1. Bausch & Lomb, data on file. enVista Envy US Clinical Study, conducted with model MX60EF.
Specsavers has officially been named the 4th Best Workplace in Australia by Great Place To Work® – a testament to our vibrant, inclusive, and people-first culture.
This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional eyecare while creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and inspired to grow.
Join a team that’s setting the standard – in eyecare and in culture.
Explore careers at spectrum-anz.com/careers-at-specsavers
SPECSAVERS ADDS LLLT TO DRY EYE ROLLOUT
Specsavers has launched low-level light therapy (LLLT) alongside intense pulsed light (IPL) as part of a major rollout of advanced dry eye treatments that it hopes to have in 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand soon.
Following a successful IPL pilot in a small number of stores, decision-makers within the network are convinced of the impact it can make on patients with dry eye and have given the greenlight to expand the service with a combined IPL and LLLT offering.
The rollout is progressing swiftly, with Specsavers on track to reach 100 stores in 100 days – 80 stores by the time this magazine is published at the beginning of October.
The rollout marks a significant evolution in
Specsavers’ clinical model, which aims to improve access to advanced dry eye care for patients experiencing meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and other forms of dry eye disease.
“Dry eye disease is underdiagnosed and undertreated, yet it has a profound impact on people’s lives,” said Dr Ben Ashby, clinical services director ANZ.
“Our goal is to ensure patients don’t just manage symptoms; they get real, lasting relief. In the pilot phase of our rollout, we recognised early that offering two treatment options would allow us to care for a broader range of patients more effectively, so we committed to rolling out both IPL and LLLT together.”
IPL has long been recognised for its ability to treat MGD by delivering
controlled pulses of light that alter meibum consistency, assist with clearing gland blockages and reduce inflammation.
However, LLLT offers a distinct therapeutic mechanism. Using low-energy LED light, it stimulates cellular activity and promotes
ITALIAN MARCOLIN GROUP SOLD TO VSP VISION
Global eyewear brand Marcolin has announced that PAI Partners and other minority shareholders have agreed to sell the Marcolin Group to VSP Vision.
A media release said the acquisition of Italy-based Marcolin, a global leader in eyewear design, manufacturing, and distribution, would mark a “significant eyewear investment by VSP Vision to provide even more value to its stakeholders”.
“The addition of Marcolin is another example of our commitment to purposeful growth that will provide greater value for VSP members, clients, doctors, and key customers,” said VSP Vision president and CEO Mr Michael Guyette.
“With a portfolio of some of
the world’s most sought-after brands and advanced in-house manufacturing capabilities, Marcolin will strongly complement our existing offerings through Marchon Eyewear as we continue to deliver high-quality eyewear that meets diverse and evolving global customer needs.”
Founded in Northern Italy in 1961, Marcolin today distributes its eyewear collections in more than 125 countries, including Australia.
Its portfolio of luxury and lifestyle brands includes Tom Ford, Zegna, Christian Louboutin, ic! berlin, Max Mara, Guess and many others.
The two companies did not provide financial details on the transaction.
Industry analysts have said that the binding accord concludes a drawn-out sale process that has involved, at some stage, rivals such as Kering Eyewear, EssilorLuxottica and Safilo, with all deciding against a possible acquisition.
tissue repair independently of heat.
“LLLT gives us a way to treat patients who aren’t suitable for IPL, such as those with darker skin tones or aqueous-deficient dry eye,” Dr Ashby said. “It’s a gentle, regenerative therapy that works at the cellular level, and it’s proving to be a powerful complement to IPL.”
Specsavers has adopted the Eye-light device by Espansione, which delivers both IPL and LLLT treatments in a single machine. This enables clinicians to tailor therapy to individual patient needs.
Dr Ashby said that by having both IPL and LLLT available, optometrists were able to develop dry eye management plans using both therapies to maximise their impact.
continued page 8
Reuters said that meetings of top Marcolin managers and potential suitors reportedly began in early 2024, while they prepared the group for a possible sale or a merger by renewing a series of key commercial accords.
“With a shared passion for bringing the highest quality eyewear to as many people as possible, joining VSP Vision is a perfect fit,” said Mr Fabrizio
In research, bigger is not always better
One ophthalmic research foundation has found that even small, more targeted studies can be a win-win for all, with significant, more profound impacts for both patients and professionals. page 70
Specsavers is making a big push into dry eye treatments. Image: Specsavers.
Images: FVF.
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IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURES
Signing off
takes a look at the rise of the
A MOMENTUM SHIFT
Welcome to your new-look magazine, with new dimensions, a three-column layout and font (fittingly developed by the Braille Institute) to improve the reader experience.
In a similar vein, it feels like dry eye care in Australia has evolved to a new level in 2025. What was once a poorly understood condition, frustrating for both patients and clinicians, has become a hotbed of innovation, business opportunity, and clinical expertise.
The turning point can be traced back to the landmark TFOS DEWS II report in 2017, which provided legitimacy and a framework for practitioners. Since then, we’ve seen an explosion of technologies and, crucially, dedicated clinics. Now, with DEWS III released this year, practitioners have an even richer resource to guide evidence-based care.
Eyes on Melbourne
One of the biggest events of the ophthalmic calendar is ramping up for November, with an innovative program.
The momentum is clear in this edition’s Insight Dry Eye Directory (page 36). When it launched in 2021, the listings reflected a substantial niche. This year, it has eclipsed all previous records, with almost 200 clinics across Australia listing their dry eye services – a milestone that underlines just how far the profession has come.
The movement isn’t confined to independents either. OPSM has listed more than 20 practices now offering IPL and other advanced services, while Specsavers is executing one of the most ambitious dry eye rollouts the national industry has seen (page 3).
Meanwhile, Dry Eye Solution is also proving the model’s scalability, expanding from its NSW base into other states, and now even into London and Dublin. It’ll have 12 locations by the end of 2026.
What’s driving this growth is the realisation that dry eye can be both life-changing for patients and commercially sustainable for practices, if executed well.
And perhaps it signals something larger: optometry’s trajectory towards becoming more clinically focused, with subspecialisation – or niche expertise – beginning to mirror the pathways long established in ophthalmology.
MYLES HUME Editor
Christopher Pyne talks about his time at the helm of Vision 2020 Australia
UPFRONT
Just as Insight went to print, OPTOMETRY AUSTRALIA (OA) announced that CEO Ms Skye Cappuccio would be stepping down from her role at the end of 2025 after more than a decade of service to the organisation, including the past three years as chief executive. OA president Mr Theo Charalambous, said: "We are immensely grateful for everything Skye has done for the organisation and our members." IN OTHER NEWS, EssilorLuxottica announced it had secured two recent acquisitions, opening new capabilities in its ophthalmic lens production. The group revealed a deal with South Korean company PUcore for its assets and entities involved in the development, manufacturing and sale of monomers used in the production of high index ophthalmic lenses. It then announced the acquisition of Automation & Robotics (A&R), a renowned player
WEIRD
A 35-year-old man who visited the doctor after experiencing blurry vision and redness in his left eye for eight months has discovered he had a worm in his eye. The New England Journal of Medicine has shared a case study on ocular gnathostomiasis, a rare parasitic condition that is caused by consuming raw or undercooked fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians or mammals that carry the larvae. He presented with panuveitis, with ophthalmologists performing a pars plana vitrectomy to take out the worm.
WONDERFUL
Five Tasmanian optometrists from Total Eyecare – Mr Andrew Koch, Mr Andrew Maver, the late Mr Micheal Knipe, Mr Sib Payne, and Mr Colin McKenzie – have been awarded the Order of Timor Leste medal by President Jose Ramos-Horta. Recognised for their voluntary service from 2002–2020, they were founding members of the ProVision Optometry Team, which transformed eyecare in East Timor. The program began in May 2002, when Koch made the first volunteer trip during the nation’s independence celebrations.
in the design and manufacture of automated systems for optical lens quality control, serving both mass production facilities and prescription laboratories. FINALLY, it has been revealed that Australian governments and the eyecare industry are being urged to consider policies that protect privacy and guard against unwanted surveillance as the sales of smart glasses rise. New research from Victoria University has found that while schools regulate mobile phones, education policies have yet to keep pace with emerging technologies like smart glasses. Although smart glasses provide greater opportunities for inclusivity, such as object recognition for students with vision impairments and reading support for students with dyslexia through voice prompts, the university said they presented a real threat to the fundamental protections for students in classrooms and for staff in their workplaces.
Publisher Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au
Ripple effect
Ocular surface disease prevalence in glaucoma can be up to 59% largely driven by eye drop medication. Page 27
WACKY
A Scottish optical boutique has been forced to rebrand after attracting the attention of The Sex Pistols’ lawyers. Formerly known as Spex Pistols, the shop received a cease-and-desist over its punk-inspired logo after the owner missed the 2024 deadline to renew his long-held trademark, insider.co.uk reported. The practice has been renamed Land O’Spex, in a nod to a former bakery shop Land O’Cakes in Dundee.
WHAT'S ON
THIS MONTH OSO 2025 10 – 12 October
The Orthokeratology Society of Oceania event is taking place at RACV Royal Pines in Queensland, featuring speakers like Dr Noel Brennan and A/Prof Daddi Fadel. oso.net.au
Complete calendar page 84
NEXT MONTH
RANZCO
CONGRESS
14 – 17 November
This year’s speaker line-up includes experts rom Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, India, the UK and Brazil, ensuring a global perspective on the latest advancements in ophthalmology. ranzco2025.com
Editor Myles Hume myles.hume@primecreative.com.au
Assitant Editor
Rob Mitchell
rob.mitchell@primecreative.com.au
Commissioning Editor, Healthcare
Education Jeff Megahan
Business Development Manager Luke Ronca luke.ronca@primecreative.com.au
“Treatment plans are very much personalised to the patient and their clinical requirements, but in many cases, we’ve noticed that optometrists have been recommending a combination of both IPL and LLLT to address a patient’s dry eye.”
Each treatment course involves four applications and is designed to be safe, effective, and accessible. In Australia, already more than 4,200 IPL and LLLT treatments have been delivered to nearly 1,400 Specsavers patients.
Specsavers uses a Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaire to assess dry eye severity and treatment outcomes and has found that after four advanced dry eye treatments, 90% of patients are noticing symptom improvement.
“The SANDE questionnaire captures two key dimensions of patient experience – how often symptoms occur and how intense they feel. It uses a simple visual analogue scale and patients mark their responses along two lines, one for frequency and one for severity, allowing clinicians to quantify subjective discomfort
in a way that’s both efficient, meaningful and measurable.
“Dry eye is a deeply personal condition and when a patient’s score drops significantly after treatment, it’s not just a number, it’s someone who can now read a book or drive without discomfort.”
It appears this patient impact is the driving force behind the fast-moving rollout across Specsavers practices.
“We have wanted to improve access to dry eye therapies for many years and have been working on a solution that would work for our patients in our store environment,” said Dr Ashby.
“We are very happy with where we’ve landed and it’s incredibly encouraging to see the impact it’s had both on our patients and on the teams that are looking after them. So much so that our store partners have been doing all they can to be next in the rollout line to have the service made available to their patients.
“We’ve seen patients regain comfort, clarity, and confidence. We are constantly hearing stories of people who can now read, work, or simply enjoy their day without the constant irritation of dry eyes or the constant use of drops.
“ WE HAVE WANTED TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO DRY EYE THERAPIES FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A SOLUTION.” DR BEN ASHBY, SPECSAVERS
“On top of that, our optometrists have said the impact that they can have on patients by offering advanced dry eye therapies is incredibly rewarding. The other team members in our stores have also enjoyed learning more about the service and the impact it can have on patients. This kind of all-round impact reinforces why we’re scaling this service so quickly.”
The company said the pace of deployment reflected “both clinical demand and operational readiness” and was being supported by training involving both practical and theoretical aspects for optometrists and other team members.
The service is embedded into Specsavers’ broader clinical model, with treatment pathways clearly defined, and pricing designed to be transparent and affordable.
“This is just the beginning,” said Dr Ashby. “By integrating advanced dry eye treatment therapies into our practice network, Specsavers is setting a new benchmark for patients and optometrists. We’re committed to making advanced dry eye treatments available across ANZ and changing thousands of lives through better sight.”
APAC STRONG PERFORMER IN MARCOLIN REVENUE
continued from page 3
Curci, CEO and general manager of Marcolin.
“We look forward to combining our expertise, focus on craftsmanship, commitment to product innovation and complementary portfolios and geographic presence to give customers the very best in eyewear and service.”
The media release said that, with the backing of PAI, Marcolin broadened its international reach and enhanced operational efficiency, establishing itself as a leading player in the wholesale eyewear market.
Under PAI's ownership, Marcolin's performance has advanced significantly, it said, supported by a strong focus on commercial excellence, a strategic corporate reorganisation, and the expansion of its brand portfolio through targeted acquisitions, new licensing agreements and key renewals.
“We are delighted to have backed Marcolin’s transformation into a world leader in the wholesale eyewear business”, said Mr Raffaele Vitale, partner at PAI.
“We are grateful to the management team for their partnership and are confident that Marcolin is well positioned to continue thriving in the years ahead, with plenty of runway for growth and a portfolio of iconic brands.”
This transaction comes after the company closed 2024 with sales at €545.8 million (AU$968 million), down 2.23% from 2023, when the group posted sales of €558.3 million (AU$991 million).
momentum, achieving a 9.6% increase with revenue of €47.6 million (AU$84.5 million).
That result included good momentum from the vital Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and a strong showing in Asia, which includes the Australian market.
That market, identified as “a geography with high potential for the group”, demonstrated positive
Marcolin recorded a gross operating profit (ebitda) of €85 million (AU$151 million), an increase of 10.25% on the figure recorded in 2023.
The VSP Vision transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025 and is subject to regulatory approvals.
Image: Specsavers.
Marcolin’s Sydney office. Asia-Pacific is seen as a region of high potential for the group. Image: Marcolin.
LIONS EYE INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES $14M DEVELOPMENT OF WA FACILITIES
The Lions Eye Institute (LEI) has announced a $14.1 million redevelopment of its theatre complex at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (QEIIMC) in Nedlands, Western Australia.
A media release said this marked LEI’s largest investment in its facilities in 30 years, underscoring its commitment to delivering world-class eye health care and innovation for Western Australians.
The redevelopment will transform the existing facilities into a state-of-the-art ophthalmic theatre complex.
LEI said key upgrades would include a complete redesign of the theatre complex, increasing the size of two operating theatres, creating a dedicated laser vision suite and modernisation of outpatient spaces to improve comfort and capacity.
“This redevelopment represents a significant milestone in the institute’s history, as we continue to invest in the future of eyecare,” said Dr Glen Power, managing director of the LEI.
“By modernising this complex,
patient facilities will be made more comfortable and efficient, with new reception and waiting areas, new ophthalmic testing areas and shared facilities.”
LEI medical director Professor Chandra Balaratnasingam emphasised the community impact of this investment.
“This redevelopment is a pivotal step in modernising our clinical capabilities, including purpose-built facilities for the latest Schwind Smart Sight Laser technology.
“The upgraded theatres and outpatient spaces will enable us to treat more complex cases and increase surgical throughput, while also enhancing care for young patients across the state.
“As a medical research institute, we have deliberately designed the new theatre complex to integrate clinical care with our laboratories and data platforms, creating a seamless pathway for translational research that will range from discovery science and prototyping through to first-in-human evaluation.
“This will accelerate investigatorinitiated studies and industry partnerships, expand our capacity for advanced ocular imaging and biobanking, and ensure Western Australian patients can access cutting-edge therapies sooner.”
Construction was set to commence in August 2025.
The upgraded facility will also see greater numbers of paediatric patients. There will be new consulting suites for the glaucoma, eyelid, orbital and lacrimal surgery and paediatric specialists who practise adjacent to the theatre complex, as well as the addition of space for a second paediatric ophthalmologist practising at LEI.
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A visual of the Nedlands theatre complex redevelopment. Image: LEI.
IN BRIEF
BEST WORKPLACE
Specsavers has been recognised as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for 2025 by Great Place to Work, ranking fourth in the national top 10 in the large business category. This marks the third consecutive year the network has earned a place on the list – an achievement that the company says reflects its strong workplace culture and leadership in the optometry sector. It was ranked eighth and sixth in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Other companies to make the national top 10 in the large business category include Hilton, Cisco, REA Group and DHL Group Australia. Specsavers said the recognition reinforced “the vital link between a thriving workplace and outstanding patient outcomes”.
HEALTH RECORD UPDATE
The Australian Digital Health Agency has awarded Telstra Health the contract to lead the transformation of the My Health Record system, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s digital health journey. A media release said the agency, supported by key partners Smile Digital Health and Leidos Australia, and working with Telstra Health, would spearhead efforts to deliver real-time, interoperable health solutions that “empower Australian healthcare consumers and deliver key information to the healthcare providers who support them”. Australia’s My Health Record system now houses more than 1.8 billion clinical documents which have been uploaded by healthcare providers like hospitals, pathologists and specialists, including eyecare professionals, serving as a vital national asset.
