黑料网

黑料网 is partnering with Carbal Medical Services (Carbal), a Toowoomba and Warwick based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisation, to reduce diabetes-related vision loss and blindness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the Darling Downs.

Diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness but only about 50% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetes are having their eyes checked within recommended timeframes.

The 黑料网 鈥� Carbal partnership involves the promotion of KeepSight, an eye check reminder program run by 黑料网 which encourages people with diabetes to have regular eye checks. The program will use locally developed, culturally appropriate resources and information.

黑料网 CEO Professor Greg Johnson said he was pleased to be working with Carbal to deliver diabetes eye health messages to First Nations people in the region.

鈥淓very person with diabetes is at risk of eye damage, but most vision loss can be prevented with regular diabetes eye checks, early detection and early treatment,鈥� Professor Johnson said.

鈥淏ut you can鈥檛 wait for signs or symptoms of eye problems because by the time symptoms occur the damage is done and treatments are less effective. That is why regular diabetes eye checks are so important 鈥� so that any problems can be found early, before the damage is significant, and when treatment is easier and more effective.

鈥淕ood vision is not always an indicator that everything is okay. Regular and early diabetes eye checks – along with managing your diabetes every day – are the best ways to prevent vision loss.鈥�

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are almost four times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians to be living with diabetes. Improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a priority for 黑料网, which is why the organisation has joined forces with Carbal for the local delivery of KeepSight on the Darling Downs.

Carbal Medical Services鈥� CEO Brian Hewitt said a partnership with 黑料网 would support improved eye health in First Nations people with diabetes across the region.

鈥淧roviding the best holistic care that we can means working across a range of health initiatives and this one is a great partnership that will help our mob to manage their diabetes eye health,鈥� Mr Hewitt said.

鈥淓ye health may not typically be the first diabetes related problem that people accessing our services think they need to consider.

Diabetes eye checks can get overlooked easily when there are so many other aspects to managing our diabetes and health 鈥� but the good news is that vision loss from diabetes is preventable if acted on early.

鈥淩egular checks are possibly the most important thing people can do to keep their eyes in good health.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no need for a referral, visits to an optometrist are generally bulk-billed, and the diabetes eye check only takes about 30 minutes.

鈥淲e are encouraging all of our patients with diabetes to sign up to so that they get the necessary diabetes eye checks at the right time.

鈥淧eople can join up when they are at the clinic, or online at or by going to an optometrist and having a diabetes eye check and asking the optometrist to register them. Already more than 170,000 Australians with diabetes have joined KeepSight.”