Eye Health Aotearoa (EHA) are disappointed that there
is no provision in the Health Budget 2022 for a National Eye
Health Survey to help the government enable access to
equitable, quality eye health services and prevent avoidable
vision loss. EHA believe the Government is yet to fully
recognize the current inequity for New Zealanders in
accessing quality and timely eye health and vision care
services, to prevent avoidable blindness.

For a
number of years, Eye Health Aotearoa and New Zealand’s eye
health sector industry leaders have been campaigning
for a National Eye Health Survey, so that the state of
the country’s eye health can be properly understood and
steps can be taken to prevent avoidable blindness and vision
loss.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health currently
categorises eye health and vision care as a chronic
condition where vision loss is seen as a disability rather
than something that can be prevented through public
health.

Eye Health Aotearoa were pleased that Health
Budget 2022 included “$6.996 million over three years from
2023/24 for the operation of 20 portable retinal cameras in
areas that do not currently have them, to ensure equitable
access to retinopathy screening for premature babies and
help prevent one of the leading causes of blindness in New
Zealand.

The Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a,
“Rare but important cause of blindness” according to Dr
Justin Mora, EHA’s Royal Australian New Zealand College of
Ophthalmologists representative. He said, “It actually
comprises only a tiny proportion of the visually impaired,
particularly compared with Age-related Macular Degeneration,
glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.” “We acknowledge that
spending as helpful but it doesn’t put a dent into the
need for real action”.

“Currently there is no data
available on the New Zealand population’s eye health. We
rely on extrapolating from Australian data to estimate the
situation in Aotearoa.” says EHA spokesperson and
prominent Ophthalmologist in the Eye Health sector, Dr
Justin Mora.

Eye Health Aotearoa believe that a
National Eye Health Survey is the key first step towards
really understanding gaps in public access to eye health
services across New Zealand.

“What we urgently need
now is a National Eye Health Survey to assist in developing
a joined up National Eye Strategy that prioritises
person-centred eye care that provides universal access to
eye health education, prevention, treatment and vision
rehabilitation.” Mora continues.

About the Eye
Health petition

Eye Health Aotearoa is petitioning
the government to avoid preventable vision loss and
blindness for the people of Aotearoa by funding the first
National Eye Health Survey, that will enable an effective
national eye health strategy.

To sign the petition
visit: https://www.change.org/p/prevent-vision-loss-eyehealthaotearoa

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