The productivity of Australia’s workforce is being hit hard and may be even more so in the future by the impact of diabetic macular oedema (DME), according to a new report supported by Macular Disease Foundation Australia and Diabetes Australia.

Key points:

• This year alone diabetic macular oedema (DME) is estimated to cost the country $2.07 billion in indirect economic costs, with a significant part due to reduced ability to work at full capacity and lost wellbeing caused by impaired vision.1
• The impact is set to grow in coming years as the number of people living with diabetes is estimated to reach 2.45 million by 2030 and the prevalence of DME is estimated to rise by 42 per cent over the next 15 years.