BIOTECH BOOST
Melbourne preclinical biotechnology company Mirugen Pty Ltd has secured $4.5 million in seed funding for its work (re)programming cells to unlock innate cellular repair mechanisms. The announcement came as the firm revealed experienced biotech entrepreneur Ms Charlotte Casebourne Stock as its executive chair and acting CEO. To date, the gene therapy start-up founded at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) has raised $7.1 million, with this latest seed round building on significant non-dilutive funding awards from CUREator, bringing together a syndicate of investors comprising Brandon Capital, Tin Alley Ventures, and the University of Melbourne Genesis Pre-Seed Fund. The proceeds from this financing round support the development of its core technology, and its lead retinitis pigmentosa program through translational development.
BIG WINS FOR REGIONAL AND GA PATIENTS IN NEW MDFA GRANTS
Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) has unveiled major research grants worth a combined $300,000, aimed at tackling some of the biggest challenges facing Australians living with macular disease.
The funding, announced to coincide with World Sight Day (9 October) and the organisation’s 25th anniversary, will support projects focused on the unmet needs of people living with macular disease in regional and rural communities, as well as those with geographic atrophy (GA).
The first initiative, the Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award, is a $100,000 grant created in memory of long-time MDFA supporter Ms Elisabeth Macdonald. It will fund innovative research to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care for people in non-metropolitan areas.
MDFA research shows 11% of people receiving sight-saving eye injections have considered delaying or stopping their treatment due to travel distance. Plus, the overall costs of living with a macular or retinal disease is higher for those living outside of major cities.
“Too many Australians living in remote communities face significant barriers to accessing sight-saving treatment,” said Dr Kathy Chapman, MDFA CEO. “The Elisabeth MacDonald Memorial Award is about taking steps to help change that.
Macdonald moved to Armidale, New South Wales, in 1969 where she lived on acreage outside of town and considered herself a die-hard “bushie”.
Following her early-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) diagnosis in 2005 – and later with neovascular AMD in 2010 – she made moved closer to medical support in the town centre.
“My aunty, Elisabeth, was generous in life – thoughtful, wise, and never one to invest foolishly,” said Ms Kate Adams, Elisabeth’s niece. “Her legacy lives on through this award, supporting sight-saving research and honouring her deep care for others, especially those in regional communities.”
Dr Chapman added: “Elisabeth was an extraordinary supporter of macular disease research. She deeply understood the critical role it plays in improving outcomes for those affected, and in helping prevent vision loss in future generations.”
Meanwhile, the second new initiative, the MDFA 25th Anniversary Award, is a three-year grant worth up to $200,000 to advance understanding of GA, which affects an estimated 100,000 Australians.
Eleven percent of people receiving eye injections have considered delaying or stopping treatment due to travel distance. Image: doublelee/ Shutterstock.com.
“By investing in research that focuses on the unique challenges faced outside our major cities, we’re not only helping improve access to care – we’re deepening our understanding of the challenges of living with a macular disease in these communities. This new research award will help drive solutions that are grounded in the realities of rural life, helping ensure no one is left behind when it comes to protecting their vision.”
MDFA said it came in response to feedback from researchers and community members with GA, gathered during MDFA’s recent Research Impact Evaluation. The findings highlighted a critical need to prioritise research addressing key knowledge gaps in this area.
The award is open to researchers across Australia working in any field related to GA. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to: genes associated with the development of GA; identifying new risk factors and underlying causes; discovering new treatments and therapeutic targets; and understanding functional outcomes associated with GA.
“We are very proud to launch this new grant to help mark our 25th year and take a major step forward in advancing understanding of geographic atrophy, one of the most pressing unmet needs in eye health,”
Dr Chapman said.
The new awards build on MDFA’s Research Grants Program. Established in 2011, it has committed more than $6.9 million to 42 macular disease research projects in Australia, making it the largest source of non-government funded macular disease research in the country.
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AUSSIE STUDY BACKS AI EYE SCREENING
A new Australian study has found that an automated AI camera can accurately detect diabetic eye disease with more than 93% accuracy in non-eyecare settings.
According to the Centre for Eye Research (CERA), the study’s authors, Associate Professor Lisa Zhuoting Zhu and Mr Sanil Joseph from the CERA and University of Melbourne, and Professor Mingguang He of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, say their findings demonstrate the potential of AI eye screening to become part of routine clinical care for people with diabetes.
The CERA story said that early treatment could prevent blindness in 90% of cases, but ensuring that everyone with diabetes had access to the eye scans needed to detect the disease was a huge challenge for health systems worldwide.
Now the findings of a two-year Australian trial, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, show the potential of AI to increase access to sight-saving eye screenings.
More than 860 people with diabetes took part in the trial in the waiting rooms of GP and endocrinology clinics in Melbourne and an Aboriginal Health Service in Western Australia between August 2021 and June 2023.
The Melbourne study is one of the first to occur in real world clinical settings. The study found:
• A high accuracy rate of 93.3% compared to human grading
• 86% of participants were satisfied with the technology
• 85% of clinicians rated the technology highly.
“AI scans could be a great benefit in rural and remote areas where there is a shortage of trained eyecare specialists,”
A/Prof Zhu said. “It is also a cost saving for the health system, as it enables early screening to occur without the need for an eyecare specialist for every patient.”
PRIVATE HOSPITALS HOLD KEY TO PRODUCTIVITY GAINS, SAYS PEAK BODY
The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) is worried about the sector’s viability and has called for expanded use of private facilities for public procedures, as a new Productivity Commission (PC) report suggests improvements to Australia’s ‘care economy’.
Private hospitals perform 72% of eye surgeries in Australia. Image: maksym Yemelyanov/stock. adobe.com.
The peak body for private hospitals, which perform 72% of the Australia’s eye surgeries, said the country’s public-private hospital blend had consistently ranked number one in the world –but that standing has “never been more precarious”.
It welcomed the release of the PC’s Interim Report Delivering quality care more efficiently, which, it said, recognised the vital role private hospitals play in Australia’s complementary hospital system.
“Taxpayers get a massive return on zero investment in private hospitals. Just 633 private hospitals carry out 70% of planned surgery, 61% of acute mental healthcare, 81% of rehabilitation and 1.66 million medical treatments each year, including 54% of chemotherapy," APHA CEO Mr Brett Heffernansaid.
"They do so in high-quality facilities with state-of-the-art treatments and services."
He said that’s “an enormous chunk of the healthcare needs of Australians”. In fact, APHA said more than 5.14 million patients were admitted to private hospitals last year, up 3% on the year before.
But they could be doing much more “if the shackles of bureaucratic red-tape and insurer intransigence are removed”.
CHANGES TO OPTOMETRY BOARD OF AUSTRALIA
Three appointments have been made to the Optometry Board of Australia (OBA).
They are among nine new members appointed to various National Boards by health ministers.
A media release from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) confirmed Dr Emily Pieterse was appointed a practitioner member from Queensland on the OBA board for three years; Mr Neville Turner was appointed as practitioner member from Victoria for three years, and Ms Joanna Saies was appointed as a community member for three years.
Health Ministers also made two significant re-appointments to the Ahpra Board. Current chair Ms Gill Callister PSM was re-appointed as the body's chair and a member with expertise in health, education
and training, business and administration.
Callister was CEO of community-based mental health organisation Mind Australia and had dedicated her career to improving public policy and service delivery. She has been board chair since July 2019.
Ministers also re-appointed Honorary Associate Professor Carmen Parter as a board member with expertise in health, education and training, business and administration for a second term on the board.
Both have been re-appointed for three years.
Ahpra CEO Mr Justin Untersteiner said: “I thank Ministers for their decision which provides the organisation with the leadership and stability it needs as we work through our significant reform agenda.”
OBA's practitioner member from Queensland. Image: QUT.
Christopher Pyne has spent much of the past five years ensuring Vision 2020 Australia is financially sound and fit for purpose.
A family legacy in eyecare
A health scare has prompted CHRISTOPHER PYNE to call time on his role as chair of Vision 2020 Australia. Insight talks to him about his time at the helm, achievements and what comes next.
Mr Christopher Pyne’s father had an ambition and scope that was as far and wide as the vast Australian outback.
The late Mr Remington Pyne was an ophthalmologist; he worked with the late Professor Fred Hollows to deliver eyecare for indigenous Australians and was part of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Later he would be appointed president of RANZCO and played an important part in convincing the Commonwealth to take on a greater role in addressing core vision issues for the country’s most vulnerable and remote citizens.
The father’s vision extended beyond the horizon to the most remote and under-resourced parts of this huge country.
The son shared that vision and was motivated by a strong desire to continue that family legacy in eyecare and vision health.
But when the former high-profile Liberal MP and minister was appointed chair of Vision 2020 Australia five years ago, the country’s peak industry body representing more than 50 member organisations working in research, rehabilitation and service provision for blind and low-vision Australians, his own vision had to be far more prosaic.
And not by choice.
Pyne, who had held ministerial roles in defence, health, education, science and ageing as part of the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, found himself looking down from those distant
ochre plains to the cold, white balance sheet of an organisation at a crossroads.
A significant contract to deliver eyecare services for the Victorian state government was set to finish.
“That was employing a large number of people in Vision 2020, and that program was coming to an end, and that was unfortunate because it meant that a large part of the budget would simply disappear,” says Pyne.
The organisation worked hard to continue that contract but was unsuccessful, which meant losing about half of its approximately 12 staff.
“So an immediate challenge was resizing the organisation to match the revenue, which is often not fun, and it wasn't fun on this occasion,” he says.
Pyne knew from experience, including his work to help establish the Mental Health Council of Australia, that before the organisation could look outside itself to advocate for those needing access to eyecare services, it had to reconfigure its own vision and make sure it was “fit for purpose”.
“The organisation was already in very good shape, but you've got to sharpen the saw, as they say, otherwise it gets rusty, and that's what I've set out to do in the last five years.
“The other thing I wanted to do was to try and get a skillset of people on the board that provided diversity in both backgrounds, but also in skills.”
He believes he has achieved that over
the past five years and that Vision 2020 Australia is now financially sound and well placed to continue its work to raise the voice of the sector and advocate not only for its members but also the millions of Aussies they support.
Work remains on the “opportunities” for the eyecare sector, which Pyne himself highlighted at the organisation’s 21st birthday event in 2021:
• Eliminating avoidable blindness for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Enabling people who are blind or vision impaired to fully and seamlessly engage with everyday life using readily available and funded technology.
• Delivering increased health and social wellbeing benefits that flow from investment in eye health programs for Australia’s Pacific neighbours and those further afield.
• Enhanced access to publicly funded cataract surgery and intravitreal injections which save the sight of tens of thousands of Australians.
• Working towards a health system of which eye health and vision forms an integral part of, and is managed in the same way as, other common chronic conditions from prevention through to treatment.
• Increased investment in ophthalmic research, technology and innovation.
But Pyne has done his bit to keep these at the forefront of state and federal governments.
He has brought the industry and government together in a number of meetings and events featuring ministers and even prime ministers.
Pyne says the parliamentary showcases involving the sector have been successful.
“It gets high-level attention from ministers and cabinet ministers and keeps eye health in the mind's eye of the policy-makers. I think the relationship with the Department of Health is very strong,” he says.
“And the creation of the Friends of Eye Health in the New South Wales parliament has been a success.”
These relationships with governments are important, he says.
“Government is the funder of our sector, and they often talk to us because we provide them with good advice about what we think people in our sector regard as a priority for equity and social justice and access for people with poor vision.”
Just as important as the relationship is how it is maintained.
“Governments listen to organisations like ours who are positive and constructive, with good ideas and good policy and robust policy development.
“They know that we're not there to whinge. Organisations that think their role is to complain soon find themselves without any influence.”
Pyne says that strong relationship has played a part in boosting the organisation’s
membership during his tenure.
“The membership is the highest it's ever been,” he says, “so that's been good. And in the most recent survey of satisfaction from members, rates had improved by 15% since 2020, so they're a happier group, and there's a larger group, and that brings in revenue as well.”
Another highlight is greater collaboration across the industry.
“I think we have certainly come a long way in working across the sector in a
co-operative way, in things like bringing ophthalmology and optometry together to work for outcomes in especially paediatric medicine,” he says. “And I think shining a light on indigenous eye health and empowering indigenous people to take responsibility for their own delivery of services and the attention to issues that affect indigenous Australians in particular has been a success.”
But there is still much to do, with “challenges” remaining in aged care,
services for children in schools, and indigenous eye health in remote areas.
“I think the government is certainly aware of the importance of delivering services for people with eye health issues, and they do a genuinely good job.
“But I think the one I'd like to highlight is employment. There's room for improvement in the focus from government and the sector on employment outcomes for people with poor vision . . . they are still very low in comparison to the rest of the community, and that's not necessary, given the technology and the aids that can be employed in the workplace or even working from home.
“Because not having a job is very isolating, as well as not great for your mental health.”
His own employment is front of mind as Pyne nears the end of his tenure.
He called time on his role with Vision 2020 after heart bypass surgery and steps down in November. He has scaled back board commitments in a number of areas.
But that doesn’t mean early retirement for the 58-year-old.
“I'll be focusing on my business at [public affairs firm] Pyne and Partners, which is growing too.
“The heart trouble, the heart scare, has been a catalyst for me realising that I should be doing less. I'm trying not to fill it up with new jobs.”
Images: Vision 2020 Australia.
Why Pat Cummins chose Carrera
The Australian cricket captain has deepened his partnership with Carrera, speaking with Insight about a new collection carrying even more of his own signature touches. For independents, it offers a powerful mix of sporting star power and standout style to attract patients and drive growth.
As Mr Pat Cummins tunes into a video call with Insight from the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) to discuss the next chapter in his collaboration with the Carrera eyewear brand, the backdrop is a telling reminder of how far sport – and sports-influenced marketing – has come.
Behind him hangs memorabilia of cricketing greats with surnames like Taylor and Bradman, figures from an era when brand ambassador deals were rare, and commercial partnerships outside of bats and pads were virtually unheard of.
Back then, it’s unlikely a top cricketer would have been considered the face of an eyewear brand. Today, however, collaborations like Cummins’ new Carrera collection show the style of the Australian men’s cricket captain on and off the field can translate into meaningful opportunities for independent optometrists.
At the time of writing, Australia is playing a home limited-overs series against South Africa, but the premier fast bowler is sitting out to manage his load ahead of a huge Australian summer starting with The Ashes on 21 November 2025.
Typically, the SCG is the backdrop for high-stakes Test matches for Cummins. But on this occasion, it was the location of a second photoshoot for promotional images and video for the latest Carrera Pat Cummins Selection, an expansion of the inaugural range released in 2024.
These new promotional materials –featuring Cummins in optical, sunglass and now sports eyewear – will be found around
the country on bus shelters, billboards and on optometry shopfronts, social media pages and websites. It’s all designed to drive sales and growth for practices stocking Carrera eyewear – Safilo’s strongest brand in the local market.
“It still catches me off guard when I walk past optometrists in Australia; they’re decent-sized photos of my face wearing Carrera eyewear,” says Cummins, reflecting on the success of the first collection.
“Most shoots are sporty or cricket-related, so a fashion-type setting is something a bit different, but it's good fun. It's eyewear, so I just stand there and let the product shine.”
It’s trademark modesty from Cummins.
But in reality, he’s considered one of Australia’s most marketable athletes. That’s why Safilo had an excellent response to the debut collection, built on the Cummins-Carrera shared ethos of defying oneself and unapologetically standing out from the crowd.
So for someone who probably turns down more brand deals than he accepts, what attracted Cummins to Carrera?
“I’ve always worn sunglasses on the field, and previously reading glasses off it, I live by the beach and wear sunnies all day, every day – and this is a brand that covers all of that,” he says.
“There’s also a very strong vision to bring an established brand into sport, and to then be involved in designing my own collections is pretty awesome. Working with an Italian design team from a strong European, global brand, as an Aussie, that was appealing. It’s
something I haven't done before, and I’ve enjoyed learning the process of what goes into making glasses and the design.”
There’s his own eye health journey too.
From the age of 21, Cummins – a -1.25 D and -1.75 D myope with low astigmatism – wore contact lenses for cricket, and used to rely on spectacles for reading later in the day in low light when his eyes were fatigued.
“My eyesight wasn't too bad, but it wasn’t ideal for trying to pick up a ball that's coming fast to your head.”
For Safilo and Carrera, it underscores the value of working with an athlete who not only wears eyewear, but understands its impact.
As a global eyewear company with the agility to localise its strategy in markets like Australia – which has exclusivity to the Pat Cummins Selection – the collaboration has become a way to create eyewear with both cultural cachet and commercial value.
“Optometrists I’ve met along the way have loved [the collaboration],” Cummins adds.
“It’s a bit different to what other brands are doing. Here in Australia, people love cricket, so having that connection has hopefully helped to make it an easier sell in some ways.”
INSIDE THE 2025 COLLECTION
The collaboration has gone to a new level with the 2025 collection, featuring even more of Cummins’ favourite, best-selling Carrera models, redesigned and customised with a limited-edition green colour featured throughout.
Plus, there’s a touch of gold on the
Pat Cummins became an ambassador of Carrera eyewear in 2024.
lenses and temples, including his signature, a Pat Cummins Selection engraving and the Carrera logo, giving the collection distinction.
He’s had even more say in this latest collection, taking time out when in London for the one-off World Test Championship final against South Africa in June 2025 to work with Carrera’s designers.
The 2025 collection comprises seven models, including two pure optical frames, a sporty optical frame with clip-on green polarised sun lenses, two lifestyle sunglass designs, and two sport sunglass options.
