Prevalence and associations of refractive error in indigenous Australians within central Australia: the Central Australian Ocular Health Study

Abstract

Our study has shown that indigenous Australians are less likely to be ametropic compared with non-indigenous groups. Variations with age and nuclear opalescent cataract seen in other previous work have also been observed in our sample.

Prevalence and predictors of refractive error in a genetically isolated population: the Norfolk Island Eye Study

“…Women were more highly represented, which is in line with other population studies, 34,35 although the findings are inconsistent throughout the literature. The astigmatism estimates of the Norfolk Islanders are comparable to Australian rates, but higher than those of Indigenous Australians 12,13 . Women were almost twice as likely to exhibit astigmatism and the non‐Pitcairn to Pitcairn rates were similar.…”

“…In the Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES), prevalence estimates using MSE ≤ −0.5 were similar to the VIP at 15% 12 . Whereas, in adult Indigenous Australians in Central Australia, the prevalence of myopia (MSE ≥ −0.5) was lower at 11.1% 13 …”

Nationally consistent spectacle supply for Indigenous Australians

“…Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause and accounts for 54% of vision impairment for adult Indigenous Australians 2 . Studies consistently confirm refractive error and the lack of appropriate glasses as a significant contributor to vision impairment in Indigenous communities 3–6 . The 2008 National Indigenous Eye Health Survey found 39% of Indigenous adults could not read normal size print and, of those reporting difficulty, 37% did not have reading glasses 2 …”

The Prevalence and Impact of High Myopia

“…25 The Australia population seems to have the lowest occurrence rate of myopia, at less than 11%. 1,26 Factors Impacting Myopia Development…”