Sight preservation should be a national priority: Former NSW MP Jillian Skinner

No one should have to go blind simply because they can’t afford the treatment that would save their sight, writes Jillian Skinner.

A total of 1.9 million Australians live with a macular disease diagnosis, and more than 108,000 with a treatable macular disease receive anti-VEGF injections to preserve their sight – at a cost. Picture: iStock

As an advocate for the health of Australians, I am deeply concerned about the growing issue of access to treatment for those living with macular disease in this country.

I am one of the 1.9 million Australians who lives with a macular disease diagnosis, and I am one of the more than 108,000 Australians with a treatable macular disease receiving anti-VEGF injections to preserve my sight.

Every six weeks, I receive eye injections in my right eye in a private clinic.

These eye injections are sight saving for me as I’m already blind in my left eye.

However, I am one of the lucky ones who benefits from access to excellent clinical care because I am based in metropolitan Sydney, and I receive affordable treatment.

Despite the critical importance of preserving sight, many people living with AMD are struggling to afford essential treatments, not because of a lack of options, but because the costs are simply too high.

The situation is critical for our older and more vulnerable Australians.

Former NSW health minister Jillian Skinner.

According to new research from Macular Disease Foundation Australia, nearly one in 10 people receiving eye injections to save their sight are forced to pay more than $6000

annually to manage their disease, including treatment costs, vision aids, support services, and travel. This is around 20% of the Australian aged care pension, a staggering amount for those already living on a fixed income.

Self-funded retirees with restricted budgets are also greatly impacted.

I’ve seen the emotional and physical toll this disease takes on people. I’m living it too.

The loss of vision is not just a health issue – it’s an issue that robs people of their independence and their ability to live life on their own terms.

Loss of vision forces people prematurely into aged care, and access to affordable and consistent treatment is simply too difficult, particularly those in rural and regional areas.

Yet, despite the growing prevalence of this disease, only a fraction of public hospitals and private clinics offer bulk-billed treatment.

The reality is that for too many Australians, the cost of treatment is preventing them from saving their sight.

For too many Australians, the cost of treatment is preventing them from saving their sight. Picture: iStock

I have spent much of my life fighting for equitable access to essential health services.

It is clear that the time for change is now.

The government has a real opportunity to step up and make a difference by adopting a series of recommendations put forward by the Macular Disease Foundation.

These measures, though ambitious, could make a world of difference to those living with macular disease.

A key recommendation is the introduction of a Neovascular AMD Treatment Incentive Program. This program would encourage ophthalmologists to bulk-bill pension card holders, who are often the most financially vulnerable, for sight-saving eye injections.

This initiative would cost the Government an estimated $11.1 million a year but could save the taxpayer more than $140 million annually by preventing more serious health complications that come with untreated macular diseases and blindness.

It is an investment that would save the sight of thousands of Australians while ultimately reducing the long-term economic burden on our health system.

But it’s not just about financial savings. It’s about our respect for older Australians.

No one should have to go blind simply because they can’t afford the treatment that would save their sight. It’s time to act, to make sight-saving treatments more affordable and accessible, and to ensure that no one is left behind in their fight for sight.

The Hon. Jillian Skinner, AM is an Ambassador for Macular Disease Foundation Australia

Originally published as Sight preservation should be a national priority: Former NSW MP Jillian Skinner