Vision for the future
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Orthoptist and Vision Screening for Older People Project Coordinator Anthony Carnicelli with Box Hill Senior Citizens’ Club member Ron Teer at the launch. |
An innovative eye screening program has pioneered an early warning system to detect sight problems in older people.
The Vision Screening for Older People Project is a pilot of The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and the Centre for Eye Research Australia which conducted vision screening for older people aged 65 and over through aged care, health care and community organisations in the City of Whitehorse.
Staff were trained to use a simple vision screening test to identify people needing further eyesight testing.
Vision screening was undertaken on 442 people in the City of Whitehorse and one third of these had a vision impairment.
Three quarters of these cases required medical examination and 89 per cent of these were found to have some form of eye disease, such as cataract or age-related macular degeneration.
It is predicted that by 2030 the rates of vision impairment among Australians aged 50 and over will have doubled, as the population ages.
Older people with eyesight problems face increased risk of falling and suffering hip fractures.
But regular vision screening can detect preventable eyesight problems early and allow them to be successfully treated.
Thirty-eight organisations were involved in the project including aged care facilities, Royal District Nursing Service, senior citizen clubs, community health services and the Returned Services League sub-branches.
The report recommends that vision screening be included in the Commonwealth Government’s Standards and Guidelines for Residential Aged Care Services and as part of health care provided to older people in community health services and general practice.