For this reason, CERA applauds today’s announcement that the Australian Government will provide $1 million in funding to develop the Preserve Sight program, to protect the sight of the 1.2 million Australians living with diabetes.

CERA’s Interim Managing Director Dr Peter van Wijngaarden said that the program will help to tackle the epidemic of diabetic eye disease – the biggest cause of avoidable vision loss and blindness in our country.

Together with former CERA researcher Dr Mohammed Dirani, Dr van Wijngaarden played a key role in the successful lobbying for this program. “CERA researchers were at the forefront in advocating for this visionary program,” said Dr van Wijngaarden, “and we will play a key role in its implementation.”

The Preserve Sight program will protect the eye health people with diabetes by promoting biannual eye checks and a national electronic eye health record.

Diabetes Australia will partner with Vision 2020 Australia, Oculo and many organisations in the eye health and diabetes sector to deliver this important initiative. The Government contribution of $1 million will be matched by Specsavers Australia.

To read the full media release and background paper, please visit vision2020australia.org.au