“I love the inspiration we’ve taken from the Australian green and gold, there’s a hint of that dark ‘Baggy Green’ colour throughout, which I think works really well,” Cummins says.
“This time around we’ve got some optical, some lifestyle again. Then for the first time, we've gone further down the sportier route with two new sport-specific models that I'll be wearing on the field.”
The on-field presence of Carrera is a massive moment for the brand. In 2025, Cummins has been foreshadowing the latest collection during the recent tour of the West Indies and playing for his Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL team in India.
He’s been wearing the new Carrera C-Sport 02/S/PAT, which will feature in The Ashes and future matches.
Available in two styles, it has a broad shield front that wraps around and comes complete with perforations for added ventilation.
The lens is available in green/brown high definition or mauve/blue high definition options, both with 100% UV protection.
Eagle-eyed viewers may also notice him donning prototypes of a yet-to-be-released 2026 collection on their screens this summer.
“Part of the design process for the 2025 collection was choosing the lenses [for Carrera C-Sport 02/S/PAT]. We had a dozen or so samples, and I was matching them with a red ball against green and a white ball against green in different lights,” he says.
“Getting the lens right was a big thing for
me, plus the comfort: I always like a broad sunglass for cricket, almost like a windshield, where it doesn’t bounce around and you can’t see the frame which is important because you need clear, unobstructed vision in the field. Those are the important factors for me.”
They’re important to his teammates too. One might expect Cummins to take a light ribbing over his newfound eyewear fashion status, but overall they’ve been supportive.
Though there might be an ulterior motive, he quips.
“If you know cricketers, they love a freebie, so there’s been plenty of eyewear going out. Last year, the team wore Smith, another Safilo brand, but now we've got Carrera sporty enough for on the field, so all the players and coaches have been decked out in Carrera,” he says.
While Carrera C-Sport 02/S/PAT will no doubt be worn during matches, he expects the new Carrera C-SPORT 04/S with a grey polarised lens to be his go-to sunglass away from cricket this summer.
From the original collection, he was “living in all of them”, but his favourite optical frame was Carrera 331 and the Carrera 8061/CS clip-on with polarised green sun lenses.
THE ‘HANDS-ON’ AMBASSADOR
For Safilo, the Cummins-Carrera partnership is about more than lending a famous face to a campaign.
“There are two ways, in my opinion, to use an ambassador,” Safilo Australia marketing manager Mr Matthew Bradshaw says.
“One, you can just have a hands-off ambassador – you use their name and their profile, and you try and sell more. But the way we’ve gone about it has ensured Pat has had a real interest. As he said, glasses on the field are a tool of trade, and off the field, he’s needed them as well.”
That authenticity has translated into the second collection with Cummins’ name, expanding from six eyewear designs to 13 and branching into sport. It’s also the only place worldwide where Carrera has broken tradition by introducing an exclusive colourway.
For independent optometrists, Bradshaw says the collaboration provides a powerful point-of-difference. Stocking eyewear designed with the input of “a figurehead of Australian society” gives practices not only a product with cultural resonance, but access to striking imagery for their own marketing, and signed merchandise to strengthen patient engagement and drive sales.
And from Cummins’ perspective, the journey with Carrera so far has been as much about discovery as it has been about design.
“This world is very new to me. I didn’t know much about optometry a few years ago, and I’ve really enjoyed learning how much actually goes into design, the quality, and the thought behind lenses,” he says.
“Previously, I’d just grab a pair of sunglasses for cricket and hope for the best. Now I understand how the right eyewear can impact performance, even confidence, out in the middle. It’s become a vital part of playing, just like my bowling boots.
“The relationship with Carrera keeps going from strength to strength, and I’m excited about where we can take it next.”
Wearing the new Carrera C-Sport 02/S/PAT during matches for Hyderbad.
Carrera 325/PAT (top) and 1137/PAT are the two pure optical options in the new 2025 collection.
Dry eye devotion
The rise of standalone dry eye clinics is no longer a fringe movement. Insight speaks to the people behind Australian practices leading the charge, each offering a blueprint for how innovation, patient-centred care and business savvy can co-exist.
The moment South Australian optometrist Ms Jennifer Rayner lifted the shutters on her new dedicated dry eye clinic nine years ago, she opened a portal into what felt like a solitary professional existence.
For the first two-and-a-half years, it was a grind. She ran the clinic entirely on her own, including full clinical responsibility, while also burdened by the self-doubt that came with being a pioneer in this space.
Rayner’s path to establishing Alleve Eye Clinic in Adelaide, thought to be Australia’s first stand-alone dry eye clinic, was shaped by decades of experience in ophthalmology and optometry. Beginning her career as an ophthalmic nurse in hospital and private settings, she developed a familiarity with ocular surface disease.
”I saw the impact dry eye was having on patients – and at the time there was little care or understanding of the disease, so patients were told to use hot flannels, baby shampoo, lots of drops and learn to live with it,” she recalls.
Rayner later qualified as an optometrist in 2003 and briefly ran an independent practice. That didn’t work out, but with the emergence of new research and treatment options in dry eye in 2016, she launched Alleve and began quietly carving out a niche that others would soon follow, including another local business that’s about to take its dry eye care model global.
“Hardly anyone was doing dry eye at the time, the awareness from patients and practitioners that we could treat this wasn’t there, and neither was the referral base,” she says. “One of our leading corneal specialists actually rang me and wished me luck as I
was facing a tough road. I certainly saw a unique space for myself, for my own passion to be able to help patients.”
The clinic’s model – to only focus on clinical dry eye care – was a deliberate choice: by avoiding refractions or retail eyewear, Rayner could position herself as a trusted referral partner rather than a competitor.
Dedicated dry eye clinics like Alleve have emerged in Australia as both a response to rising prevalence and an acknowledgment that managing chronic ocular surface disease requires time, expertise, specialised equipment, and, increasingly, collaborative care with fields like dietetics, psychology and pain management.
For the early adopters in this space, including Mr Jason Holland’s Oculuxe Clinic by The Eye Health Centre in Brisbane and, more recently, Ms Liz Barrett’s sprawling Dry Eye Solution, it’s a story that mirrors the evolution of dry eye management itself: from a misunderstood and often dismissed condition to a recognised clinical area that demands intensive care.
From those early one- to two-day weeks, Alleve Eye Clinic has grown into a thriving practice operating five days a week, with one evening session.
“Last year we were booked out nearly three months ahead for new patients,” Rayner says.
“People underestimate the impact dry eye has on patient’s mental and emotional health. It is an inflammatory, progressive disease which left untreated, can lead to social isolation, poor work productivity and depression often associated with chronic diseases. Patients are so grateful to finally have someone acknowledge their pain, and now be able to do something about it.”
Expansion is now on the horizon, with plans for more treatment rooms and additional practitioners.
While Rayner may consider her clinic more of a slow burn in those early days, the story contrasts with that of Barrett’s who, in just three years, has scaled her Dry Eye Solution concept into seven clinics across New South Wales and one in Melbourne.
In 2026, clinics are opening in Brisbane, Canberra, as well as internationally in Dublin and London. That’s 12 clinics in total by the end of next year.
When she opened her first Dry Eye Solution clinic in 2022, the industry thought Barrett was “mad”, but now her vision looks less like a gamble and more like a blueprint.
“One of our leading corneal specialists actually rang me and wished me luck as I was facing a tough road. I certainly saw a unique space for myself, for my own passion to be able to help patients.”
Jennifer Rayner Alleve Eye Clinic
Image: Dry Eye Solution.
IPL forms just part of the treatment offering across the Dry Eye Solution network.
The model works because the demand, the prevalence, is already there. Patients often arrive after years of frustration, misdiagnosis, or dismissal. One woman visited 20 optometrists before finding her.
“She cried on the phone when I first spoke to her, and then cried again when she came in. It was the relief – at being understood and heard,” Barrett recalls. “She’d been told there was nothing wrong, but within minutes on the slit lamp we discovered Demodex infestation, ocular rosacea and several other issues.
“This happens a lot, she’s not the only one.”
It’s a story all too familiar to Holland too. He’s been working at the forefront of dry eye for 23 years now. His clinic, established in 2006 as a spin-off from The Eye Health Centre, was designed as a medical eye clinic, managing chronic conditions rather than selling glasses.
Today, about 60% of his caseload is dry eye, with the remainder focused on glaucoma and long-term eye disease management.
This is alongside his role as president of the Dry Eye Society, founded by a group of Queensland optometrists who have a focus not only on the clinical element of dry eye, but the business side too.
Early on, he says dry eye was poorly recognised: ophthalmologists often avoided it, and most optometrists were left recommending lubricants. The release of the TFOS DEWS II report in 2017 shifted perceptions, validating dry eye as a significant condition with measurable quality-of-life impacts.
“I didn't have a clear business model when I started,” he says. “I just knew there was a group of patients that had nowhere to go to be treated, so that’s why I founded the clinic.”
BUILDING VIABLE BUSINESSES
Striking out and hinging a business on one aspect of eyecare is a bold move. Rayner, Barrett and Holland all stress that building a viable funding model is critical.
Rayner likens it to the approach of ophthalmologists and other specialists. Patients at Alleve pay private fees, which have steadily increased to reflect her expertise, with some minor Medicare rebates.
“But there is no Medicare or health fund remuneration for things like diagnostic imaging, meibography, IPL and red or blue light therapy. Patients understand this and are prepared to pay out-of-pocket for relief of their symptoms,” she says.
Holland stresses it’s a “chair-heavy” condition, with multiple-session therapies such as intense pulsed light (IPL), Rexon-Eye, and low-level light therapy (LLLT) demanding significant practitioner time.
“If you’re going to do this work, you need a business model that charges appropriately –otherwise you’ll quickly fall into a hole,” he says.
such a challenging condition. Every patient requires a slightly different plan.”
Holland urges clinics to offer “tiered” treatment options, noting that while the ideal treatment might not always be affordable, offering alternatives allows patients to trial other options and, in their own minds, justify the sometimes “sizable” costs for more advanced treatments.
Appropriate billing has been part of Barrett’s success too, but she’s introduced a social element.
At Dry Eye Solution, patients are charged a consultation fee which is for diagnostics and creating a tailored treatment plan. Each treatment is charged separately, which includes holistic care and guidance.
Barrett has also built in a community care program, realising advanced dry eye care is not accessible to all right now.
“If someone can’t afford treatment, they go on a waitlist, so that if there’s a cancellation or spare chair time, we call them in and treat them for free. It’s important to us that all patients are given a chance,” she says.
FINDING
PATIENTS, BUILDING TRUST
Practices can pay all the money in the world for sophisticated social media marketing and SEO optimisation, but
letting the outcomes speak for themselves, patient-by-patient, has been the sharpest marketing strategy – whether it’s intentional or not.
For Rayner, this word-of-mouth marketing has also built a strong and trustful referral network. About half of her patients self-refer, with the remainder funnelled via optometrists, ophthalmologists, and other health specialists.
“One of the key marketing tools we have is letters back to GPs. They’re busy, so we make sure they’re kept in the loop. It builds trust and relationships,” she says.
Barrett says at first only 8-12% of patients came via referral. Now it’s closer to 40%.
“Ophthalmologists were the most cautious, but once they saw the results things really started to snowball. Still, that means sadly about 60% of our patients self-refer. Ideally, it should be 10%, with the rest coming through the eyecare system.”
She feels there’s still a long way to go for the industry to adequately care for dry eye sufferers. Patients often arrive at her clinics after years of frustration, misdiagnosis, or dismissal.
“Some people look at IPL and think, ‘we could make more money from this,’ but dry eye disease demands holistic care, advanced diagnostics, and highly specialised training.
“Without this depth of expertise, patient outcomes will fall short. We have built the dedicated infrastructure that dry eye care truly requires – ensuring patients who are
Jennifer Rayner performing lid expression in her clinic.
Image: Alleve Eye Clinic.
committee member for the TFOS Lifestyle Report – the workshops really brought home the need for an holistic approach – the role that good gut health, stress, anxiety and depression management, good sleep patterns, awareness of screen use and even cosmetics play in diagnosing and managing dry eye disease,” Rayner says.
“You can’t just use one tool and clinical approach for everyone and expect it to work, when there are so many factors that contribute to the ocular surface and tear film health.”
Holland believes successful dry eye clinics will need to embrace multidisciplinary links with nutritionists, GPs, pain specialists, and even mental health practitioners as dry eye often overlaps with systemic disease, and wellbeing.
referred to us receive the best possible specialised care.
“Our KPI is simply optometrist and patient happiness. I want our clinics to be seen as an extension of the referring optometrist or specialist. We don’t sell glasses or contact lenses – we just treat dry eye. That way, others can refer to us with confidence, knowing we’ll send their patients back with an improved ocular surface and quality of life.”
Barriers remain for general optometrists considering advanced dry eye care. Appointment time allocation can strain resources, plus there can be significant equipment outlay and the constant need to learn and upskill.
Yet Rayner believes opportunities exist for practices to begin offering care without major investments. Many practices across
there’s a shared philosophy of the need for time, tailored interventions, and holistic care, but treatment mixes reflect different influences and ways of thinking.
At Alleve, Rayner offers pharmacological therapies, IPL, red and blue LLLT, punctal plugs, oral tetracycline and azithromycin. She is also a strong advocate for manuka honey drops, although everyone might not agree.
“They’re a mainstay of our practice. Utilising manuka honey is key to managing the inflammatory response from expressing meibum in our clinic. We can go from some very hardened oil and within two or three sessions, we've got fabulous oil function. Without oil, your tears are going to evaporate, and then all those other treatments – IPL – may not be as effective.”
Lifestyle factors – especially diet, gut health, stress and sleep – are also central.
“Treating dry eye takes time – and an individual approach. I’m a public awareness
“In 2017, neurosensory abnormalities was added to the DEWS II definition of dry eye. We now know there are patients whose eyes look clinically healthy, yet they continue to experience dryness symptoms even after the dry eye itself has been addressed. There are now several drugs in development aimed at this neuropathic pain pathway, exploring whether we can modify or interrupt the signals coming from the eye.”
Similarly, a central part of Dry Eye Solution’s approach is recognising that dry eye isn’t just about the eyes. Diet, stress and mental health all play a role, which means working closely with psychologists.
The clinics now have an in-house GP, making prescriptions such as Ivermectin Plus cream for Demodex – developed by US ophthalmologist Dr Rolando Toyos – easier
“An optometrist can’t prescribe it, but our GP can – often via telehealth. We’re the only clinic in Australia with access to that cream, and it’s incredibly effective,” Barrett says.
Arguably the most crucial ingredient in Dry Eye Solution’s success is a partnership with Dr Toyos who pioneered IPL for dry eye. He jumps on a video conference call with Barrett’s head optometry team to discuss cases and new evidence each Tuesday.
“We incorporate Dr Toyos’ recommendations, including equipment, into our model – combining his expertise with our own to set the benchmark for dry eye treatment,” she says.
That includes the OCULUS Keratograph K5 for diagnostics, offering consistency across locations. IPL with the Lumenis OptiLight remains a cornerstone treatment, but Barrett is quick to note not all devices or techniques are equal.
She’s particularly excited by innovations on the horizon, including microneedling, CO2 laser and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) drops, though she notes these still await TGA approval.
Holland is excited about a “massive pipeline” of biologics, devices, and dietary interventions on the horizon.
In the new TFOS DEWS III report, he notes the final section discusses future
Jason Holland says it is vital to charge appropriately for what is a “chair-heavy” condition.
Red low level light therapy is a relatively new and popular therapy introduced in dry eye clinics.
Image: Alleve Eye Clinic.
Image: Oculuxe Clinic by The Eye Health Centre.
therapies comprehensively.
“There are a lot of things in the pipeline – particularly biologics with four different blood-based drop options, all developed differently,” he says.
New device-based therapies are emerging, such as Tixel i in the US, which delivers precise pulses of heat via tiny, pyramid-shaped titanium pins to the eyelid margins, and radiofrequency treatment, which is now in Australia with the EnVision device and Lumenis also launching a device.
THE FUTURE OF DEDICATED CLINICS
There’s agreement that dry eye care is maturing into a recognised subspecialty that requires more than just looking at the patient’s eyes.
Often their ocular surface is the manifestation of something bigger.
Looking ahead, Holland sees potential in several areas, including a ‘day-spa’ like experience and peri-orbital aesthetic therapies – an area he’s already dabbling in with the Lumenis OptiLight.
“When designing Oculuxe, The Eye Health Centre deliberately went for a day-spa look,” he says.
“With IPL, while the primary goal is to improve eye health, these treatments often deliver aesthetic benefits too, which helps some patients justify the cost. But you need to be clear on your intent: doing IPL for
“Some people look at IPL and think, ‘we could make more money from this,’ but dry eye disease demands holistic care, advanced diagnostics, and highly specialised training.”
Liz Barrett Dry Eye Solution
cosmetic benefits is not the same as doing IPL for dry eye.”
Rayner anticipates the proliferation of dedicated dry eye clinics in Australia, alongside more specialised optometry practices in myopia, glaucoma, and other clinical areas.
“Optometrists are well placed to deliver exceptional dry eye care. We have the knowledge and therapeutic endorsement to diagnose and treat ocular surface disease,” she says.
“Optometry is naturally evolving … people are drifting towards a more clinical practice versus a refraction practice model as opposed to the hybrid we know.”
