DESPITE a dip in the national average, eye testing within Mount Gambier has remained consistent, bucking the metropolitan trend.
According to an analysis of the latest Medicare data by Vision 2020, there were 516,906 less eye tests conducted nationally compared to the previous 18-month period.
Vision 2020 Australia CEO Patricia Sparrow said the reduction in eye tests was the result of Covid and the subsequent lockdown restrictions imposed across states.
Mount Gambier based optometrist Brad Mann said the border restrictions with Victoria had obviously impacted the number of clients booking an eye test – as they were unable to travel to the clinic.
However, Mr Mann believes the decreased eye test numbers were predominantly felt within metropolitan clinics.
Victorian clients aside, he has not experienced any significant change in client or eye test numbers within his clinic.
“We have been reasonably busy all the way through [Covid],” he said.
“Funnily enough after the lockdown in March, we had a really busy 2020… in fact, last year was probably one of our busiest years.”
Regardless, Mr Mann reiterated Vision 2020’s message about the importance of regularly undergoing eye testing.
“A lot of the eye diseases – the big ones being glaucoma and macular degeneration – you don’t notice you’ve gotten the early stages,” he said.
“So, by regular eye tests it’s the only way of finding those diseases early and early detection means better outcomes, better prognosis and better treatment outcomes.”
Ms Sparrow concurs.
“Around 90 per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable if it’s identified early, and eye tests are the early warning system which could save your sight,” she said.
