National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss

Key Area for Action 2: Increasing early detection

Action Area: Primary Health Care

Vision Initiative

The Vision Initiative team provided training and a range or resources to primary health care professionals in the Vision Initiative Pilot Project areas to assist in their ability to identify patients/customers who may be at risk of eye diseases and refer them to a local optometrist for an eye examination. All primary health care professionals were encouraged to ask a simple question “When was the last time you had an eye examination with an eye health professional?” as part of their everyday interactions with patients/customers.
Each GP practice and pharmacy was provided with an Eye Health Kit, with contents of the kit provided in the table below. In addition, online training has been provided free of charge for all participating GPs, practice nurses and pharmacists in each pilot project area.

Content of the eye health kits – 1 pack per health practice
Content list	Pharmacy		GP Practice
	In kit	On CD (PDF)	In kit	On CD (PDF)
CD	Yes	No	Yes	No
User guide	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Referrals tools
Referral pathway diagram - Pharmacy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Referral pathway diagram – GP practice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vision Initiative recommendation card (100/kit)	Yes	No	Yes	No
Vision Initiative referral letter	No	No	No	Yes
Optometry Victoria referral form	No	No	Yes	Yes
Australian College of Optometry (ACO) referral form (Darebin only)	No	No	Yes	Yes
RVEEH^32 referral form and all accompanying documentation	No	No	Yes	Yes
Vision Australia referral pad	Yes	No	Yes	No
Guide Dogs Victoria referral pad	Yes	No	Yes	No
ACO Low Vision Clinic referral pad (Darebin only)	Yes	No	Yes	No
Optometry scope of practice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Health promotion materials
DL simulation plastic cards	Yes	No	Yes	No
DL online training promotion card	No	No	Yes	No
DL Vision Initiative website promotion card	Yes	No	Yes	No
DL awareness brochure (100/kit)	Yes	No	Yes	No
A3 poster (2/kit)	Yes	No	Yes	No
Window decal (1/kit)	Yes	No	Yes	No
Shelf talkers (30/kit)	Yes	No	No	No
Vision Initiative information sheets x9	No	Yes	No	Yes
Vision Initiative resources order form	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Action Area: Childhood Screening

Example of a successful initiative – Victoria
Australian College of Optometry (ACO) research in a disadvantaged community
During the reporting period, the ACO (Victorian Eyecare Service provider) conducted a study in order to explore the barriers to correction of vision problems in a disadvantaged school community and to inform the delivery of public health programmes directed at the children from such schools.
The study found that vision problems were common, with over 23% of all children having some disorder. Children at School B – a small private school north of Melbourne - were almost three times more likely to have had a previous eye test than children at School A – a primary school in Melbourne’s western suburbs with demographic indicators of social disadvantage, including recent refugee arrivals, low income profile and families from non-English speaking backgrounds.
The cost of glasses and medicines was perceived as a significant barrier to receiving vision correction by both parents and teachers at School A. Additionally parents perceived the normal costs of eye examination as being a barrier even before any treatment costs. Teachers lacked confidence in identifying students with vision problems.