Barrett has a similar take, along with a reimagined patient experience.
“It’ll be holistic. Like our Double Bay site, designed like a medi-spa. A GP, ophthalmologist, optometrist and even access to psychologists. Treatments that
range from IPL to massage to ice baths. A space where patients feel cared for in every aspect.”
“Our Melbourne clinic already offers all of this. The facility where this is located also enables access to a dietitian, pain management specialist, hyperbaric chamber, infra-red sauna, gym and personal trainers, IV infusions, women’s health clinic, holistic café, and a cryo chamber – as well as a large room for meetings, training and presentations for patients and ECPs.”
For these clinicians, the future of dry eye treatment is not only about expanding clinics but shifting the mindset of eyecare itself.
“It’s about recognising this is a subspecialty of both optometry and ophthalmology," Barrett stresses.
"Patients deserve time, expertise, and compassion. If we can keep building that, we’ll change lives.”
EMPOWERING YOUR INDEPENDENT SUCCESS FOR OVER 25 YEARS
“Eyecare Plus has truly empowered my practice to grow and thrive.”
Shaina Zheng, Optometrist Eyecare Plus Mermaid Beach
A new era in dry eye relief
A landmark global framework and a new treatment option have arrived simultaneously, reshaping how Australian optometrists can diagnose and manage dry eye.
The timing couldn’t be more significant for Australian optometrists navigating the evolving dry eye landscape. Just as the TFOS DEWS III global consensus report1,2 has been released – redefining diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to dry eye disease (DED) – one of the world’s most popular eye drops for evaporative dry eye has arrived on the Australian market.
Together, they signal a new phase of clinical clarity and patient care in what remains one of the most prevalent and challenging conditions in eye health. In fact, dry eye is estimated to affect millions of Australians, with evaporative disease, the most common form, accounting for up to 86% of cases. 3
Those two major developments in dry eye right now – TFOS DEWS III and the launch of Rohto Dry Aid Intensive Dry Eye Relief – converged at the Optometry Clinical Conference in Melbourne on 17 August 2025 where eyecare professionals heard from UNSW’s Scientia Professor Fiona Stapleton and Sydney optometrist Dr Margaret Lam about the future of dry eye care in Australia.
TFOS DEWS III is a product of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), an
international not-for-profit organisation that brings together leading scientists, clinicians, and industry experts, including Prof Stapleton, to advance understanding of dry eye disease. It’s best known for the DEWS (Dry Eye Workshop) reports –consensus documents.
At the event, for the first time in Australia Prof Stapleton presented key insights from the recently-released TFOS DEWS III Guidelines, which place greater emphasis on recognising overlapping mechanisms in dry eye, including lipid deficiency and neurosensory discomfort.
Rohto’s multi-action formulation, already supported by robust clinical data, arrives at a moment when guidelines are urging exactly this type of personalised, multifaceted approach.
“For clinicians, Rohto Dry Aid represents a new treatment option that aligns with the primary drivers identified in the TFOS DEWS III Guidelines. Its multi-targeted action makes it well-positioned within this modern management paradigm,” Dr Lam says.
“By targeting overlapping mechanisms and addressing the root causes of dry eye, it offers a more effective approach than many existing therapies. For patients, it
redefines what an eye drop can deliver – combining comfort with long-lasting soothing relief.”
Rohto – described as the world’s leading eyecare and eye drop brand backed by more than 100 years of pharmaceutical and ocular research – launched Rohto Dry Aid in Australia in late 2024, offering a new option exclusively available through optometrists for evaporative dry eye.
According to Rohto, its product harnesses a unique three-way mechanism.
It offers lipid layer stabilisation using polyoxyethylene castor oil and sesame oil to support meibomian gland lipids and reduce evaporation. Patients experience cooling comfort due to menthol that activates corneal neurosensory ion channel TRPM8 receptors, offering fast-acting soothing comfort and tear stimulation. And it provides long-lasting hydration, with povidone and polyoxyl stearate reinforcing the tear film structure and providing up to 12 hours of protection with Rohto’s Tearshield Technology.
In an era where patients’ symptoms are exacerbated by heavy screen use and prolonged visual tasks, the promise of up to 12 hours of relief stands out as clinically relevant, Lam notes.4
In a head-to-head trial, Rohto Dry Aid is reported to have outperformed sodium hyaluronate drops in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction, improving tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, and patient-reported symptoms.5
Another study found Rohto Dry Aid offered longer-lasting relief than PEG/PG (polyethylene glycol-based eye drops), with patients reporting improved comfort during visual tasks such as night driving.6
The product is now available in Australia through distributor OphthalmoPro, offering optometrists and ophthalmologists a new evidence-backed, over-the-counter solution for those evaporative or mixed-mechanism dry eye.
Importantly, patients can only purchase Rohto Dry Aid exclusively in optometry practices – it won’t be found on the pharmacy shelf.
“At ROHTO, we are delighted to introduce these eye drops to Australia, providing much-needed relief for patients living with dry eye,” said Ms Miho Nishiyama, Rohto global R&D group manager at the launch event held alongside the Optometry Clinical Conference.
NOTE: References will appear in the online version of this article and are available upon request.
At the Rohto launch event at Optometry Clinical Conference, (from left) OphthalmoPro director of sales – capital Tristan Parker, Rohto global R&D group manager Miho Nishiyama, Dr Margaret Lam and Prof Fiona Stapleton.
Image: Rohto.
Helping you become a dry eye Pro
Aussie manufacturer Medmont is matching the rise of dry eye disease with a powerful device to aid in its diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.
Mr Jason Anderson is making a big call.
To many in the ophthalmic community at the moment, it seems that every second word is ‘myopia’.
That is not surprising given myopia appears to be tightening its grip on many parts of the world and is starting to do the same in Australia, spurring many into action Down Under.
Anderson, the Asia-Pacific sales manager for Australian optical device designer and manufacturer Medmont, believes intense focus is appropriate, given the potential for myopia to rob the vision of the country’s youngest.
But he says there is another condition with a broader reach and potentially greater impact – dry eye disease
“Myopia, it's an area we are heavily invested in with our corneal topography technology – and we are seeing a lot of studies and articles on myopia management right now,” he says.
“But dry eye, I think, is almost on par and almost jumping ahead of that now. We know the demographic that myopia affects – it's usually young children because of too much screen time, but dry eye affects right across the board.”
Anderson knows what he’s talking about.
He’s travelled the Asia-Pacific region extensively for more than a decade educating eyecare practitioners about Medmont’s locally developed and manufactured corneal topographers and perimeters. In fact, he’s off to Vietnam the day after his interview with Insight.
But it’s more than airports, hotel rooms
and conference suites that he’s got to experience over those 13 years.
Anderson has spoken with countless practitioners, clinicians and industry leaders in those areas, and observed the rise of both myopia and dry eye in that time.
He believes these eye conditions are a threat to a large number of people, but they are also an opportunity for practitioners to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those patients, while carving out a more clinical, healthcare-driven niche that will benefit their business.
“I think a lot of practitioners are looking to differentiate from the larger chain stores, to look at different ways of modelling their business and giving a primary healthcare function.”
And he believes Medmont devices are the best way for those practices to make the most of that function, and build their expertise in both myopia, specialty lens fitting and dry eye management.
Dry eye diagnostics may be a newer offering to come from the engineers within Medmont’s Melbourne headquarters, but it’s just the latest development in more than 30 years of innovation, which started in 1989 with a visual field scanner.
The company moved into topography in 1997 and developed the Meridia device in 2019, launching it in Australia the following year.
It now offers two models: the Classic and the Professional – or Pro – which also has a comprehensive suite of dry eye software.
The Classic builds on the gold-standard corneal topography in Medmont’s E300,
with enhancements including a larger colour field-of-view and ergonomic quick keys for navigating software.
It aids the practitioner in orthokeratology, early keratoconus screening and other corneal pathology screening, and provides accurate measurements for the designing and fitting of custom contact lenses.
The Meridia Pro builds even further on that innovation, with a strong emphasis on software and tools to help with dry eye diagnosis and management, including tear meniscus height measurement, tear film analysis, imaging of the meibomian glands, and fluorescein imaging and video offerings.
This has proved a boon for both practices and their patients, says Anderson.
It says much about the rapid rise of dry eye and acknowledgement of the disease as a growing burden to many that the Aussie company has added this extra functionality in just the last five years.
But, as Anderson points out, that five years has seen plenty of development and innovation, making the Meridia Pro a powerful machine for practice owners – especially those engaged in orthokeratology myopia control and advanced contact lenses – to elevate their service offering with dry eye screening.
But the Pro goes beyond pure analysis to also support dry eye treatment, the progress of that treatment, and patient compliance.
“The device has a function for imaging meibomian glands and helping the practitioner to detect instances of gland drop-out and blockages,” says Anderson.
Medmont’s Meridia Pro is a key device to help with the diagnosis, treatment and management of dry eye disease.
Images: Medmont.
“If they can see where they're starting and see where they're getting to, I think that's an amazing thing for the patient and the practice, and that compliance generates income.”
Jason Anderson Medmont
“The use of infrared is useful for imaging the lower and the upper glands. You can enhance the glands as well for further clarity with a contrast stretch function,” he says.
“It help gives a patient a deeper understanding of what a blocked gland is, so it's great for patient education.”
“We've got a tear film analysis as well – it's a non-fluorescence capability, so you don't introduce any additives to the tear film. That’s a great benefit because you're not compromising or changing the structure of your tear film by putting fluorescence in it.”
The Pro provides an overall understanding of how much tear break-up is occurring in the central seven millimetres of the cornea.
“We know that the peripheral breaks up first when you're looking at tear film analysis, so we concentrate on that central area for any data.”
All of that helps the practitioner diagnose dry eye, but the Pro goes further, allowing them to create and document a treatment plan, including the use of consumables to help manage the disease.
That functionality is not just for the practitioner. Patients also benefit from comprehensive, easy-to-understand reports on their condition and its progress, which includes video.
"The tear film analysis automatically assesses the tear film dynamic and break up time by capturing three to four topography maps per second. From that, it creates a video, which is beneficial for patient education,” Anderson says
That ‘education’ through images, video and reporting keeps the patient on track with their treatment and coming back to the clinic to monitor that progress.
“I think having that visual representation of the condition keeps everyone on the
same level,” says Anderson.
“If they can see where they're starting and see where they're getting to, I think that's an amazing thing for the patient and the practice, and that compliance generates income.”
While other devices may offer reporting features, Anderson says feedback from practices consistently highlights the superior quality of Meridia Pro’s imaging.
“The other significant advantage when using the Meridia Pro is, when you're looking at glands, you need to flip the eyelids, and because our device has got a smaller head to it, it's quite easy for you to reach around and turn that patient lid over, whereas other devices have larger heads that can make it quite difficult to manipulate the patient’s lids.”
Practices with the Meridia Pro benefit from regular software updates, ensuring their device continues to evolve alongside clinical needs.
For Anderson, that adaptability is key: as awareness of dry eye grows across all demographics, so too does the opportunity for practitioners to expand their role in patient care.
‘We’re seeing strong and growing interest in dry eye,’ he says. ‘It’s an area where practices can make a real impact, and the Meridia Pro helps them do that with clarity and confidence.”
Rohto® Dry
Breaking the dry eye-glaucoma nexus
Increasingly glaucoma subspecialist Dr BRETT DRURY and his colleagues are looking beyond medication towards minimally invasive procedures that offer downstream benefits for patients when it comes to the health of their ocular surface.
Every now and then, a patient visits Dr Brett Drury’s rooms and delivers a stark reminder of the consequences of eye drop-driven glaucoma management.
For the Gold Coast anterior segment subspecialist, who undertook a glaucoma fellowship in the UK as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) took root, around 25% of all his cases involve glaucoma. Many of those that require medical therapy are treating their condition with prostaglandin analogs, a mainstay first-line medication option for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT).
While he’s cognisant of the “near-universal” ocular surface side effects that come with this approach, it often isn’t until someone returns after unilateral glaucoma surgery that the reality of what patients endure hits home.
“You only have to have one or two patients that become medication-free in one eye post-operatively to see the difference between an eye that’s surgically controlled and one that is medically treated for glaucoma,” says Dr Drury, who practises privately at Outlook Eye Specialists.
“I saw someone like this yesterday who I operated on maybe 12 months ago. In one eye he had surgery for glaucoma and it now looks completely different to the medication-treated eye. There's no redness, no periocular pigmentation, no lid margin inflammation.
“Sometimes we lose sight of what people's eyes normally look like without medication, and, in particular, the longer-term outcomes of prostaglandin analogs are very under-appreciated, to the point where I tend to avoid those medications in younger patients, just because of the sheer number of years they'll need to be on them.”
Studies show ocular surface disease prevalence in glaucoma can be up to 59%,1 and symptom manifestation has been documented in up to 74% of glaucoma sufferers. 2
Dr Drury agrees that ocular surface side effects have probably been “an unfairly accepted part of the deal” for medicated glaucoma patients.
But with a more elegant surgical toolkit, that’s changing.
He notes ophthalmologists are increasingly responding to evidence that selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)
is on par, if not more effective, as a first-line glaucoma treatment compared with medical therapy. There’s also the ‘interventional glaucoma’ movement that promotes a proactive approach to management, focusing on earlier diagnosis and more aggressive treatments in the initial stages.
Dr Drury remembers the start of his career when the decision was often binary – eye drops and SLT for lower level disease, or a major leap to trabeculectomy.
Now, with more ‘middle ground’ surgical
of the upper lids, deepening of the upper lid sulcus and periocular pigmentation are very common in long term medically-treated glaucoma patients, particularly with prostaglandin analogues.”
The discomfort. The diminished quality-of-life. These are heavy prices to pay, but are often worth it considering the huge downside of rampant glaucoma.
Treatment adherence is another burden to carry. Many of Dr Drury’s patients will have one or two drops to instil once or twice a day. But whether that actually happens is another story.
“I think we'd all like to believe that adherence is very good, but time and again the research shows that's not the reality,” he says.
“Patients are immediately faced with redness, stinging, irritation, worsening of their dry eye. The benefits of treating a chronic disease appropriately are sometimes a long way off, so it's not hard to see why adherence is not 100%.”
So with new technologies, a deeper pool of evidence and a mindset shift towards interventional glaucoma, where does that leave ophthalmologists with their glaucoma patients?
THE SURGICAL EQUATION
For Dr Drury, trabecular bypass MIGS first enters the conversation when someone with medically treated glaucoma is undergoing cataract surgery. Often, it provides a window to address three issues at once: their cataract, glaucoma, and dry eye.
“Sometimes the happiest patients are ones that I’m referred and can perform simple, safe procedures that allow them to be medication-free.”
interventions like the iStent infinite and Hydrus Microstent, it’s allowing him and other ophthalmologists to not only provide more consistent lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in mild to moderate cases, but to ease patients’ medication burden and restore the quality of their ocular surface.
“I also don't think medicated glaucoma patients notice the prostaglandin orbitopathy happening. I think they might just associate that with ageing changes, which is just not true,” Dr Drury says.
“Chronic conjunctival injection, tightening
“It's a missed opportunity if you don't combine MIGS at the time of cataract surgery in these patients.”
It’s also on the table for anyone becoming intolerant of eye drops or those with mild disease whose drops are proving ineffective.
Plus, there’s a smaller cohort with advanced glaucoma for whom he’s trying to avoid more major surgeries due to their age, frailty, or other reasons.
“Someone I'd consider on maximal medical therapy with an IOP above target, would be considered for surgical glaucoma
Images: Brett Drury..
Dr Brett Drury practises privately at Outlook Eye Specialists.
management in my clinic, as well as those who, despite having seemingly well controlled pressure, show changes in their structural and functional parameters –those are the two classic scenarios.”
Dr Drury was conducting his glaucoma fellowship in Manchester in 2017 roughly around the same time as Glaukos’ first version of the iStent, that opened the MIGS
GLAUCOMA, MIGS AND THE OCULAR SURFACE
• Ocular surface disease (OSD) prevalence in glaucoma is up to 59%, largely driven by eye drop medications.
• Dry eye symptom manifestation documented in up to 74% of glaucoma sufferers.
• 50% of patients have been shown to stop taking their prescribed medications within six months.
• iStent has demonstrated significant improvements in OSD and quality-of-life combined with cataract surgery, including reduced Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores and medication use.
• In iStent combined with cataract surgery, 84% of patients have been medication-free at 23 months in a pivotal trial.
• After five years, on average, patients had a 71% reduction in medication burden with iStent.
• Another study showed 72% reduction of patients with severe OSD symptoms such through three months post-operatively with iStent.
category, was gaining widespread use.
Over the years, the procedure has demonstrated significant improvements in ocular surface disease and quality-of-life combined with cataract surgery, including reduced Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores and medication use. 3,4
In terms of IOP, a subgroup analysis of the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study demonstrated that over eight years of follow-up, patients with greater visual field loss at baseline who were treated with surgery experienced less visual field loss versus those treated with medications.5
In 2024, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration approved Glaukos’s fourth generation iStent infinite, offering several upgrades.
The biggest of those include a new three-stent procedure – up from two – allowing the surgeon to inject stents across a span of up to approximately six clock hours around Schlemm’s canal. Plus, surgeons now get an unlimited number of delivery attempts – upgraded from four.
