The frequency of eye examinations in people with diabetes

The findings of the National Eye Health Survey are encouraging, but also identify areas for improvement

This article by Foreman and colleagues in this issue of the MJA1 explores how well people with diabetes are adhering to the 2008 recommendations by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)2 about regular eye examinations. Their report analyses data for a recent population-based sample, the National Eye Health Survey (NEHS),3 which included sizable samples of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The authors found a moderate level of non-compliance with the NHMRC recommendations, particularly among Indigenous people, and they argue that a carefully integrated and accessible diabetic retinopathy screening service for Indigenous Australians is needed.