Review highlights eye health inequities for Māori and Pacific People in New Zealand
A study by Rogers et al. mapped evidence on vision impairment and differential access to eye health services by ethnicity in Aotearoa New Zealand, where no population-based eye health survey exists and routine monitoring data are absent.
Key Findings:
- The review mapped 72 outcomes across 53 reports from 47 studies, with over two-thirds of outcomes disaggregated by two or more ethnicity groups — a share that rose from 33% before 2000 to 84% since 2000.
- When outcomes were disaggregated by ethnicity, Māori and Pacific People consistently experienced worse access to eye care than other New Zealanders.
- Diabetic retinopathy and cataract were the two most studied conditions, accounting for nearly half of all reported outcomes (29% and 18% respectively).
- Across all New Zealanders, very little research has addressed refractive error, glaucoma or macular degeneration, and evidence on the prevalence of vision impairment among adults is almost entirely absent.
Reference: Rogers JT, Black J, Harwood M, et al. Vision impairment and differential access to eye health services in Aotearoa New Zealand: a scoping review. BMJ Public Health. 2024;2(1):e000313.
