Eye care services for Indigenous people need better funding

Various organisations providing eye care services to Australians are urging the government to increase funding for better eye care access for Indigenous Australians. Research has revealed eye diseases like cataract is the leading cause of blindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and is 12 times more common than for non-Indigenous Australians. The research has also pointed to Indigenous Australians waiting longer than non-Indigenous Australians to seek treatment. As Indigenous health support groups ask for more resources, the indigenous health minister says government is working on it.

A simulation centre in France allows interns to practice eye surgery techniques on a mannequin. Source: Getty