Specsavers optometrists nationwide have reached one million appointments registered with the KeepSight national diabetes eye check reminder program.
This number includes new and returning patients with diabetes who get their eyes checked at Specsavers and contributes to the 450,000 active participants in the KeepSight program.
The program, run by Diabetes Australia and supported by private and public partners including Specsavers and the Federal Government, aims to prevent avoidable blindness caused by diabetes by reminding people to return to see their optometrist for regular eye health checks.
Ongoing clinical screenings allow diabetes-related eye health issues, including diabetic retinopathy, to be detected earlier, treated, and monitored, avoiding unnecessary vision loss for more than 1.5 million Australians living with diabetes, Specsavers said.
Each week, Specsavers optometrists across Australia refer more than 7,000 patients with detected diabetes to KeepSight to receive ongoing appointment reminders. Since the inception of the program nearly six years ago, year-on-year data shows KeepSight is returning patients to their optometrist more frequently for an eye health check, reducing their risk of diabetes-related vision loss.
Dr Ben Ashby, Specsavers clinical services director ANZ, said reaching one million appointment registrations reflected the dedication Specsavers optometrists had in caring for the sight of Australians with diabetes and improving their health outcomes.
“I’m proud to say our optometrists refer 90% of all patients with diabetes to the KeepSight program. Their commitment to ensuring the continuation of patient care means they’re catching changes in vision early and preventing vision loss for these people,” he said.
Diabetes Australia’s chief strategy officer Ms Taryn Black said optometrists played a significant role in helping people with diabetes manage their health.
“Diabetes is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Australians, but it doesn’t need to be. We have world-class optometrists and ophthalmologists in this country, yet many with diabetes lose their sight because they don’t realise early enough that diabetes is affecting their eyes,” she said.
“The most important thing people can do to protect their vision is to have regular eye health checks, and thanks to KeepSight, we’re helping make sure they don’t miss these crucial appointments.”
To find out more about KeepSight, visit www.keepsight.org.au
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