Eye Health Workforce in Australia

The Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey in 2011-12 revealed that almost 12 million Australians (54% of the total population) reported having one or more long-term eye condition. Eye health workforce in Australia is a report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which presents the latest available data on the eye health workforce in Australia.  In 2011 there were over 800 ophthalmologists, around 4,000 optometrists and over 6,000 allied ophthalmic personnel (orthoptists, optical dispensers, optical mechanics, orientation and mobility specialists and occupational therapists specialising in eye health) in the eye health workforce.

Of the different eye health workers, ophthalmologists had the lowest proportion of females, at 17.4%. followed by optical mechanics, with one-third (32.9%) being female. Around half (47.8%) of all optometrists were female and the other occupations were mostly female. 78% of the eye health workforce worked in major cities.