July 2005

The eyes have it

Thousands of disadvantaged Victorians will benefit from a new $2.34 million package of subsidised eye care.

Minister for Aged Care Gavin Jennings said the package would help pensioners, people in residential aged care and supported accommodation and the homeless.

Up to 12,000 more people in Melbourne will get eye care and subsidised spectacles over the next four years.

Mr Jennings said the Victorian Eye Service (VES) would receive a funding boost of $584,000 this financial year.

‘This takes the State Government’s funding to the VES to $2.34 million over the past four years and is on top of $3.6 million in annual recurrent funding through the Human Services Department,’ he said.

‘The extra VES funding this financial year will see 3,000 more pensioners and others on low incomes receive eye care and subsidised spectacles and provide better access for older people in nursing homes, supported residential services and homeless Victorians who could be missing out on eye care.’

More than seven in 10 VES clients are aged over 65 with the service providing 84,500 patient service visits and 57,500 pairs of low-cost spectacles last financial year.

Despite these efforts, demand for eye care was rising in line with Victoria’s ageing population, Mr Jennings said.

The number of Victorians aged over 70 increased by nearly 10 per cent between 1999 and 2003, compared to half that for the total population, with those aged 85-plus increasing by 18 per cent.

‘Some older people are missing out, which is why the Government allocated increased funding for eye care services in this year’s State Budget.

‘The extra State funding will give Victoria’s most vulnerable seniors greater access to affordable eye care services by addressing service gaps.

‘Most importantly, it will make a real difference to many older people’s quality of life,’ Mr Jennings said.