How common is visual impairment?

It is estimated that over 13 million Australians have one or more chronic (long-term) eye conditions, according to self-reported data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2017–18 National Health Survey (NHS). This includes:

• 7.2 million with hyperopia (long-sightedness)
• 6.3 million with myopia (short-sightedness)
• 1.4 million with astigmatism
• 687,000 with presbyopia (loss of focusing ability with age)
• 549,000 with colour blindness
• 411,000 with cataract
• 244,000 with macular degeneration
• 131,000 with blindness (complete and partial).

For eye health definitions see the eye health glossary. Note that there are limitations to self-reported eye problems. For more information, see Livingston et. al (1998).

Chronic eye conditions vary in their presentation, treatment and consequences, but almost all are more common in older people. In 2017–18, chronic eye conditions affected 93% of people aged 65 and over, compared with only 12% among people aged 0–14 (Figure 1). Females experience a higher prevalence of chronic eye conditions than males (59% and 51% respectively) (ABS 2018).

Types of vision disorders

Refractive error

Refractive error refers to a group of common eye conditions where the eye cannot clearly focus, causing blurred vision. Corrective glasses or contact lenses can generally remedy refractive error (CERA, 2014a).

 These conditions include:

• myopia (or short-sightedness), when someone has trouble seeing in the distance
• hyperopia (or long-sightedness), when someone has trouble seeing both up close and in the distance
• astigmatism, distorted vision due to irregular curvature of the eye’s front surface
• presbyopia, when someone has trouble seeing up close due to reduced focusing ability of the lens with age (CERA, 2014a).