Shaun Parsons1, Justin Sherwin2, Anthony Hall1

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in Australia¹ and other high-income countries. From 2007 the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents have revolutionised the management of neovascular AMD and other common retinal diseases such as diabetic macular oedema. Whilst there have been estimations to predict the number of cases of blindness prevented by the introduction of anti-VEGF treatment of neovascular AMD in Australia no data from population-based studies in Australia performed pre and post the introduction of anti-VEGF therapy exist to confirm these findings.

Methods: We gained informed consent from the Department of Social Services to access data on the number of individuals on the disability support pension (excluding patients too young to be eligible for the age pension) or the age pension with the medical condition of ‘blind’. We present this as a surrogate blind registry.

Results: The number of persons accessing the disability or age pension with the medical condition blind has decreased from 17474 in 2008 to 16162 in 2014. This is in comparison to an increasing Australian population and number of total individuals accessing the age pension.

Conclusion: These data show a reduced number of individuals receiving the blind age pension; this may be due to a reduced incidence of blindness in Australia over the same time frame. The widespread adoption of anti-VEGF agents for the treatment of several eye conditions, especially for neovascular AMD, may be a contributor to these findings.