News and Events

Landmark survey reveals startling levels of vision loss in Indigenous communities

The rate of blindness in Indigenous adults is more than six times higher than non-Indigenous Australians.

This is one of the findings of the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey, launched by Governor General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC.  

The study was undertaken by researchers at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne.

“This is the first comprehensive study of its kind and the first time in 30 years we’ll have national data on the impact of eye disease on Indigenous communities,” said Professor Taylor, Harold Mitchell Chair of Indigenous Eye Health, University of Melbourne.

“The survey puts into sharp focus the frighteningly high level of avoidable vision loss and the unacceptable deficiencies in Indigenous eye health.”

Read more

Download the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey key findings

Download the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey summary report

Download the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey Full Report

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AMD patients at higher risk of heart disease: study

Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) researchers have discovered a link between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and an increased risk of heart disease that could lead to early diagnosis and more effective treatment.

The study, published in Ophthalmology, found that people with early AMD are almost 60 per cent more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those without the disease.

 Director of CERA’s Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre Professor Tien Wong said that while scientists have long thought AMD to be associated with cardiovascular disease, this study is the first to establish a consistent link between AMD and coronary heart disease.

 “We don’t fully understand the causes of AMD however increasing evidence suggests the disease shares similar genetic and environmental risk factors with cardiovascular disease,” Professor Wong said.

 “Smoking, a diet high in fat and hypertension are all risk factors of both AMD and heart disease and the two share common genetic variants,” he said.

 The findings suggest that common treatments for cardiovascular disease, such as cholesterol lowering medication, may be useful for AMD prevention. However further research into this area is required.

 Researchers monitored 1786 people between the ages of 69 to 97 years who were free of coronary heart disease over a seven year period. Of those who had early AMD, almost 26 per cent developed heart disease, compared to only 18.9 per cent of those without AMD.

 AMD is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Australia and one in seven people over the age of 50 are affected by the condition.

Australians urged to test for glaucoma

An estimated 150,000 Australians have glaucoma, an eye disease that can lead to irreversible vision loss and blindness, and they don’t know it yet.   

This is just one of the findings by Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) researchers who are investigating the genes associated with glaucoma and identifying new ways to diagnose those at a high risk of developing the disease.

CERA Managing Director Professor Jonathan Crowston said a simple eye test will pick up glaucoma long before the patient notices any symptoms.

“During National Glaucoma Week I urge you to book an eye test, and remind a friend or loved one to do the same. It could end up saving their sight,” Professor Crowston said.

National Glaucoma Week is August 16 – 22.

To read the full story click here: Australians urged to test for glaucoma

Call for diabetes patients to join research study

Only 15 per cent of people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels within the optimal range, fueling an increase in vision loss from complications such as diabetic retinopathy.

This is just one of the findings by Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) researchers who are investigating the factors that prevent good diabetes management. 

Principal Investigator Ecosse Lamoureux said that while most people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy at some point in their lives, severe vision loss caused by the disease is preventable.

“Diabetic retinopathy is usually the result of untreated or poorly controlled diabetes. Studies show that proper control of blood glucose levels and hypertension significantly reduces the progression of the disease,” Dr Lamoureux said.

Researchers hope the results of the study will help medical professionals to better support and educate patients about their treatment needs.

CERA is seeking to recruit 2,000 people over 18 with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to participate in the study which involves an interview, blood test and eye exam at CERA and the Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne.

If you would like to join the study, please contact CERA recruitment coordinator Eva Fenwick on 03 9929 8363.

Read more about the study in the June edition of Vision news here

Bionic eye partnership announced

A new landmark partnership, involving the Centre for Eye Research Australia, is pursuing the development of a technologically advanced bionic eye to help improve the sight of people with degenerative or inherited retinal disease.

‘Bionic Vision Australia’ includes other world-leading Australian research institutes: the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the Bionic Ear Institute, and the Victoria Research Laboratory of NICTA. The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital will be the clinical partner in this endeavour and will be the place where the first human transplants are performed.

Professor Robyn Guymer, Head of the Centre’s Macular Research Unit, says that the multidisciplinary partnership plans to deliver a ‘first prototype, in 2011, and a higher-resolution model to follow several years later.’

It’s thought the bionic eye would work by wirelessly transferring images from a small camera to the retina at the back of the eye

“Bionic Vision Australia is working on a bionic eye that has around 1,000 electrodes, which far exceeds other models around the world and increases resolution so that people might be able to recognise faces or familiar objects,” Professor Guymer says.

More than 50,000 Australians have severe to profound vision loss, caused largely by degeneration or death of the cells in the eye that receive light signals

“A bionic eye will assist in restoring patient mobility, independence and quality of life by effectively replacing the function of damaged light-sensing cells in the eye. Unfortunately, not all causes of severe vision loss can benefit from a bionic prosthesis,” Professor Guymer says.

“Clarity and definition of vision may not be equal to normal sight, but the device will allow patients to move around, detect large objects and, in time, read text and recognise some facial features.”

The Centre is currently involved in perfecting the surgical procedures for the placement of the bionic eye’s electrodes. It is also forming focus groups with people who have suffered significant visual loss to understand what visual stimuli recipients would most desire from a bionic eye and the impact such a device might have on their quality of life.

More information about Bionic Vision Australia can be found at www.bionicvision.org.au