Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) co-hosted the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Strengthen & Sustain National Conference 2019 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre on March 14 and 15 2019.

The announcement today by Opposition leader Bill Shorten of $13 million to support Indigenous eye health is warmly welcomed. This was included in a packet of $115 million to cover a range of health issues in Indigenous communities including youth suicide, rheumatic heart disease, sexual health and smoking.

Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University have prepared jurisdictional snapshots of some of the key data available in Indigenous Eye Health Measures in Australia 2017, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in April 2018.

Professor Hugh Taylor recently spoke with the Anangu Lands Paper Tracker about eye health, ways to keep your eyes healthy and strong and the recent launch of the 2018 Annual Update on the Implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision.https://www.papertracker.com.au/radio/hugh-taylor-closing-the-gap-on-vision/

VIEW THE 2018 ANNUAL UPDATE  REPORTThe 2018 Annual Update on the Implementation of The Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision was launched on Monday 19 November at the 50th Annual Scientific Congress of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists in Adelaide by Shane Mohor, CEO of the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia and Professor Hugh Taylor, Head of Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University. Dr Heather Mack, President-Elect of RANZCO hosted the launch.

The fight to end preventable blindness among Indigenous Australians has made “unbelievable strides” in the last decade, but the relentless push for reform continues.

Professor Hugh Taylor AC is the founder of Indigenous Eye Health at Melbourne University, and is fighting to close the gap of preventable blindness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by 2020. He is this week’s Changemaker.

Following the success of the Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 national conferences in 2017 and 2018, Indigenous Eye Health and co-host Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), are pleased to invite you to save the date for the 2019 national conference.The Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 – National Conference 2019 will be held in Alice Springs, Northern Territory on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 March 2019 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.

Laureate Professor Hugh Taylor used the fourth Jean McCaughey Oration to outline a reduction in adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander blindness rates from six to three times the non-Indigenous population. The Oration recognises the contribution of the late doctors Jean and Davis McCaughey to social justice and human rights.

A new national program will be established to support development of an electronic eye health record and ensure people registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme get regular reminders to have their eyes checked.Minister Hunt media release Media Release Background

In South Australian the Trachoma Elimination Program is coordinated by Country Health SA Local Health Network in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in at-risk communities. The first 4 months of the year have been busy as we engage with our communities to develop localised programs. Nganampa Health Council commenced trachoma and trichiasis screening on the APY Lands in March, assisted by Aboriginal Community Services with the roll out of their environmental and health promotion activities.

On the 28 February, the Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) team in partnership with Prime Minister & Cabinet (PM&C) and the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) held a workshop in Alice Springs to bring together various stakeholders from across the Northern Territory to discuss environmental health aspects of the SAFE Strategy. 19 government and non-government organisations were represented at the workshops – including the NT Departments of Health, Education, Housing and Infrastructure.

Conference Report

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released Indigenous eye health measures 2017 as an online presentation of the latest Indigenous eye health data.

Indigenous eye health is a good news story for closing the gap

The Journal of the American Medical Association have published a new article using data from the National Eye Health Survey on the Prevalence and Causes of Unilateral Vision Impairment and Blindness in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: Striving TogetherNational Conference 2018

Great achievement by Congress in winning Australian Human Resources Institute awards for Indigenous employment.

Democratising Indigenous DataProfessor Ian Anderson AO, Deputy Secretary Indigenous at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet recently delivered the 2017 Menzies Oration on Democratising Indigenous Data.

The MBS Item 715/12325 Eye Check Card is designed to support vision screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by outlining the key steps required for GPs and other health professionals providing eye and vision screening for MBS Item 715 and diabetic retinopathy screening for MBS Item 12325.

Blindness is a devastating disability that impacts disproportionately on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but the good news is that some solid progress is being made

Indigenous eye health is improving, but more needs to be done.

The head of IEH, Professor Hugh Taylor, talks about the importance of diabetic retinopathy screening and the latest data for the related Medicare item.

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) engaged Ninti One to conduct an independent evaluation of the Trachoma Health Promotion Programme (THPP) in six remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and The Fred Hollows Foundation have developed a visually engaging health practice resource that complements the more detailed written information available on the HealthInfoNet dedicated eye health website. The video and resources are free for educational purposes.

The Paul Ramsay Foundation will invest more than $1.5 million from now until 2020 to support Indigenous Eye Health in their work.

Sean Choolburra LIVE on Big Breaky- CAAMA Radio, NT

Interview by CAAMA Radio, NT

By Rosamond Gilden and Carol A HoldenIndigenous Eye Health, The University of Melbourne

New funding announced

On 25 July 2016, Indigenous Eye Health at the University of Melbourne hosted ‘Non-mydriatic retinal photography - a roundtable in preparation for new MBS items for people with diabetes’. This meeting brought together representatives from peak national bodies across Australia, covering Indigenous health, eye care and diabetes, to discuss approaches and actions necessary to support the successful introduction of new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for non- mydriatic retinal photography (NMRP) for people with diabetes. Participants were provided with updates including currently available information and resources, discussed the barriers and solutions to increase diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening rates in Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) and mainstream practices, and identified some of the next steps for implementation. Thirty-one people attended the meeting representing fourteen organisations.Download Report

Andrew Trounson, University of Melbourne

Indigenous Eye Health and Katherine West Health Board have partnered together with Aboriginal comedian Sean Choolburra for the upcoming Katherine West Health Board Health Fest 2016. Sean will be conducting school and evening comedy performances in eight communities in the Katherine West region from 17th to 28th September. The festival promotes keeping faces clean to stop trachoma and tobacco smoking reduction.

Hugh Taylor, University of Melbourne; Emma Stanford, University of Melbourne, and Fiona Lange, University of Melbourne

Below you will find our three new Trachoma 'Clean Faces, Strong Eyes' Hip Hop Music Videos.