Dr Drury expects improved outcomes. Surgeons can be more particular about their placement.
“Particularly for someone starting out, because if one stent is malpositioned, then the other two may still work, offering a greater chance of success,” he says, noting that optimal stent placement is the next frontier in MIGS research.
“The infinite attempts at injecting probably takes the anxiety out for some people, especially if they're new to the learning curve, because they can be confident that if they're not happy with the position, they can take it back out and reload. You'll end up with better placement,
because people don't have to accept when it’s not placed in the perfect spot due to having no shots left.”
Aside from these surgical behavioural changes, the data also paints a positive picture.
In a pivotal trial of the iStent platform implanted at the time of cataract surgery, it was observed that 84% Of patients were medication-free at 23 months.6 Plus, an independent study on iStent showed that after five years, on average, patients maintained a 40% reduction in IOP and a 71% reduction in medication burden.7 And a third study showed a 72% reduction of patients with severe ocular surface disease symptoms such as dry eye through three months post-operatively.8
It computes with what Dr Drury sees in his clinic: “If someone has a surgically controlled IOP with no medication requirement, I'm more confident that person is going to lose less visual field over time than someone who has the same pressure with medication requirement.”
But if reduced IOP is the number one objective, becoming medication-free is a close second.
“It’s an immediate and a big improvement from the patient perspective,” he adds.
“I think sometimes the happiest patients are ones that I’m referred and can perform simple, safe procedures that allow them to be medication-free – that's actually one of the most rewarding things in glaucoma: lifting that medication burden and seeing the eye recover.”
NOTE: References are available upon request or in the online version of this article.
Patients can now benefit from a new three-stent procedure from Glaukos, which can be implanted across approximately six clock hours of the Schlemm’s canal.
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At the diabetes-dry eye intersection
People living with diabetes make an estimated 180 more health-related decisions each day than those without the condition – yet the ocular surface isn’t always front of mind. Dr AMIRA HOWARI explains how dry eye develops in these patients and why proactive management is essential.
As both a clinical optometrist and a person living with diabetes, Dr Amira Howari has come to understand first-hand how this systemic disease can affect the eyes in ways that aren’t always obvious.
Coincidentally, it was during a lecture with Scientia Professor Fiona Stapleton – a global dry eye authority involved in the landmark TFOS DEWS reports – that she began noticing unexplained blurry vision. Immediately after, in the UNSW optometry clinic, she learned she had significantly reduced corneal sensitivity – a subtle but important sign of ocular surface disease.
“I had chronic dry eyes, but I didn’t have the symptoms to go by,” Dr Howari recalls. “That’s the challenge with diabetes: reduced corneal sensitivity means the typical signs patients would describe – gritty, sandy, burning eyes –aren’t always there. Instead, it presents more as a vision-related issue.”
the aqueous layer. Its ability to bind significant volumes of water – it “carries roughly 1,000 times its molecular weight in water” – gives long-lasting hydration without the blur associated with gels or ointments.
Complementing this, perfluorohexyloctane – a unique, water-free, lipid-based agent – directly restores the tear film’s outer layer. By reducing evaporation and replenishing lipids, it can address meibomian gland dysfunction that is so common in patients with diabetes.
Both are available as preservative-free formulations through A FT Pharmaceuticals (Hylo-Forte and NovaTears, respectively), which helps minimise ocular toxicity with chronic use.
“This is critical in patients with diabetes,” Dr Howari adds.
For Dr Howari, who works in interdisciplinary diabetes care and as a diabetes h ealthcare ambassador across several key organisations, it was a revealing moment. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes around the age of nine and later a practising eyecare professional, she had long been aware of its risks due to diabetic retinopathy (DR) – a condition she was eventually diagnosed with during pregnancy (that’s another story).
But she hadn’t properly considered how the disease could be silently affecting her ocular surface – and the broader implications of that.
“Six years ago, I underwent a double transplant (kidney-pancreas) due to secondary kidney failure. Looking back, the reduced corneal sensitivity was an early marker of wider nerve damage –forecasting a 10-year trajectory toward peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy. A high-risk pregnancy with gestational hypertension also put extra strain on my kidneys.”
As is often the case, the eye provides a window into deeper systemic issues. And while retinal conditions take centre stage, the ocular surface can be just as debilitating. Dry eye impacts visual function, ocular surface health homeostasis, and overall quality-of-life, yet it can fly under the radar in diabetes care.
This disconnect between signs and symptoms is a key challenge. Reduced corneal sensitivity means patients may not present with the classic complaints. Combined with the competing demands of other systemic complications, dry eye can become less of a priority until it becomes a major problem.
But Dr Howari warns that it should be top of mind for optometrists. Studies suggest people with diabetes experience significantly higher rates of dry eye disease, with prevalence reported up to 54.3%.1 Many face a dual challenge of aqueous deficiency and meibomian gland dysfunction.
This mixed form of dry eye can make management even more complex.
“With hyperglycaemia – when blood glucose levels are high – we see problems with aqueous production,” Dr Howari explains.
“At the same time, diabetes-related inflammation disrupts lipid function, both in quantity and quality. So patients often face issues on both fronts, resulting in the need to tackle dry eye from both angles.”
Dr Howari points to sodium hyaluronate and perfluorohexyloctane as two therapies that can work alone, or in tandem, when patients with diabetes have ocular surface disease.
In the case of high-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate, she says this plays a key role in replenishing and stabilising
And when combined with plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids (NovaTears + Omega-3), the formulation adds an anti-inflammatory benefit, tackling the chronic inflammation that underpins much of the disease process, Dr Howari says.
“There is limited benefit in increasing the aqueous [with sodium hyaluronate] if we don’t have the lipid layer to protect it [with perfluorohexyloctane].”
She also cautions that it’s not about prescribing an eye drop and wishing the patient well.
“It’s about the complete management plan in its entirety. We need to unblock and clear the meibomian glands first, then replenish it with the right oils to restore the cycle.”
Dr Howari hopes her lived experience and years of experience managing patients with diabetes can serve as an important reminder for her optometry colleagues.
That diabetes-related eye disease goes beyond the retinal plane.
“Every ocular structure – the cornea, conjunctiva, lids and margins – is affected,” she says. “Dry eye disease is chronic and debilitating, impacting both visual function and ocular health. As clinicians, we need to manage it holistically, starting from the surface and working back. One structure at a time.”
References: 1. Yoo TK, Oh E. Diabetes mellitus is associated with dry eye syndrome: a meta-analysis. Int Ophthalmol. 2019 Nov;39(11):2611-2620. doi: 10.1007/s10792-019-01110-y.
Image: Amira Howari.
Amira Howari is a clinical optometrist and diabetes healthcare ambassador.
When the hidden enemy strikes
has seen firsthand how patients with seemingly good cataract surgery outcomes can become dissatisfied with their vision due to dry eye disease –something that can be avoided with strong peri-operative management.
ptometrists play a key role in the diagnosis and referral pathway for cataract surgery. This role provides opportunities to educate patients about
outcomes. As dry eye can be exacerbated, or even present for the first time after cataract surgery, optimising the tear film and ocular surface peri-operatively is an
Optometrist Mr Shon Prasad, who has recently joined an ophthalmology practice
Alcon’s senior professional education and development manager, Ms Helen Gleave.
Has this new role given you a different perspective on
ago, I was a humble optometry student unaware of all the havoc dry eye disease would cause to the world. The pain it put patients through, the complications that arose from it. I thought, ‘it’s just dry eye, toughen up, throw in some drops and get
Fast forward a few years later and in this role I find myself being on the frontline against a hidden enemy who is ready to ruin someone's day. Not only the patient's about to operate on the owner of the eye. his hidden enemy is just about to be
After encountering firsthand how dry eye disease can affect my patients, their quality-of-life (QoL) and their experiences of cataract surgery, it’s become my standard practice to keep up-to-date with the latest research and make recommendations for the best outcomes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the completion of this article, the reader should be able to…
• Understand the development and presence of dry eye disease (DED) in cataract surgery.
• How to minimise patient dissatisfaction due to DED when referring patients for cataract surgery.
• Consider when to prescribe peri-operative ocular lubrication containing hydroxypropyl-guar and hyaluronic acid to reduce DED symptoms post-operatively.
HG: How important is it to manage dry eye disease in general?
SP: It is important to remember dry eye is a disease. It is a disease as classified by the TFOS DEWSII Report published in 2017.1 In the early stages it may seem dormant, the symptoms may be mild and consequently go unnoticed, until it strikes. It may be due to a new medication, potentially reaching a certain birthday, changing environments, or in the cases I see today, undergoing surgery.
As frontline eyecare providers, taking dry eye disease seriously is important. It has been shown to be a burden on patients' mental and physical QoL. Such studies consistently show that dry eye disease has a measurable impact on several aspects of patients’ QoL, including pain, vitality, ability to perform certain activities requiring sustained visual attention (e.g. reading, driving), and reduced productivity in the workplace. 2 Understanding the impacts dry eye has on society serves as a real call to action.
HG: What do you use to guide your dry eye diagnosis and management?
SP: The TFOS DEWS II Report Executive Summary3 highlights the various ways dry eye disease can come about. I love this illustration; I find it a fantastic visualisation on how symptoms of dry eye can come about from a combination of contributing factors.
I tell my patients, sometimes you can be on the edge of dry eye without knowing it, and then a surgery can push you over the edge into the vicious cycle of dry eye disease.
The outer circle highlights all the various etiologies that can lead to a loss of homeostasis. Identifying those risk factors
Dry eye is a self-stimulated loop, with tear film instability and imbalance as a key point of the disease. Patients enter the loop due to risk factors or mechanisms that cause tear film disruption or ocular surface damage.8-10
Images:
FIGURES 1 & 2. In a study of people taking a HPG/HA eye drop formulation, SPEED questionnaire scores reported as mean ± standard error with significance levels for group A vs. group B. There was a significant difference at weeks one and four, but not at week eight. BUT scores in seconds reported as mean ± standard error with significance levels for group A vs. group B. Results at one and eight weeks were comparable, with a significant difference at four weeks.4
have shown the efficacy of the combination of hydroxypropyl guar (HPG) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in dry eye management. One study it is most prominently featured in is Clinical Ophthalmology, entitled: ‘Protecting the ocular surface in cataract surgery: The efficacy of the perioperative use of a hydroxypropyl guar and hyaluronic acid ophthalmic solution’.4
I encourage everyone to read the study in detail, but for those who work in a busy practice, fully booked every day, I can let you know the study recommends one way to disarm the hidden enemy of dry eye is through Systane HYDRATION.4
FIGURE 3. Corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) showing that groups A and B had significantly more low-grade staining at the levels of grade 0 and 1, and that group C post-operatively had higher levels of grades (>1). At four weeks, group A had significantly less staining overall (p=0.013) and at higher levels (>1) than group B.4
in patients is the first key. Remember, you can’t change or control all factors for a patient. You can’t change the weather or a patient's age, although we can highlight the importance of managing these risk factors in our patients’ everyday life. Why is this important? Have you ever come across a patient with good vision, but they keep telling you it’s not clear? Have you performed your best refraction and it doesn’t seem good enough? The answers keep changing, every blink gives a different visual acuity recording. The macular appears to be fine, and you think, what is going on? The thought is that it must be the cataracts, so off they go with their referral to see the best local ophthalmologist.
A few weeks go by, and they return with 6/5 vision right and left and they say their vision is terrible. They complain they can’t see clearly, and they want to take this further with the surgeon. I’ve seen this firsthand.
All of a sudden, this surgery has woken
the hidden enemy. They’ve been tipped over the edge and now surgery has set off a cascade of events leading to poor quality vision, maybe some pain and a disgruntled patient.
Remember, the first surface that light from the world hits as it travels towards your retina is your tear film. Imagine a cracked car windscreen in the rain with some old worn-out wipers. Good luck trying to see clearly when driving. The same goes for your ocular surface. With surgery and the subsequent inflammation that the patient experiences, they might have been tipped over the edge.
HG: When referring patients for cataract surgery, how could patient dissatisfaction due to dry eye disease be avoided?
SP: I have thought, if only we could simply turn back time and recommend a product and management to quieten the enemy before it comes to bite us.
Looking at the research, studies
According to Alcon, Systane HYDRATION lubricant eye drops combine HA* with the company’s unique formulation of HP-guar and borate which crosslink to form a meshwork to increase retention of demulcents. This has been shown to increase tear break-up time (TBUT) compared to lubricating eye drops containing HA alone,6 and support ocular surface healing.7π
The study (Figures 1-3) compared a cohort of 419 patients, divided into three groups:4
- Group A who instilled a HPG/ HA solution three times a day pre-operatively for one week and then for eight weeks post-operatively.
- Group B who instilled HPG/HA solution only eight weeks post-operatively.
- Group C who did not instill any drops peri-operatively.
They all followed the same post-surgery regime of topical anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatment which consisted of dexamethasone and tobramycin four times a day for 10 days, nepafenac 0.1% eye drops three times a day for one month. The three groups were evaluated for the scores of SPEED (Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness) questionnaire, TBUT and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS, Oxford scale).
The results from the study found: In groups A and B, the SPEED scores were significantly lower than group C in the whole postoperative period. In Group a, the SPEED scores were significantly lower than group B one and four weeks after surgery. In group C, 25% of patients reported symptom scores corresponding to mild-moderate dry eye four and eight weeks after surgery. Clearly this highlights the importance of managing the ocular surface appropriately before and after ocular surgery. Furthermore, the results showed the fluorescein tear BUT in groups A and B was significantly higher than group C in the whole postoperative period. Remembering, a higher TBUT means tears are stable for longer on the ocular surface. In addition, TBUT in group A was significantly higher than even group B after surgery.
Lastly, when comparing CFS over the weeks post-surgery, more patients showed no CFS in Groups A and B than Group C at all the postoperative visits. Therefore, I believe suggesting peri-operative ocular lubrication, especially with HPG/HA eye drops should really become the gold standard in eyecare.^
HG: What does your patient assessment look like?
SP: If I’m going to evaluate a patient and consider them for a referral for cataract surgery, I want their experience to be successful. Neither I nor the surgeon want any surprises. This begins in our optometry consult room. Identify those risk factors early and look for the signs: poor TBUT or ocular surface staining. Usually the symptoms won’t be there, but if they are, listen out for them.
HG: Would you share the outcome for the disgruntled patient you spoke of previously?
SP: In reality the patient had 6/6 vision unaided post cataract surgery, but her vision was fluctuating. Understandably she was frustrated and disappointed with the outcome of the fabulous lens implants she had been given. She had a history of breast cancer, rhinitis, sinusitis,
cat/dog/dust mite allergies, rheumatoid arthritis. Her list of medications included an anti-hypertensive, oral prednisone, methotrexate, an anti-depressant and a breast cancer medication. Clearly the risk factors were there!
After many weeks of dry eye treatment and management, she was finally happy with her vision and she reported feeling emotionally better too.
In retrospect, this whole situation could have possibly been avoided with a proactive dry eye management plan. In addition, her pre-operative evaluation may have been enhanced with more accuracy in the biometry measurements with a stable tear film and improved TBUT.
WHAT ARE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS?
Moving forward in our dry eye management is a key consideration. The hidden enemy lurks, only to emerge from the shadows causing despair, distress and disappointment.
Dry eye disease is everywhere and in a busy practice we could consider disregarding it for the time being, but evidence-based practice shows we should manage dry eye and include Systane HYDRATION peri-operatively to reduce dry eye symptoms post operatively4 and help optimise the chance of a successful outcome along with that referral.”^
Key:
* Systane® HYDRATION Lubricant Eye Drops contain sodium hyaluronate, the salt form of hyaluronic acid.
π B ased on an animal model ^ Results may vary
References:
1. Craig JP, Nichols KK, Akpek EK, et al. TFOS DEWS II Definition and Classification Report. The Ocular Surface. 2017;15(3):276–283
2. Uchino M, Schaumberg DA. Dry Eye Disease: Impact on Quality of Life and Vision. Curr Ophthalmol Rep. 2013;1(2):51-57.
3. Craig JP, Nelson JD, Azar DT, et al. TFOS DEWS II Report Executive Summary. Ocul Surf. 2017;15(4):802-812
4. Favuzza E, Cennamo M, Vicchio L, et al. Protecting the Ocular Surface in Cataract Surgery: The Efficacy of the Perioperative Use of a Hydroxypropyl Guar and Hyaluronic Acid Ophthalmic Solution. Clin Ophthalmol 2020 Jun 26;14:1769-1775
5. Springs C. Novel Ocular Lubricant Containing an Intelligent Delivery System: Details of its Mechanism of Action. Dev Ophthalmol 2010; 45:139-147.
6. Fluorescein tear break-up time was measured following fluorophotometry assessment. Based on measurement of eye drop retention time using a fluorophotometer; Alcon data on file, 2024
7. Carlson et al. Impact of Hyaluronic Acid-Containing Artificial Tear Products on Reepithelialization in an In Vivo Corneal Wound Model J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2018; 34(4): 360-364
8. Adapted from Baudouin C. A new approach for better comprehension of diseases of the ocular surface. J Fr Ophtalmol. 2007;30:239-246.
9 Adapted from Baudouin C, Messmer EM, Aragona P, et al. Revisiting the vicious circle of dry eye disease: a focus on the pathophysiology of meibomian gland dysfunction. Br J Ophthalmol. 2016;100:300-306.
