LXIII Edward Jackon Memorial Lecture: Eye Care: Dollar and ene Original Reearch Article

Purpoe The development of health economic data for viion lo and eye dieae i decribed. Deign Data from population-baed epidemiologic tudie of eye dieae, tudie of the impact of viion lo on daily living, Autralian national health-care cot, cenu, and demographic projection were combined to develop a model of the economic impact of viion lo in Autralia. Method Data were conidered to ae the current magnitude and cot of viion lo and to make projection a to future cot. Further analyi invetigated the cot and economic benefit of variou intervention to addre avoidable viion lo. Reult The amount of viion lo increae three-fold and the number with viion lo will double in 20 year. Viion lo cot Autralia a total of AU $9.85 billion in 2004. Viion lo rank eventh in caue of lo of well-being. An intervention package to addre avoidable viion lo would cot AU $190 million or AU $5,591/Quality Adjuted Life Year (QALY) and give lifetime aving of AU $911 million. Concluion Although pecific for Autralia, thee data can help guide health care policy debate and the priority given to eye care in other developed economie. For each dollar pent on the prevention of viion lo and eye care, there i a 5 dollar return to the community.