Major optometry provider Luxottica has joined forces with Diabetes Australia to integrate with KeepSight, Australia’s diabetes eye check reminder program, and better support 1.4 million people living with diabetes with their eye health.

The announcement, made during National Diabetes Week, means there are now more than 700 optometry practices across Australia, representing 60 per cent of the optometry sector, integrated with the KeepSight program.

Diabetes Australia CEO Professor Greg Johnson said he was delighted Luxottica had joined KeepSight. Luxottica has 365 optometry practices operating as OPSM and Laubman & Pank.

“The aim of KeepSight is to end preventable diabetes-related blindness in Australia and Luxottica optometry practices are strongly committed to that vision,” Professor Johnson said.

“The concept of KeepSight is simple – ensure that every person with diabetes in Australia is having diabetes eye checks through regular alerts and reminders, and that when vision problems develop they are picked up and treated earlier when the treatments are more effective.”

”More than 175,000 people are now registered with KeepSight to receive regular alerts and reminders about their diabetes eye checks.

“The integration of OPSM and Laubman & Pank with KeepSight, means even more people with diabetes will now be registered with KeepSight, and this will help ensure they get their necessary diabetes eye checks.

“Any eye care provider can enroll a person with diabetes with KeepSight. We are thrilled that Luxottica has taken the step to invest in an integrated registration process which will make KeepSight registration quick and easy for both the person with diabetes and the practice.”

Luxottica Retail ANZ Director of Eyecare and Community Peter Murphy said KeepSight was a unique initiative that has the potential to make a real dent in the burden of diabetes-related eye disease on our health system.

“Luxottica is honoured to be part of this important initiative which will have long-term benefits to the wellbeing of all Australians with diabetes,” Mr Murphy said.

“We are very aware that timely preventative healthcare can have a positive impact on people with diabetes and working with KeepSight is a great step for us to continue offering this to our patients.”

This month, more than 750,000 people registered on the National Diabetes Services Scheme will receive a personalised health message encouraging them to get a diabetes eye check and register with KeepSight for ongoing reminder messages and information.

KeepSight is a program of Diabetes Australia and has widespread support from leading diabetes and eye health groups and receives funding from the Australian Government, Spescavers, Bayer, Novartis and Mylan. Other program partners include Vision 2020 Australia, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Oculo, Optometry Australia and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Diabetes Australia is working with the optometry sector to create technical solutions that allow all optometry practices in Australia to integrate their client management system with KeepSight.