11-16 March 2008 is Save Your Sight Week in Wangaratta

Over 500,000 Australians have vision loss and approximately 75 percent of preventable or treatable.

Across Australia vision impairment and blindness increases threefold with each decade of age over 40 years. Research conducted in 2005 shows that 30 percent of Victorians aged between 35-44 years reported a change in their vision over a 12 month period. This rose to over 66 percent in people between 45-54 years.

Vision loss is expensive. Annual costs (both direct and indirect) due to vision loss are estimated at $9.85 billion in Australia. The direct health cost of treating eye disease is estimated at $1.584 billion, greater than that of diabetes ($836 million) and asthma ($615 million) combined.

The good news is that 75 percent of vision loss is preventable or treatable if eyes are given the proper care and attention. Regular eye tests can detect developing problems and provide the best chance for treatment

The Vision Initiative, a public health program funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services, implemented by Vision 2020 Australia. More than 50 percent of Wangaratta's population is over 40 - this is higher than the state average. Health professionals in Wangaratta have identified a need for both professional and public eye health education in the region.

What’s happening in Wangaratta?

The Vision Initiative is running an integrated awareness campaign in the rural city of Wangaratta to promote the importance of regular eye tests for people 40 and over. Activity includes a four week advertising campaign; a mix of television, radio and print, media/pr and a range of public events for Save Your Sight Week which runs from the 11-16 March.

Public campaign activities include:

•	Art exhibition, 11-16 March, Wangaratta Library. Vision 2020 Australia is working with Able Australia and community partners in Wangaratta to exhibit the work of deaf/blind artists. The aim of the exhibition is to highlight one of the ways in which those with vision impairment can continue to participate in cultural life and to provide context for the art workshop.

•	Art workshop, Tuesday 11 March (PM), Wangaratta Library. Taking place within the context of the art exhibition the art workshop aims to simulate blindness or vision impairment for sighted people within the context of creating a piece of art and to highlight the impact of vision impairment and allow for a prevention message to be included.

•	Community Open day, Thursday 13 March, Wangaratta Library. This will involve a wide range of partners including Diabetes Australia Victoria, Guide Dogs Victoria, Macular Degeneration Foundation, Optometrists Association of Australia, Glaucoma Australia, and Vision Australia. Other partners are still to be confirmed. The open day will provide information on a wide range of eye health and vision care, highlight local services, give people an opportunity to experiment with products that assist those with low vision and give Vision 2020 Australia members promote themselves in Wangaratta.

•	Save your Sight street stall, Saturday 15 March, Murphy/Reid Streets Wangaratta. The activity is designed to highlight the impact of vision impairment and the importance of prevention. Partners include: Diabetes Australia Victoria, Guide Dogs Victoria, Glaucoma Australia, Macular Degeneration Foundation, Optometrists Association of Australia, SunSmart and Vision Australia.

The public activity will be supported by a number of professional education sessions, delivered by eye health professionals and targeted at community and allied health workers, hospital staff, pharmacists, practice nurses and general practitioners.

Details of the session include:

•	13 February at 7.30 pm, Pharmaceutical Society for Australia members, Goulburn and Ovens TAFE cafeteria, topic-Refractive error and correction options/Glaucoma management.

•	14 February at 2 pm, General Health Worker session, Ovens & King Community Health Centre, topic-The role of the primary carer in eye health.

•	27 February at 6.30 pm, Practice Nurses and General Practitioner session, Parkview Hotel, Ryley Street, topic- Refractive error and correction options/Glaucoma management.

•	28 February at 2 pm, General Health Worker session, Alpine Health Service, topic-the role of the primary carer in eye health.

For more information or to participate in the campaign contact:

Monique van Wierst, Events & PR Manager on 03 9656 2027 or email
mvanwierst@vision2020australia.org.au

Media partners

North East Newspapers (NEN) - 3NE Solid Gold Hits

Archived news

•	The Vision Initiative Planning Workshop 25 February 2008
•	11-16 March 2008 is Save Your Sight Week in Wangaratta
•	Keeping it all in focus-the eyes have it
•	Smoking can cause blindness
•	Media Coverage Archive
•	Vision 2020 Australia launched a five week ‘Save Your Sight’ campaign which ran from 10th February to 26th March, 2005.
•	Advertising and other featured pieces that appeared across metro and regional TV, radio and print.
•	The Vision 2020 Australia ‘Save Your Sight’ campaign is a five week campaign commencing on Sunday 20th February, 2005.