10. Adapted from Baudouin C, Aragona P, Van Setten G, et al; ODISSEY European Consensus Group. Diagnosing the severity of dry eye: a clear and practical algorithm. Br J Ophthalmol. 2014;98:1168-1176.
NOTE: Insight readers can scan the QR code or visit insightnews.com.au/cpd/ to access a link to this article to include in their own CPD log book.
Shon Prasad received an honorarium for his time in contributing to the article.
CLINICS DIRECTORY Dry Eye
NSW / ACT
City West Eye Specialists
212 Elswick St, Leichhardt 2040
Ophthalmologist
P (02) 9569 5722
W citywesteyespecialists.com.au
Red and blue light therapy for dry eye disease.
Charlestown Eyecare
147 Pacific Hwy, Charlestown 2290
Anneke Richards
P (02) 4943 0744
W charlestowneyecare.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
Complete Optometry Central Coast
70 Pacific Hwy, Wyong 2259
Patrizia Ranieri
P (02) 4352 1298
W completeoptometry.com.au
Comprehensive dry eye assessment including meibography and corneal surface analysis. Treatment options include LLLT (Eye-light) with non invasive blue and or red wavelengths.
Deniliquin Eyecare Wellington Plaza
56 Wellington St, Deniliquin 2710
Peter Thompson
P (03) 5881 1525
W provision.com.au/practice/deniliquin-eyecare
Advanced treatment including Lumenis IPL Optilight with meibomian gland expression, meibography, therapeutically-endorsed with access to suite of eye drops and DRYeye Forte tablets.
Dry Eye Solution
P 1800 766 843
W dryeyesolution.com.au
World-leading Toyos Protocols with advanced diagnostics and leading-edge combined treatments, individually tailored – no two alike. Integrating diet, stress management, skin care, and holistic support.
Compassionate, results-driven care: your patients are fully supported on their wellness journey. Referrals welcome.
Canberra (opening early 2026)
Address to be announced, Canberra 2600
ECP to be confirmed
Burwood
Suite 26, Level 412 Railway Pde Burwood 2134
Stephanie Lai
Chatswood
Level 2, 38b Albert Ave Chatswood 2067
Daniel Poon
Double Bay
Suite 2 9-11 Knox St Double Bay 2028
Daniel Poon
Erina
8/2 Ilya Ave Erina 2250
Andy McKie
Miranda
Suite 8/46-48 Urunga Pde Miranda 2228
Andy McKie
Newcastle
H Plus Suites, Ground Floor, Westfield Shopping Centre, Northcott, Dr Kotara 2289
Louise Yau
Parramatta
Shop 9A/103 George St Parramatta 2150
Jotinder Khosla
Eagle Eye Surgeons
W eagleeyesurgeons.com.au
Assessment: Staining and biomicroscopic ocular surface assessment, MS-39 tear film analysis, Schirmer's testing. In office treatments: TearStim IPL, lid debridement and gland expression. At home: Therapeutic medicines prescriber (prescription topical anti-inflammatory medications), medical strength Omega-3 supplements (Lacritec), ocular lubricants (preservative-free).
Mosman
Suite 1/357 Military Rd, Mosman 2208
Dr Erica Darian-Smith P (02) 7228 3900
Nepean
Suite 9, level 3/13 Barber St, Kingswood 2747
Dr Mitchell lee P (02) 7228 3556
Envision Optical Tweed Heads South
Tweed Health for Everone Superclinic, 4/33-35 Corporation Circuit, Tweed Heads South 2486
Lyndon Ferguson P (07) 5524 9659
W envisionoptical.com.au
Comprehensive diagnostic exams, medical therapy including prescription eye drops, IPL, LipiFlow therapy, and gland expression therapy.
Expert Eyecare
Shop 3, 11 Mashman Ave, Kingsgrove 2208
Elias Harb
P (02) 8014 8933
W eyecareplus.com.au/kingsgrove/ Diagnosis using NaFl, lissamine green, Phenol Red Thread Test, Ocular Surface Analyzer, and topography. Treatment using IPL, photobiomodulation (LLLT), Blephasteam, amniotic membrane, azithromycin, ciclosporin, testosterone eye drops, topical steroids, topical lubricants, Lacritec, and dietary advice.
George & Matilda Eyecare
Albion Park
Shop 1, 155 Tongara Rd, Albion Park 2527
Andrew Salloum
P (02) 4257 9114
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy Blephasteam.
Double Bay
1 Knox St, Double Bay 2028
Marshall Mrocki
P (02) 9328 7670
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy IPL
Forster
40 Wharf St, Forster 2428
Reshma Seth P (02) 6554 7817
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
Kincumber
86 Avoca Dr, Kincumber 2251
Rebekah Bryant P (02) 4363 1515
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
Port Macquarie
95 William St, Port Macquarie 2444
Selwyn Peake P (02) 6583 7333
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
Wauchope
6 Bransdon St, Wauchope 2446
Selwyn Peake P (02) 6585 2393
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy Blephasteam.
Leichhardt Eyecare
Shop 28 MarketPlace, Leichhardt 2040
Seentinie Hong
P (02) 9560 4707
W leichhardteyecare.com.au
We now offer IPL and Eye-light, a gentle, non-invasive treatment that unblocks meibomian glands, reduces inflammation, and provides lasting relief. Each session takes 20-30 minutes.
Macarthur Optical
145 Argyle Street, Camden NSW 2570
Michael Watts, Adrian Soo, Phillip Kam P (02) 4655 9399
Ophthalmology clinic with specialised dry eye assessment and treatment service. Includes comprehensive tailored approach with Keratograph and TearLab diagnostics. Eyelid heat, massage, debridement, expression and cleansing treatments available.
Morrison's Family Eyecare Centre
81 Wingewarra St, Dubbo 2830
Sallyanne Morrison
P (02) 6882 6633
W morrisonseyecare.com.au
IRPL, gland expression, extensive range of eye drops and consumables.
Nepean Valley Eye Surgeons
46 Castlereagh St, Penrith 2750
Dr Gayatri Banerjee
P (02) 4721 5899
W nepeaneye.com.au
Nepean Valley Eye Surgeons offers multiple treatments for dry eye patients including IPL, Lipiflow, BlephEx and the newest addition Eye-light
New Eyes Optometrists
134-146 Enmore Rd, Enmore 2042
John Boulos
P (02) 9550 3477
W neweyes.com.au
Comprehensive assessment and management of the ocular surface using TFOS DEWS lll protocols.
OptiLight IPL with a range of treatment options available. Our optometrists combine knowledge, and offer comprehensive evaluations and treatment plans to ensure the best possible care and advice for patients.
Prof Minas Coroneo
2 St Paul St, Randwick 2031
Prof Minas Coroneo
P (02) 9399 9211
More than 30 years of experience in managing and treating patients with dry eye by a well-reputed ophthalmologist.
R&B's Optometrist
Banora Village Shopping Centr, 59-71 Darlington
Dr, Banora Point 2486
Bernhard Kurtz
P (07) 5524 4550
W tweedcityoptical@hotmail.com
With over 45 years' experience specialising in treating dry eye, we take a holistic approach to treatment resulting in proven long term benefits. As dry eye evaluation and treatments are included in our comprehensive eye examination, these services are covered by Medicare, and therefore bulk-billed.
RJK Optometry
14 Arthur St, Coffs Harbour 2450
Michael Jones
P (02) 6651 1139
W rjkoptometry.com.au
IPL, Rexon-Eye – most comprehensive dry eye clinic on the Mid Nort Coast.
Specsavers
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Armidale
Shop 24 Armidale Central Shopping Centre, 225
Beardy St, Armidale 2350
Anthony Siviter
P (02) 6362 0901
Balgowlah
Shop 41/42 Balgowlah Shopping Centre, 197-215
Condamine St, Balgowlah 2093
Joanna Bensen
P (02) 9907 1169
Bathurst
Shop 4 & 5 Bathurst City Centre, 210 Howicks St, Bathurst 2795
Josephine Priddle
P (02) 6332 6414
Belconnen
Shop 170/171 Westfield Belconnen Benjamin Way, Belconnen 2617
World-leading Toyos Protocols with advanced diagnostics and leading-edge combined treatments, individually tailored – no two alike. Integrating diet, stress management, skin care, and holistic support. Compassionate, results-driven care: your patients are fully supported on their wellness journey. Referrals welcome.
Evergreen Optical
Shop 2/2-20 Koornang Rd, Carnegie 3163 Khang Ta P (03) 9571 3233
W evergreenopitcal.com.au
Full diagnostic and therapeutic dry eye services.
Eyecare Plus Bundoora
S5 Uni Hill Town Centre 224 Plenty Rd, Bundoora 3083
DIRECTORY Dry Eye
Diane Vue
P (03) 9467 7580
W eyecareplus.com.au/bundoora
Meibography, Blephasteam, IPL, and various therapeutic and over-the-counter eye drops.
Eyecare Plus Mill Park
512 Plenty Rd, Mill Park 3082
Sharlotta Cote
P (03) 9436 9644
W eyecareplus.com.au/millpark Meibography, IPL, Blephasteam, and meibomian gland expression. Complete range of therapeutic prescriptions and over-the-counter eye drops.
Eyecare Plus Optometrists
Cheltenham
Suite D 149-151 Centre Dandenong Rd, Cheltenham 3192
Dry eye and meibomian gland assessment, IPL, LLLT, and blepharitis treatment.
eyescan Toorak
467 Toorak Rd, Toorak 3142
Lucas Ibrahim
P (03) 9826 0740
W georgeandmatilda.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy IPL.
Eyes On Docklands
840 Bourke Street, Docklands 3008
Dr Susan Callahan
P (03) 9629 5495
W eyesondocklands.com.au
Meibography, OCULUS K5 assessment, Blephasteam/ expression, E-Eye Light IPL, Eye Spa, therapeutic treatments, range of dry eye products.
George & Matilda Eyecare Oakleigh
33 Portman St, Oakleigh 3166
Stephen Wakeling
P (03) 9568 3442
W georgeandmatilda.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy IPL.
Graham Hill Eyecare
94 Nixon St, Shepparton 3630
Mark DePaola
P (03) 5821 2811
W hilleyecare.com
OCULUS Keratograph K5 evaluation, IPL, expression, Zest, plus a large range of drops, wipes, heat compresses, and prescription drops.
Melbourne Eyecare Clinic
200 Berkeley St, Carlton 3053
Andrew Huhtanen
P (03) 9035 6666
W eyecare.mthc.com.au
A holistic approach combining preservative-free drops, heat mask, lid hygiene and Omega-3s. This includes advanced therapies like Ikervis, LipiFlow, meibomian gland expression, BlephEx, Zest, punctal plugs, scleral lenses, and amniotic membrane therapy.
Mildura Optical
89 Langtree Ave, Mildura 3500
Emily Chatterton
P (03) 5023 2419
W milduraoptical.com.au
IPL, Zest, warm compress therapy and expression, punctal plugs, and lacarimal lavage.
OPSM
Bourke St
384-386 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000
P (03) 9606 0479
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Chadstone 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone 3148
P (03) 9563 1872
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Cheltenham Southland
1239 Nepean Hwy, Cheltenham VIC 3192
P (03) 9584 3404
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Dandenong
Cnr Mccrae St and Walker St, Dandenong 3175 P (03) 9792 1383
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Doncaster 619 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster 3108 P (03) 9848 3299
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Altona Meadows
Shop 43 & 44 Central Square Altona Meadows
Shopping Centre, 1 Central Ave, Altona Meadows 3028
Lu Liu
P (03) 9315 6340
... not a dry eye in sight
Bairnsdale
23 Bailey St Bairnsdale 3875
Duc Tri (Vincent) Vu P (03) 5153 2333
Bendigo
G038 Bendigo Marketplace 116-120 Mitchell St
Bendigo 3550
Kwang Hui (John) Chieng
P (03) 5441 4235
Bentleigh
433 Centre Rd Bentleigh 3204
Brendan Fitzpatrick P (03) 9557 8319
Brighton 2/52 Church St Brighton 3186
Hui Hau
P (03) 9553 8877
Chadstone
Shop G-124 Chadstone Shopping Centre 1341
Dandenong Rd Chadstone 3148
Elaine Yee Lun Chung P (03) 9563 2976
Cheltenham West
Shop 1004 & 1005 Westfield Southland 1239
Nepean Hwy Cheltenham 3192
Kamyar (Kam) Kabiri
P (03) 9585 6811
Chirnside Park (IPL-only, no LLLT)
Shop L01 619/621 Chirnside Park Shopping Centre 239-241 Maroondah Hwy Chirnside Park
Keryn Wallace
P (03) 9727 1111
Cranbourne
Shop 129 Cranbourne Park High St Cranbourne 3977
Matthew Dang
P (03) 5995 5388
Deer Park
Shop T070A/72 Brimbank Central Shopping Centre Cnr Neale & Station Rds Deer Park 3023
Gurinder Singh Sangha P (03) 9360 4444
Eltham
968 Main Rd Eltham 3095
Harrison Weisinger
P (03) 8407 8277
Epping
Shop 8/9 Pacific Epping Shopping Centre Cnr
High & Cooper St Epping 3076
Kerry Matthews
P (03) 8405 3655
Forest Hill
Shop 101 Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre 270 Canterbury Rd Forest Hill 3131
Gang (Steven) Bian P (03) 9878 9677
Geelong Bay City
Shop 2256/8 Westfield Geelong 95 Malop St
Geelong 3220
Kalp Shah P (03) 5221 4215
Keysborough
Shop L01 S05/S06 Parkmore Shopping Centre
317 Cheltenham Rd Keysborough 3173
Stephanie Jean Park
P (03) 9706 3288
Mornington
106 Main St Mornington 3931
Bernard Waydart Chung
P (03) 5975 5689
Point Cook
Shop 422 Stockland Point Cook Town Centre Cnr
Main St and Murnong St Point Cook 3030
Phuong Linh (Mandy) Dang
P (03) 8375 2044
Traralgon
70 Seymour St Traralgon 3844
Josie Brock P (03) 5174 5700
Warrnambool
1/147 Liebig St Warrnambool 3280
Mehul Patel
P (03) 5561 3796
Wendouree
Shop 75A Stockland Wendouree Cnr Norman & Gillies St Wendouree 3355
Dry eye assessments, IPL, Blephasteam, Belphadex, and therapeutic prescriptions.
Wicks Eyecare
870 Old Calder Hwy, Keilor 3036
Michael Wicks
P (03) 9449 3555
W wickseyecare.com.au
A wide range of therapeutic treatment options for dry eye disease including topical eye medications, tear film supplements, oral supplement medications, IPL, and LLLT.
Yarra Ranges Optical
55 Main Rd, Monbulk 3793
Murray Nagle
P (03) 9756 6626
W yarrarangesoptical.com.au
Opening a new dedicated dry eye clinic at 55 Main Rd Monbulk, to supplement our established primary practice of 25 years at 69 Main Rd, Monbulk.
QUEENSLAND
Best Practice Eyecare
35 Bulcock St, Caloundra 4551
Dr Michael Karpa
P (07) 5492 2822
W bestpracticeeyecare.com.au
Dry eye consultations with our clinical optometrist. Three treatment options: IPL, Forma-I radiofrequency and BlephEx.
Central Ophthalmology
3-4/10-18 Pikki St, Maroochydore 4556
James Walker
P (07) 5221 9191
W centralophthalmology.com.au
Comprehensive assessment including meibography and tear film analysis. Eye specialist oversight. Latest LLLT.
Clarity Optometrists
1/134 Oxford St, Bulimba 4171
Irma Sator P (07) 3899 4044
W clarityoptom.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy
Blephasteam.
Dry Eye Solution - Brisbane (opening early 2026)
Address to be announced, Brisbane 4000
P 1800 766 843
W dryeyesolution.com.au
World-leading Toyos Protocols with advanced diagnostics and leading-edge combined treatments, individually tailored – no two alike. Integrating diet, stress management, skin care, and holistic support. Compassionate, results-driven care: your patients are fully supported on their wellness journey. Referrals welcome.
Elite Eyecare Runaway Bay
Shop 62 10/12 Lae Dr, Runaway Bay 4216
Tom Brimelow
P (07) 5528 8700
W eliteeyecare.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
Envision Optical
4B/7 Classic Way, Burleigh Waters 4220
Lyndon Ferguson P (07) 5593 7844
W envisionoptical.com.au
Comprehensive diagnostic assessments, and tailored treatment plans utilising medicines, IPL, LipiFlow and gland expression.
Eyecare Eyewear
87 Cunningham St, Dalby 4405
Tom Roger P 0411 233 157
W ecew.com.au
OptiLight IPL, Blephasteam, lid debridement and meibomian gland expression, and Zest eyelid clean.
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
George & Matilda Eyecare Bribie
Island
Shop 35, Bribie Island Central, 239-255
Goodwin Dr, Bongaree 4507
Emmanuel Arehia
P (07) 3410 0075
W georgeandmatilda.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy Blephasteam.
H2 Vision Centres
7/ 11-19 Chancellor Village Blvd, Sippy Downs 4556
Tracy Hills
P (07) 5353 5080
W h2visioncentres.com.au
Comprehensive one hour dry eye assessment, diagnosis and report to all referral partners. If required, heat mask, lid debridement, meibomian gland expression and IRPL.
