NZ’s first national eye health survey underway

The team will recruit several thousand people randomly selected from GP enrolment lists across Counties Manukau, Te Tai Tokerau, Lakes and Tairāwhiti. Since they expect to find a large number of people with referable conditions, the extent to which people can access services within six months is a key outcome of interest, A/Prof Ramke said. “We will use this information to engage again with community members and service providers to generate recommendations on how services can be more accessible.”

In addition to the adult survey, there are two population-based paediatric surveys being led by Associate Professor Joanna Black, deputy head of the School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS), and Dr Rebecca Findlay, SOVS research fellow. The first, a survey of 1,000 seven-year-olds, is visiting Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and the West Coast and is anticipated to be completed by October this year. The second, Vision for Learning 12, will follow by surveying 800 children, focusing on Māori and Pasifika and those living in high deprivation areas. It will begin in term three this year and visit about 40 schools across Auckland, Taranaki, Canterbury and Southland. Two post-graduate SOVS students, Whanganui-based optometrist Amelia Hardcastle and hospital optometrist Vicky Wang, are carrying out these studies as PhD projects.

The paediatric surveys will help researchers understand which eye conditions are most common in this group of children, said A/Prof Black. “It’s important because of several serious, sight-threatening eye conditions, including myopia and keratoconus.”

The study team includes researchers from eye health, paediatrics, epidemiology, education, bioengineering, social work, nursing and statistics, she explained. “We also have senior researchers in Māori and Pacific health who are leading engagement and study dissemination with these communities. We are also completing focus groups and interviews with stakeholders in health and education to gain perspectives on how the current system is working. This will allow us to provide recommendations on vision-screening protocols and primary eyecare pathways to improve access to eyecare for New Zealand children.”

Both studies are following Refractive error study in children (Negrel et al, 2000) protocols to make the data comparable internationally, A/Prof Black said. “Study numbers have been calculated to estimate the prevalence of refractive error in New Zealand. However, we are testing in a way to also identify other causes of visual impairment. In addition, the study team is estimating the prevalence of cerebral visual impairment, evaluating a new objective optokinetic nystagmus-based visual acuity test and completing measures of social wellbeing and educational achievement.” Across both studies, the team will follow up with children who have been identified as needing further care, to assess any barriers to access, she said.

"We acknowledge and congratulate Auckland University for conducting these three surveys,” said Eye Health Aotearoa (EHA) co-chair Chrissie Cowan, CEO of Kāpō Māori Aotearoa. “EHA applauds and supports research, surveys, data analysis and similar undertakings that are conducted to improve eye health for all New Zealanders. All contributions will assist the EHA campaign attain a national eye survey and our petition."

Funding for the studies has been provided by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Cure Kids, the New Zealand Association of Optometrists and the University of Auckland, via doctoral scholarships. “These types of studies are only possible through the support of the wider community eye-health team and funders such as The Buchanan Trust, the Blake family, Peter and Rae Fehl and the Vision Bus Aotearoa team,” said A/Prof Black.

Further post-graduate study opportunities are available in relation to these studies. For more, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].