Global Burden of Disease: Indigenous Eye Health

Question 1

Normal vision

Answer 1

6/6

Question 2

Driving vision

Answer 2

6/12

Question 3

Legal blindness

Answer 3

6/60

Question 4

The major contributor to blindness in Australians (50 000) is

Answer 4

age-related macular degeneration; followed by glaucoma, cataract, refractive error

Question 5

The major contribution to low vision in Australians (480k) is

Answer 5

Refractive error; followed by cataract, AMD, glaucoma

Question 6

Visual impairment increases risk of falls by ___ and risk of hip fractures _____

Answer 6

2x; 4-8x

Question 7

T/F Depression is more common in those with visual impairment

Answer 7

True, 3x more common

Question 8

Those with visual impairment are admitted into nursing homes ____ years earlier

Answer 8

3

Question 9

Social dependence by visually impaired is

Answer 9

increased 2x

Question 10

Doctors visits by visually impaired increase

Answer 10

2x

Question 11

Mortality in visually impaired is increased

Answer 11

2x

Question 12

T/F 2/3 people will lose vision before they die

Answer 12

True

Question 13

__% of all visual impairment worldwide can be avoided or cured

Answer 13

80%

Question 14

In Australia, __% of blindness is avoidable or preventable; in Indigenous populations it is ___%

Answer 14

75%; 94%

Question 15

Globally, the leading cause of blindness is

Answer 15

cataracts

Question 16

T/F Most indigenous Australians live in remote areas

Answer 16

False; 3/4 live in cities or towns

Question 17

T/F Aboriginal kids are born with poorer vision than mainstream children and have more problems

Answer 17

False; they are born with better vision and have fewer problems

Question 18

T/F By age 40, aboriginals suffer 6x the blindness and 3x the loss of vision than the rest of Australia

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Major causes of blindness in aboriginal adults are

Answer 19

cataract, refractive error and optic atrophy, trachoma and diabetic eye disease

Question 20

T/F 35% of aboriginal adults have never had an eye exam

Answer 20

True

Question 21

Cataracts are ___ times more common in Indigenous adults

Answer 21

12x

Question 22

Access and use of cataract surgery in Indigenous adults is ___ times less than other Australians

Answer 22

7x (wait times are 88% longer)

Question 23

Indigenous blindness is ___ times that of other Australians

Answer 23

6x

Question 24

What is trachoma?

Answer 24

Infectious eye disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis

Question 25

T/F Australia is the only developed country in the world that still has trachoma

Answer 25

True; 55 countries globally but Australia is the only developed one

Question 26

Trachoma is common in countries with

Answer 26

poor infrastructure, poor access to water and cleaning facilities

Question 27

Trachoma in Australia occurs only in

Answer 27

Aboriginal people in remote areas where sanitation is poor

Question 28

Trachoma appears with

Answer 28

follicular conjunctivitis on the inside of the eyelid; chronic infections cause inflammation which eventually leads to scarring which contracts with age causing the lashes to turn in and scratch the cornea causing it to become opaque leading to blindness typically at age 50+

Question 29

What is the WHO strategy for tackling trachoma?

Answer 29

SAFE - surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, environmental improvements

Question 30

What are the 3 Ts of trichiasis?

Answer 30

Think of it, Thumb to lift the lid, Torch to see black lashes touching the eye

Question 31

What antibiotic is used to tx trachoma?

Answer 31

Azithromycin

Question 32

What are some of the reasons for indigenous people not seeking eye care?

Answer 32

cost, priority, distance and travel, availability of services

Question 33

T/F Vision loss is less in urban areas because they have readily available services

Answer 33

False; prevalence rates for blindness and low vision don’t vary significantly between states, and whether you are in a regional, remote, or urban area

Question 34

T/F The major reason for vision loss and blindness in indigenous Australians is lack of access to care

Answer 34

False; 75% live in cities where services are readily available; vision loss is not less in urban and regional areas than remote areas

Question 35

T/F If eye care is available in an aboriginal community it will improve eye health

Answer 35

False; better success if the provider is within the aboriginal medical service - this significantly impacts eye health in the community

Question 36

What is the most important component of eye health treatments in aboriginal populations?

Answer 36

Co-ordination; serial referrals and waiting lists can cause people to drop out of the health care system and discourage their friends and family from seeking health care due to frustration

Question 37

How does decreased access to cataract surgery impact on indigenous eye health?

Answer 37

Wait times are up to 7 years causing significant frustration with the system causing people to drop out and discourage others, causing people to deter from the system