Diabetes Australia CEO Justine Cain and with Health Minister, the Hon Mark Butler, at the National Diabetes Summit.
An updated KeepSight report has revealed the growing national impact of Australia’s diabetes eye health reminder program, with more than 640,000 people now registered and millions of reminders and eye checks helping to prevent avoidable vision loss.
The second edition of the report Unveiling the Value of KeepSight, authored by Deloitte Access Economics, was launched at the National Diabetes Summit at Parliament House in March – a landmark event where the nation’s leading diabetes experts and advocates gathered to highlight the growing scale and impact of one of Australia’s most complex health challenges.
The keynote address was delivered by Health Minister, the Hon Mark Butler.
Diabetes Australia said the summit provided a fitting platform to highlight the latest KeepSight data and impact of the program alongside critical conversations about prevention, health system sustainability, and equity of care.
… the summit provided a fitting platform to highlight the latest KeepSight data and impact of the program
KeepSight provides people living with diabetes free reminders when they are due for a routine eye check. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults with early detection and treatment the most effective way to prevent vision loss.
Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said the latest KeepSight data reveals that participants are more likely to come back for a follow-up eye check, and they tend to return sooner.
“That’s really important because 90% of vision loss is preventable, so when people get regular eye checks, they’re more likely to catch problems early,” Ms Cain said.
More than 42% of Australians living with diabetes have been referred to the program to protect their sight.
“The scale of participation reflects the real-world impact of the initiative. Having over 640,000 people now registered with the program is a significant milestone,” Ms Cain said.
