Australia has become the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem.

In at-risk communities, trachoma prevalence in children aged five to nine has reduced from 14.9% in 2009 to 1.5% in 2024.

Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of preventable blindness. In Australia, trachoma was found primarily in remote communities in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.

Repeated infections may lead to trichiasis, where eyelashes turn inwards and damage the cornea, leading to vision loss and blindness.

Optometry Australia (OA) described the milestone, confirmed by the World Health Organization, as significant for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

OA CEO Mark Nevin called for the policy settings and services that made this outcome possible to be sustained.

OA said updated findings from the Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey show significant persistent gaps in eye health outcomes for First Nation peoples, reinforcing that trachoma elimination – while a major achievement – is only one part of a much broader eye health equity challenge.

Mr Nevin noted that initiatives like the Visiting Optometrists Scheme (VOS) have been integral to delivering outreach care.

As the VOS enters a new funding cycle, Mr Nevin said OA has urged the Australian Government to ensure it is resourced to meet the real cost of service delivery, so the progress made on trachoma is protected and efforts to keep closing the gap on preventable vision loss can continue.