Heron Eyecare
147 Russell St, Toowoomba 4350
Hugh Bradshaw & Adam Barron
P (07) 4639 2378
W heroneyecare.com.au
Comprehensive dry analysis and treatment with meibography, IPL, Rexon-Eye, and other treatments.
Insight Optometrists
37 Station Rd, Indooropilly 4068
Craig Laundon
P (07) 3878 2655
W insightoptom.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including BlephEx & device-based therapies IPL Blephasteam.
iSight Specialists Townsville
13-15 Martinez Ave, West End 4810
Dr William Talbot
P (07) 4755 1633
W isighttownsville.com.au
Intensive dry eye treatments including Blephasteam in our dedicated dry eye clinic.
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam
Oculuxe by The Eye Health Centre
Level 11, 87 Wickham Tce, Brisbane 4000
Jason Holland
P (07) 3831 8606
W theeyehealthcentre.com.au
Advanced diagnostic and dry eye treatment services offered in a modern and luxurious clinic. Treatments: OptiLight IPL, EyeLight LLLT, Rexon-Eye, BlephEx, Zest, Rinsada, lavage, punctal plugs, and amniotic membranes.
OPSM
Carindale
Shop 1105 Westfield Shopping Centre, 1151 Creek, Carindale 4152
P (07) 3398 7553
Blephex, IPL.
Darwin Casuarina
247 Trower Rd, Darwin 0810
P (08) 8927 9377
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Fairfield Gardens
Shop 6 Fairfield Gardens Shopping Centre, Cnr Fairfield Rd and Brougham St, Fairfield 4103
P (07) 3846 0527
IPL.
Pacific Fair
2 Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach 4218
P (07) 5570 6204
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Rockhampton
Yaamba Rd and Bruce Hwy, Rockhampton 4701
P (07) 4928 0022
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
OPTIKO Fortitude Valley
Shop 4, 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley 4006
Shauna Tan
P (07) 3257 7281
W optiko.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy IPL.
Advanced dry eye practice including device-based therapy IPL.
Somerville and Merrin Optometrists
The Range Shopping Centre, 11 James St, Rangeville 4350
John Merrin
P (07) 4659 9599
W smnoptometrists.com.au
We offer a full range of eye drops for dry eye. OCULUS dry eye assessment equipment, IPL, Blephasteam treatment, plus a range of take home heat pads.
Specsavers
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Bribie Island
Shop 23 Bribie Island Shopping Centre, 239-255 Goodwin Dr, Bribie Island 4507
Craig Steven Muller
P (07) 3475 3070
Capalaba
Shop 91A/92 Capalaba Park Shopping Centre, Cnr Mt Cotton & Redland Bay Rd, Capalaba 4157
Tailored dry eye treatments including custom lubricants, prescribed anti-inflammatory drops, Blephasteam with lid expression, LLLT (red light), IPL, and punctal plugs –advanced solutions for chronic dry eye.
Vision Optics
95 Vulture St, West End 4101
Andrew Angeli
P (07) 3844 1556
W visionoptics.com.au
Advanced dry eye practice including BlephEx, lacrimal lavage and punctal plugs, and device-based therapies IPL and Blephasteam.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Alleve Eye Clinic
49A Stephen Tce, St Peters 5069
Jennifer Rayner
P (08) 7225 9798
W alleveeyeclinic.com.au
In-rooms expression, IPL, cold laser therapy, Optimel, ciclosporin, punctal plugs, oral/topical tetracycline/ azithromycin, lid hygiene, Omega-3 and dietary supplementation, advice on lifestyle risk factors, plus full dry eye diagnostics.
Eyre Eye Centre
22 Liverpool St, Port Lincoln 5606
Tamra Karolewicz
P (08) 8682 4566
W eyreeyecentre.com.au
Environmental modification education, therapeutic contact lenses, therapeutic endorsement, IPL, meibography, all forms of lubrication, and punctal plugs.
Innovative Eye Care
W innovativeeyecare.com.au
Comprehensive work-up in clinic, in-house treatment program and at-home regime. In house: Blephasteam, IPL, Zest, BlephEx, expressions, punctal plugs, bandage contact lenses. At-home: access to range of products for lubricants and lid hygiene therapies.
Adelaide
300 Wakefield St, Adelaide 5000
Wes Butler P (08) 8231 9341
Henley Beach
330 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach 5022
Pooja Amin
P (08) 8445 9050
OPSM – Adl North Adelaide
67 O'Connell St North Adelaide 5006 P (08) 8239 0400
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Specsavers
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Shop 15-17, Victor Central Shopping Centre, 77 Torrens St, Victor Harbor 5211
Babara Vermeulen
P (08) 8552 8522
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Abernethy Owens Optometrists
2/39 Adelaide Street, Fremantle 6160
Gavin Swartz
P (08) 9335 5866
W abernethyowens.com.au
Comprehensive assessment of dry eye disease including meibography. Treatments include IPL, LipiFlow and gland expression, as well as a comprehensive range of tear supplements.
Heat therapy and lid massage, steam therapy, red light therapy, NuLids Pro lids and lash cleaning, meibomian gland expression, take home therapies,and supplements.
Eyes@Optometry
1/9 Mardo Ave, Australind 6233
Lauren Sears
P (08) 9796 1966
W eyesatoptometry.com.au
Comprehensive dry eye assessment using OCULUS Keratograph 5M, treatments including punctal plugs, Blephasteam, meibomian gland expression, TearStim IPL, and BlephEx. Selling a range of dry eye products including DRYeye Forte, heat masks (microwave and USB), tea tree foaming cleaner, and Cationorm.
For Eyes Optometrist
158 High St, Fremantle 6160
Adrian Rossiter
P (08) 9335 3433
W foreyes.com.au
Diagnostics: tear film osmolarity, non-invasive tear break up time, infrared imaging of the meibomian glands, sodium fluorescein and lissamine green anterior eye exam and digital imaging tear volume assessment. Treatments: IPL, heat mask, Omega-3 supplements, meibomian gland expression and eyelid debridement, and punctal plugs. Therapeutically-endorsed practitioners can prescribe a range of appropriate medications.
DIRECTORY Dry Eye
OPSM – Midland Gate
Shop 25 Midland Gate Shopping Centre, 274 Great Eastern Hwy, Midland 6056 P (08) 92743565
LM Low-level Light and OPE IPL.
Specsavers
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Armadale
Shop 15 Armadale Central Shopping Centre, 10 Orchard Ave, Armadale 6112
49 Wilson St, Burnie 7320 Nhi Nguyen P (03) 6432 2608
W specsavers.com.au/burnie
Optometrist provides personalised dry eye therapies to meet the needs of the patient. Treatments may include eye drops, medication, IPL or LLLT. If necessary, referral for surgery can be made.
Total Eyecare Optometrists
99 Macquarie St, Hobart 7000
Andrew Koch P 0428 347 391
W totaleyecare.com.au
Dry eye assessment, nutritional recommendations, eye drops and tear gland stimulation and renewal procedures using Rexon-Eye QMR technology.
... not a dry eye in sight
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Compliance with patching for amblyopia can be an issue, for both young and older children. But a company in Israel believes it may have the answer in a new device now available in Australia that kids will find hard to put down.
Many parents will know that children can be fussy eaters. Unwanted vegetables can hit the floor with lightning speed.
But they also know that the trick is often to disguise these important dietary additions in something else the child likes.
The treatment of amblyopia, or lazy eye, in children can meet similar levels of resistance and outright rejection.
Patching is considered the gold standard treatment to help strengthen the weaker eye and bring a child’s vision to better balance, but compliance can be a problem, with many children ripping off the patch early in the process because of discomfort or stigma, mainly with older children, meaning both parents and eyecare professionals are unable to fully monitor compliance.
NovaSight, an Israeli medical device company, believes it has developed a powerful solution to not only treat children with amblyopia but also monitor that treatment – to the second.
It has created CureSight, a device with eye-tracking technology, that is distributed in Australia by BOC Instruments.
Children simply watch their favourite content on the CureSight device for 90 minutes, five days a week, while wearing dedicated anaglyph (red-blue) treatment glasses. The treatment is hidden in what, for many kids, is a popular, fun and engaging
activity, which enhances their compliance.
The content on the screen is split into separate red and blue channels, one for each eye, and the eye-tracking technology within the device, that is incorporated with its treatment algorithms, blurs the central visual area of the good, dominant eye, according to the child’s momentary gaze position.
“You have to teach both eyes to work together, and we can do it by blocking only the central visual area of the non-amblyopic eye,” says NovaSight chief scientific officer Dr Oren Yehezkel, who holds a PhD in neuroscience, specialising in binocular vision, and a BSc in optometry.
“So in that way, the periphery of both eyes remains clear, allowing them to cooperate, and by that the brain is taught to use both eyes simultaneously.”
Studies in Israel, backed by research in China and the US, show that this can be
an effective treatment – more on that later – but possibly even more powerful is the eye-tracking technology’s ability to monitor the child’s engagement with the content and compliance with the treatment.
Professor Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe is a paediatric ophthalmologist, head of the paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus service at the Sheba Medical Centre in Israel and president of the International Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Council.
She also conducts clinical studies for NovaSight.
“I think the gold standard for amblyopia treatment is occlusion, where you put a patch on the eye,” she says. “In some countries that can also involve atropine drops to the dominant eye.
“We know from the studies that adherence of patching in the first six weeks is about 40% to 60%, and that the
Dr Oren Yehezkel (left) helped develop the technology; Prof Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe (right) has conducted clinical trials to test CureSight.
CureSight uses anaglyph (red-blue) treatment glasses plus eye-tracking technology and algorithms to treat and track progress with children.
Images: NovaSight.
biggest improvement with patching is in the first three months of treatment, and then compliance goes down to 30%, so adherence is a big, big issue with patching.”
The other issue is monitoring of that treatment.
“When someone comes in, we don't know if they didn't improve because they didn't patch, or non-compliance, or they didn't improve because they have an earlier or deeper form of amblyopia, which is harder to treat.”
But her studies in Israel, involving 103 children aged four to nine – supported by similar research elsewhere – show a 95% compliance rate with CureSight.
The company is able to back this up because of its eye-tracking technology.
“We know, by the second, how long the child is being treated,” says Dr Yehezkel. “If they use the treatment glasses we monitor it, and if they don't look at the screen, we know it and we notify the parents.”
By we, he means a dedicated monitoring centre that tracks the child’s usage in real time and prepares reports for both the parents and the eyecare professional, who combines that data with regular measurements of visual acuity to track progress.
"The CureSight device can have a demonstrable impact on that visual acuity and stereo acuity as well as compliance,"
says Prof Wygnanski-Jaffe.
The Israel trials went for 16 weeks and showed an average improvement of 2.8 lines on a standard eye chart at distance, 1.3 lines improvement of binocular treatment, and a median improvement of stereoacuity from 200 to 60 arcseconds.
She was impressed by that improvement, but even more so that it was sustained in follow-up checks.
“We wanted to show that at one year, the improvement was sustainable, and we did.
“One of the most interesting findings was that those children that were cured of amblyopia, with less than one-line difference between the dominant eye and the amblyopic eye, had no change for the worse at one year – some actually changed for the better with getting older and visual skills being enhanced.
“I think that was a significant finding, and something that surprised me and gave me a lot of confidence in CureSight.”
As successful as the trials have been, Prof Wygnanski-Jaffe doesn’t believe the technology will be for everyone, and she doesn’t see it completely replacing patching.
“I don't think that patching is not a good treatment, and some people prefer it, but there should also be other modes of treatment. Just like when you have a headache, you don't have to take home the
aspirin, you have other medications.
“That's a discussion we have with the families,” she says. “What do they prefer? We tell them they can patch, and we also tell them that there are other options, like atropine drops and binocular treatment such as CureSight.”
She has seen a lot of interest from fellow eyecare professionals in prescribing CureSight as either an alternative or add on to patching, or even a complete switch to the new technology.
“We observed clinical evidence in real life, and found that children who were previously resistant to patching, demonstrated visual improvement after undergoing binocular treatment with CureSight.”
Since launching CureSight in early 2023, the company has had more than 3,000 patient referrals in the US, Italy, Portugal, Israel, Singapore and China.
In Australia, if CureSight is prescribed and the parents agree, BOC Instruments sends the device to the optometrist or ophthalmologist, including a six-month activation code.
The practitioner can provide treatment in their rooms or rent out the device for home use. When the initial six-month code expires, the practitioner has an option to continue renewing it every month, or for another six-month period, which is more cost effective.
A long-term, winning relationship
When you’re an optometrist hundreds of kilometres and many hours away from other eyecare professionals, you need quality ophthalmic devices you can rely on. One remote practitioner believes she has that part well covered.
Eyre Eye Centre’s long relationship with ZEISS began with something of a challenge.
It was before they had established three South Australia practices in remote centres far from Adelaide, and long before taking on six optometrists and 12 support staff, all now with access to the very latest ophthalmic equipment.
Before all of that, they had one visiting ophthalmologist with a specific, expensive request.
Optometrist Ms Elise Pocknee-Clem was early in her journey towards multiple practice ownership.
She and husband Phil had not long purchased the Port Lincoln practice – their first. The practice was successful and they had good relationships with the two visiting ophthalmologists.
The retinal specialist of the pair came with a request: “He wanted to start doing intra-vitreal injections [IVI] in Port Lincoln but was unable to get the hospital to buy an OCT for him,” says Pocknee-Clem.
“He was also very specific that he wanted a Zeiss OCT so that the data was easily comparable to his own practice in Adelaide.”
So Pocknee-Clem and her husband agreed they would buy the Zeiss OCT and the opthalmologist would send his IVI patients to them before treatment.
Having the numbers from the specialist gave them the confidence to buy what was leading-edge technology – understood to be the first optometrist-owned OCT in South Australia at the time.
Not only did it help grow their patient base and further cement their business,
that purchase became an initial investment in a ZEISS ecosystem that is, more than two decades on, the beating heart of their enterprise and all three practices within.
Those practices are in Port Lincoln, Ceduna, and Whyalla, between five and eight hours from Adelaide and established ophthalmology services.
That means the practices see a large variety of significant vision issues and eye disease. And rather than test, treat and move patients on to ophthalmologists, often they are relied on to manage much of their patients’ healthcare journey.
“Because we're a rural location, obviously quite remote, we have only periodic visiting ophthalmology services, so the scope-of-
practice is very large,” says Pocknee-Clem.
“We perform a lot of emergency eyecare, including red eyes, foreign bodies, post-surgical issues and eye injuries.
“We also see and manage the full range of eye diseases, including neurological cases, so we'll liaise with ophthalmologists in order to save sending the patient seven or eight hours’ drive to Adelaide.”
That communication needs a common, easy-to-understand language.
And that’s where the practices’ array of ZEISS solutions comes to the fore.
“We have Clarus wide field cameras and CIRRUS OCTs, various models, and the Humphrey Visual Field analysers in each practice,” she says. “We also use the ZEISS Visuphor and VisuConsult refraction system in one practice.”
At the core of that ecosystem – helping to convert all of the data from the individual devices into usable, insightful information for practice, patient and professional – is ZEISS Forum software.
“We use techicians to do most of our ancillary testing, so data is transferred seamlessly between Optomate and Forum to ensure accuracy and save time.
“Technicians can then move straight into acquiring the OCT scans, taking photos and doing the visual field, before the patient sees the optometrist. And we then can bring up all their data in the consulting room at the push of a button.”
She says that makes the workflow more efficient, helps with clinical assessment and produces imaging and reports that help the patient better understand their condition and its progress.
Those reports and the data that supports them are valued by other professionals as well.
Like that first ophthalmologist who challenged the pair to invest in a ZEISS OCT, other professionals are familiar with the quality and accuracy of the company’s devices.
“With the ophthalmologists we work with closely, we can send them the data and images and then ask them for opinions or advice on how to manage the patient, which is quite different to just discussing over the phone,” says Pocknee-Clem.
“The quality is that good that it’s almost as if their own technician has performed it in their own practice.
“Then the confidence that they have in us, and the confidence that the patient has in us, is much greater.”
She is confident that she is sharing accurate and quality data because of the
Images: Eyre Eye Centre.
Elise Pocknee-Clem and husband Phil Clem have built a three-practice business, with the support of ZEISS and its quality devices.
Eyre Eye Centre’s practices are between five and eight hours’ drive from Adelaide and established ophthalmology services.
The quality of Eyre Eye Centre’s equipment has helped the practice retain patients and staff.
way the Forum platform works.
“It's all linked to Forum, so as long as the patient data is in Forum, then it pushes the patient details through to each bit of equipment. So Forum stores patient data and helps with communication between the devices.”
The breadth and depth of that data is one of the reasons why they have remained loyal with ZEISS, despite occasionally having their heads turned by other devices at various trade shows.
“We now have 20-25 years’ worth of data, which means it's not easy to shift,” Pocknee-Clem says, noting the importance
and managing chronic, progressive eye diseases.
The couple also have an excellent reputation with patients and the community because of their suite of top-of-the line ZEISS equipment.
“The patients notice it straight away,” she says. “They will say, ‘Oh, wow, you've got a lot of high-tech gear here’.”
The patients also notice the quality of the reports and treatment plans produced by that equipment.
“Their understanding is greater. You can educate them on conditions and therefore they're more likely to comply with their treatment.”
