Skye Cappuccio, Optometry Australia CEO
In the leadup to the 2025 federal election campaign, Optometry Australia (OA) is seeking a federal commitment to reinstate Medicare-subsidised eye exams every two years for all Australians under age 65.
As well, OA will seek federal government funding to partner in the delivery of its 2025 national consumer awareness campaign regarding childhood myopia.
Announcing the focus of its pre-election lobbying efforts, OA said not enough asymptomatic Australians aged under 65 are having comprehensive eye examinations once every three years, let alone every two years as clinically recommended.
“We know that these patients may have, or be at risk of, ocular conditions that do not currently affect their sight, but which can result in vision impairment or vision loss if not identified fast enough to be managed effectively,” OA CEO Skye Cappuccio said.
Asymptomatic Australians are not accessing the regular eye care they need
Eye Exam Drop Off
She said analysis of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Item 10910 shows that:
- Per capita initial comprehensive eye examinations nationally fell from 8,898 services per 100,000 population in 2017–18 to 7,284 in 2023–24, an 18.1% reduction nationally for people aged under 65 years.
- The number of Australians aged under 65 getting Medicare subsidised initial comprehensive eye examinations fell from 2,234,228 in 2017–18 to 1,956,402 in 2023–24 (a 12.4% reduction).
- Critically, if the 2017–18 per capita rate for under 65s was maintained, there would have been 2,461,284 initial comprehensive eye examinations (an additional 424,101 eye examinations)* in 2023–24.
OA explained that the per capita drop off between 2017–18 and 2023–24 was in all states and territories and impacted all age groups under 65. Women had a higher per capita drop off compared to men.
“We believe there are multiple reasons for this disturbing drop off”, OA said, citing cost-of-living issues and the COVID pandemic.
“However, in all states and territories, per capita initial comprehensive eye examinations were lower in 2023–24 than in 2020–21 (during COVID),” Ms Cappuccio said.
“We recognise that optometrists may be making greater use of other MBS items for progressing eye conditions (particularly in older patient cohorts). However, analysis shows a reduction in per capita usage of all comprehensive eye exams since the introduction of item 10910, compared to expected projections.
“Asymptomatic Australians are not accessing the regular eye care they need.”
She said this was highly concerning, given projections showed the “greatest increase in the absolute number of Australians with vision loss is expected between 2020 and 2030”.
Call for Reinstatement
Ms Cappuccio said OA opposed the 2014 Federal Budget change that reduced subsidised eye exams for under 65s to once every three years, predicting it would lead to a drop in the number of Australians in this age group accessing primary eye care.
“The data shows that we were right,” she said.
OA will lobby both the Federal Minister for Health, Mark Butler, and the Shadow Minister for Health, Senator Anne Ruston.
“We are also calling for the major political parties to address this issue in their election platforms,” she said.
We will also be asking for government funding for our national awareness raising campaign on childhood myopia, launching in early 2025
Myopia Awareness Campaign
Also on OA’s agenda is its 2025 consumer awareness campaign on childhood myopia.
“We will also be asking for government funding for our national awareness raising campaign on childhood myopia, launching in early 2025.
“By calling on the government to reinstate Medicare-subsidised eye exams every two years, Optometry Australia is putting the spotlight on the urgency of eye health in Australia and championing optometry’s role in providing primary eye care and preventing vision loss.
“By aligning this with our request that the federal government partners with us to deliver our 2025 national childhood myopia consumer awareness campaign, we will raise public awareness of the need for regular, comprehensive eye exams with an optometrist.
“The message is simple: Australia cannot afford to wait – we must have Eyes on Medicare. Medicare must support accessible, timely eye care for all and the next Federal Government must reinstate Medicare-subsidised eye exams every two years for Australians under 65,” Ms Cappuccio said.
