Charlotte Varcoe
MOUNT Gambier optometrist store Specsavers has raised more than $11,000 towards sight restoring work for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The funds were raised by selling frames designed by Aboriginal artist Sarrita King with $25 from each purchase going towards the cause.
Funds will be allocated to those in need in remote Indigenous communities to assist with eye screenings, treatments and managements as well as education and counselling for eye care.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 12 per cent of Indigenous Australians had an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist between 2019 and 2020.
In 2018 to 2019, the age-standardised cataract surgery rate for Indigenous Australians was about 8,519 hospitalisations, an increase of 43 per cent compared to 2011 to 2012.
Mount Gambier Specsavers optometrist Liam Hua said the small amount of donations made by the local store was but part of a larger contribution made by Specsavers overall.
“Obviously we here in Mount Gambier have only produced a small amount of a massive contribution of $5m towards the project which has been made by the whole company but that is across several years,” Mr Hua said.
“We hope the donations can go into services that support eye care for the Indigenous Australian community across the State.”
Mr Hua said optometrists in Mount Gambier do service a number of Indigenous Australian clients throughout the area and reminded the community to remain vigilant with eye care.
“We don’t service as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as with other ethnicities but we also think that may have to do with advertising opportunities as well and promotion,” he said.
“We need to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to come in and have their eyes checked because they are more at risk of other health conditions such as diabetes which can affect eyesight.”
Mr Hua said eyesight and health was also a large part of the Closing the Gap initiative with many Indigenous Australians experiencing visual issues.
“Most of the time these visual issues can be preventable so it does come down to a matter of education and encouragement,” he said.
“We want to be able to prevent their conditions such as blindness and visual impairment and do what we can in providing care of Indigenous Australian clients.”
