New Eye Surgery ‘Blitz’ in Central Australia

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25 October 2010

A six-day intensive eye surgery ‘blitz’, funded by the Australian Government and coordinated by the Fred Hollows Foundation, has begun at Alice Springs Hospital.

The Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, said the blitz, from 24 to 30 October, would target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout Central Australia, with most procedures correcting cataract blindness.

“Cataract Blindness occurs when the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy causing gradual loss of vision and ultimately blindness. This week there will be about 50 surgeries at Alice Springs hospital to remove cataracts for people in Central Australia and the Barkly Tableland.”

“This is great work and vital for our region, as Aboriginal people have blindness rates six times higher than the mainstream population,” he said.

Mr Snowdon said that two similar weeks of intensive eye surgery had been held since June 2009, with 101 procedures being completed.

“I have to congratulate Dr Tim Henderson, the head of ophthalmology at Alice Springs hospital and his team for their terrific work,” he said.

With the support of Australian Government funding, the Fred Hollows Foundation is working with the NT Government, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and the Anyinginyi Health Congress Aboriginal Corporation to implement the Central Australian Integrated Eye Health Strategy and reduce eye surgery waiting lists in the region.

“The Gillard Labor Government is strongly committed to managing and treating eye disease and promoting eye health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” he said.

The Australian Government is investing $58.3 million to improve ear and eye health for Indigenous Australians. This includes:

• screening and treating of trachoma in 120 communities at least once a year, and provide community visits, follow up and health promotion activities
• new or expanded services to 115 rural and remote Indigenous communities approved under a boost to the Visiting Optometrists Scheme, which started in April 2010.