And come back. The quality of the equipment, aligned with the couple’s clear strategy to offer modern, well-designed facilities and spaces, is an attraction for staff as well.
Recruiting staff in the regions and remote centres is a challenge around Australia.
Pocknee-Clem says investing in quality ZEISS devices has given her practice an edge.
“In terms of advertising for staff, it makes a significant difference,” she says.
“If you've got good equipment, optometrists are much more likely to want to join and they will very much appreciate the equipment you've got.”
Join and stay.
“That's been a big part of attracting and retaining optometrists in recent years. Once optometrists have been in an environment that is attractive and well designed, with great equipment, good connectivity between the rooms – then it's very hard for them to leave.”
Pocknee-Clem understands that.
On top of the quality of the imaging, data and analysis, she’s impressed with the support from ZEISS, despite the remoteness of the couple’s three practices.
Part of that comes down to the relationship they have built with the company over the past two decades.
They too won’t be leaving any time soon.
A practical approach to AMD care
Dr ANGELICA LY and Dr MATT TRINH summarise key findings in their recent macular disease research, and offer some key take home messages for clinicians.
As clinician-researchers committed to advancing care for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we’ve had the privilege of leading or co-authoring four recent studies that explore how eyecare professionals can better predict, manage, and support patients living with AMD.1-4 These works span clinical imaging, risk modelling, artificial intelligence (AI), and patient education – each contributing to a more holistic, evidence-based approach to AMD care (Figure 1).
1. SIMPLIFYING RISK WITHOUT SACRIFICING ACCURACY
Early detection of progression to late AMD is key to preserving vision and reducing the burden on patients and healthcare systems. The age-related eye disease study (AREDS) simplified severity scale is recommended to estimate a patient’s risk of AMD progression based on retinal features.5 Last year, the scale was updated to include reticular pseudodrusen into risk categorisation, which improves accuracy but also adds complexity.6 The updated model requires observation of up to nine features across both eyes.
In our recent publication, we proposed an abridged version of the updated simplified AREDS risk model.1 By focusing on just four key features we arrive at similar risk estimates. This streamlined approach essentially halves the number of observations and ~doubles efficiency, focusing on one eye of interest (Figure 2). Key take home clinical message: To perform ‘simpler’ AMD risk prediction, firstly, assign one score per feature –large drusen, pigmentary abnormalities, or reticular pseudodrusen in the eye of interest, and late AMD in the fellow eye. The approximate risk of developing late AMD within three years increases based on the total score: Score 0 = 4%; Score 1 = 8%; Score 2 = 16%; Score 3 = 32%; Score 4 = 64%.
predict disease progression and tailor management. However, with more than 100 AMD biomarkers described to date, this can be overwhelming and impractical to apply in everyday practice.7 In this study, we evaluated the real-world performance of 10 key optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers for predicting late AMD, including quantification of their prevalence, ease-of-grading, time-to-conversion, and overall accuracy. 2 While some recently popular biomarkers, like nascent geographic atrophy and shallow irregular retinal pigment epithelium elevations, showed very high risk associations, they occurred infrequently or were difficult to grade reliably. Interestingly, pigmentary abnormalities detected via colour fundus photography was the single most useful biomarker for predicting late AMD, even more so than individual newer OCT biomarkers, likely owing to its relatively high prevalence and ease-of-grading. At least three additional OCT signs were required to significantly lift predictive accuracy, emphasising the need for automated, multimodal grading tools in future.
Key take home clinical message: Pigmentary abnormalities may be the strongest individual predictor of AMD progression, even amidst newer OCT biomarkers. But prepare for automated, multimodal tools in the future.
3. AI IN AMD: PROMISE, CAUTION, AND PRACTICALITY
The need for structured clinical risk scales discussed in the prior sections has arisen because AMD is often misdiagnosed, diagnosed or prognosticated too late,
retinal imaging (like fundus photos or OCT) show near-specialist accuracy in detecting and prognosticating AMD, but are not yet widely used in practice.10 Barriers like cost, trust, and data privacy concerns are slowing their adoption, and the specific challenges for implementing these tools in real-world eyecare remain unclear.11
We recently conducted a qualitative study exploring multi-stakeholder perspectives on AI for AMD diagnosis in Australia.3 Clinicians, patients, developers, and healthcare leaders collectively supported AI as a clinical decision support tool –particularly for remote detection and monitoring of neovascular AMD. However, they also emphasised the need for:
• Human oversight and shared decisionmaking
• Equity across socioeconomic and cultural groups
• Transparency in algorithm performance and data use
• Integration into existing workflows and patient management systems
Stakeholders envisioned a fee-for-service model for AI-supported diagnosis, with potential to improve access in rural and underserved communities. Yet, concerns about trust, false positives, and the risk of over-reliance on AI highlight the importance of cautious, evidence-based implementation.
Key take home clinical message: AI tools using retinal imaging show near-specialist accuracy in AMD diagnosis and prognostication, but their safe and effective adoption in clinical practice depends on addressing key barriers like trust, equity, and integration into existing care workflows.
4. EDUCATION MATTERS – ESPECIALLY EARLY ON
Finally, anti-VEGF injections, smoking cessation and nutritional supplements are
Dr Angelica Ly.
Dr Matt Trinh.
FIGURE 1. The four themes of AMD care covered in the authors' most recent peer-reviewed research (image generated by MS Copilot).
key strategies to slow AMD progression; however, many patients don’t follow recommended care. Over half skip supplements, and more than a third miss injection appointments.12,13 Poor communication and recall of care advice contribute to low adherence, highlighting the need for clearer patient education and support.14
In our recently-conducted randomised controlled trial of 125 participants with AMD, we compared enhanced education, using take-home pamphlets, posters, and tailored messaging, to standard care.4 The enhanced education focused on simple calls to action e.g., the main message used on the poster about nutritional supplements was: ‘Save your vision. If you have intermediate AMD, take your eye supplements every day’.
While overall confidence in AMD-related care did not differ significantly between groups, patients diagnosed within the past five years showed a meaningful improvement in confidence when exposed to targeted educational materials. This suggests that education, within five years of diagnosis, can positively shape patient attitudes and potentially influence care-seeking behaviour.
Key take home clinical message: Timing matters in eye health education. While this form of enhanced education didn’t boost confidence across all patients – for patients
FIGURE 2. An example of three-year simpler risk scores proposed. (A) The risk scoring model system and its (B) corresponding cumulative risk score curves for conversion to late AMD (for model #6, reproduced with permission from M Trinh et al).1 Assigning one score for each risk factor, the projected three-year risks (scores 0–4) were ≈4%, 8%, 16%, 32%, and 64%.
diagnosed with AMD in the last five years, it made a clinically meaningful difference. This highlights the importance of tailoring education to the stage of diagnosis using simple calls to action.
LOOKING AHEAD
Together, these studies highlight the importance of integrating clinical imaging, simplified risk stratification, AI, and patient education into AMD care. Pigmentary abnormalities remain a cornerstone of AMD prognostication, but the future lies in automated, multimodal clinical decision support tools that enhance without
diminishing clinician judgment. Meanwhile, empowering patients with timely, relevant information is essential for fostering engagement and adherence.
As AMD care evolves, so must our models and methods. The goal is not just to predict progression accurately, but to support patients holistically. With further validation and thoughtful implementation, these findings could help shape a future where AMD care is not only more accurate, but more accessible and compassionate.
NOTE: Disclosures, acknowledgments and references will appear in the online version of this article, and are available upon request.
Unlock Full Visual Range With High Visual Quality
Ophthalmic eyes turn to Melbourne
One of the biggest events of the ophthalmic calendar is ramping up for November, with innovative new sessions planned for the Victoria gathering.
One-on-one coaching sessions, a deep dive into the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and a morning-tea session for female medical students are among the new offerings at the RANZCO Congress 2025.
The event is being held in Melbourne and will run over four days – November 14-17.
Organisers say that the innovative program for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists event, which will also include the “wildly popular” Clinical Controversies session, had already attracted more than 900 registrations at time of writing.
“Compared to last year we are up 5%,” they told Insight, “and sponsorship and exhibition inquiries have exceeded targets.”
They urged those keen to attend to register soon.
That increased level of interest had positively impacted on other areas of the event.
“We have seen record numbers of course submissions, as well as papers, posters and films,” organisers say.
They say speakers invited to the congress will be a highlight for many.
“Ophthalmologist and researcher Professor Gus Gazzard is quite a big name in glaucoma, being the lead author of the LiGHT study which has transformed open angle glaucoma management globally.
“Ms Clare Bailey has done a lot of work on diabetic screening in the NHS [National Health Service].
“Also of note are Professor Anders Behndig for cataract and Associate Professor Daniel Vitor Vasconcelos-Santos for uveitis, who is also known as a toxoplasmosis guru.”
Beyond those speakers and many others there will be plenty of other opportunities for people to learn and advance their careers, including
a full-day CPD workshop on Friday 14 November.
The organisers believe the congress will appeal to a broad cross-section of specialists, surgeons and others in the ophthalmic community.
“The RANZCO Congress provides an opportunity to hear about advances and updates from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally across all specialties, rather than just one focus. So it's great for both generalists and subspecialists, and a great opportunity to catch up with colleagues and those in the industry.”
For those unable to make it to Melbourne, all sessions held in the Plenary Hall of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre event will be live-streamed.
Those remote delegates will also get access to all lectures, which will be recorded and made available after the congress has finished.
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is the venue for RANZCO Congress 2025.
THE POWER OF 3
The Beginning of the Interventional Glaucoma Revolution infinite possibilities
Brought to you by the founder of MIGS, iStent infinite® is built on the #1 MIGS platform worldwide and is designed to provide powerful technology that delivers foundational, 24/7, long-term IOP control in glaucoma patients on ocular hypertensive medications, including those who have failed prior medical and surgical intervention1. iStent infinite® can be performed in combination with cataract surgery or as a standalone procedure
REFERENCE
1. Glaukos Data on File.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
INDICATION FOR USE. The iStent infinite® Trabecular Micro-Bypass System Model iS3 is intended to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) currently treated with ocular hypertensive medication. The device can be implanted with or without cataract surgery. CONTRAINDICATIONS. The iStent infinite System is contraindicated under the following circumstances or conditions: In eyes with primary angle closure glaucoma, or secondary angle-closure glaucoma, including neovascular glaucoma, because the device would not be expected to work in such situations; In patients with retrobulbar tumor, thyroid eye disease, Sturge-Weber Syndrome or any other type of condition that may cause elevated episcleral venous pressure. WARNINGS. Gonioscopy should be performed prior to surgery to exclude congenital anomalies of the angle, PAS, rubeosis, or conditions that would prohibit adequate visualisation that could lead to improper placement of the stent and pose a hazard. MRI INFORMATION. The iStent infinite is MR-Conditional, i.e., the device is safe for use in a specified MR environment under specified conditions; please see Directions for Use (DFU) label for details. PRECAUTIONS. The surgeon should monitor the patient postoperatively for proper maintenance of IOP. Three out of 61 participants (4.9%) in the pivotal clinical trial were phakic. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the clinical performance of the device may be different in those who are phakic versus in those who are pseudophakic. ADVERSE EVENTS. The most common postoperative adverse events reported in the iStent infinite pivotal trial included IOP increase ≥ 10 mmHg vs. baseline IOP (8.2%), loss of BSCVA ≥ 2 lines (11.5%), ocular surface disease (11.5%), perioperative inflammation (6.6%) and visual field loss ≥ 2.5 dB (6.6%). CAUTION. Please see DFU for a complete list of contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events.
Callender, a speaker, trainer, award-winning author and artist, will be “looking beyond procedures and diagnoses to explore the unseen force shaping every patient interaction: language".
RETINA UPDATE LECTURE CLARE BAILEY
Miss Bailey, a consultant ophthalmologist at Bristol Eye Hospital since 2001, will describe various approaches used within the UK National Health Service to help with capacity pressures facing medical retina services.
CATARACT UPDATE LECTURE
PROF ANDERS BEHNDIG
Prof Behndig, professor at the Department of Clinical Sciences/Ophthalmology, Umeå University Hospital, will provide an overview of where we stand today in terms of cataract surgical indications, techniques and outcomes and biometry/IOL calculations.
THE COUNCIL LECTURE
PROF CELIA CHEN
Prof Chen, a clinical professor with University of South Australia and academic professor at Flinders University, will evaluate the feasibility of the novel treatment option of thrombolytics in the treatment of acute central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).
GLAUCOMA UPDATE LECTURE
PROF GUS GAZZARD
Prof Gazzard, chief investigator of the six-year (£2.5m, 718 subject) multi-centre LiGHT trial of SLT, will examine the evidence for the move towards ever earlier surgery, in reaction to the older ‘drops and more drops then trab-as-a-last-resort’ treatment pathway, with some even proposing ‘MIGS’ surgery as a primary therapy; and he will propose ‘non-incisional glaucoma care’ as the first stage of any ‘interventional glaucoma pathway’.
ONCOLOGY UPDATE LECTURE
PROF MANDEEP S. SAGOO
Prof Sagoo, professor of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, will cover the use of imaging to differentiate choroidal naevus from melanoma, and how imaging is incorporated into the TFSOM and MOLES systems for classifying melanocytic choroidal lesions.
THE NORMAN MCALISTER GREGG LECTURE
PROF DINESH SELVA
Prof Selva, appointed to the foundation chair of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Adelaide in 2004, will cover a clinical or basic science topic that has clinical relevance and may cover some facet of work not previously published.
THE FRED HOLLOWS LECTURE
DR SANDRA STAFFIERI
Dr Staffieri AO, the retinoblastoma care co-ordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital, will discuss the timely diagnosis and access to treatment for retinoblastoma, the most survivable of all childhood cancers.
CORNEA UPDATE LECTURE
DR RADHIKA TANDON
Dr Tandon, professor of ophthalmology, head of cornea, cataract and refractive surgery, ocular oncology and low vision services unit at Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, will provide an overview of the most impactful and exciting advancements in corneal disease management, with an emphasis on personal practical real-world experience.
UVEITIS UPDATE LECTURE
A/PROF DANIEL VITOR VASCONCELOS-SANTOS
Dr Vasconcelos-Santos, a tenured associate professor and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology at UFMG School of Medicine, will provide an update on ocular toxoplasmosis, dissecting its importance as the main etiology of infectious posterior uveitis worldwide and an important cause of visual disability in endemic areas.
DAME IDA MANN MEMORIAL LECTURE
A/PROF ANDREA VINCENT
A/Prof Vincent, the first molecular ophthalmologist clinician-scientist in New Zealand, will provide an overview of the spectrum of inherited eye diseases observed in the New Zealand population, specifically in the New Zealand Māori and Pacific Peoples.
PRESERVATIVEFREE OPTIONS FOR D RY EYE
AFT Pharmaceuticals has a significant presence in the dry eye space, offering a range of preservative-free options such as HYLO Forte, HYLO Fresh, and Opti-Soothe heat mask and eyelid wipes.
NovaTears will again be a major focus of the AFT Pharmaceuticals stand at RANZCO 2025.
In Australia and New Zealand, AFT also supplies NovaTears + Omega-3, a variation of the original NovaTears eye drop that contains concentrated, high-quality Omega-3 of plant origin to provide lubrication and protection for dry and irritated eyes with the added benefits of Omega-3.
Booth: 159
3D VISUALISATION EXPERIENCE ON OFFER
Bausch + Lomb is encouraging congress attendees to visit and see – and feel – the difference with its latest fully 3D visualisation system, SeeLuma. Hear from its experienced staff how this can change the way you and your team operate.
It is also featuring the enVista Envy, where cutting edge technology has resulted in a full range of vision that has a significantly lower rate of severe dysphotopsias compared with other lenses on the market.
“See us to learn how your patients can flourish at every step,” says B+L.
It will also have its range of surgical and non-surgical pharmaceutical products on display.
To get more in-depth knowledge about enVista Envy, visit B+L's breakfast symposium on Sunday morning. People keen to know more can register on the Congress website or ask their B+L representative to keep them advised.
Booth P6 (88-93)
LUMIBIRD MEDICAL OFFERING ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
The combined Ellex | Quantel Medical product portfolios offer a suite of advanced treatment solutions to drive greater value to its ophthalmologist customers.
EXHIBITORS
EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY
Ready to take the leap towards more physiological IOP? 1-4
If so, Alcon encourages you to visit its booths and discover how UNITY VCS CS is providing superior efficiency in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery.*1,5-8
Alcon's equipment managers and vitreoretinal specialists will be on hand to guide people through its latest innovations and answer questions.
Alcon is showcasing key products and activities that push boundaries and elevate surgical outcomes, and it encourages attendees to not miss this chance to explore cutting-edge technology and connect with experts who are passionate about advancing eyecare.
Note: References available on request.
Booth: P3, 15-17
PORTABLE VR SYSTEM TO SHINE ON BOC BOOTH
BOC Instruments, a well-established supplier and service provider for the national ophthalmc sector, will have a suite of reputable equipment on display at RANZCO.
The company’s range includes Frey slit lamps, retinal cameras, Optovue OCTs, hand-held autorefractors, chairs and stands, innovative dry eye products and acuity charts, plus more.
“We shall be demonstrating an evolution in visual field testing with the VF2000 NEO virtual reality portable field tester with eye tracking,” the company says. “This innovative device provides unsurpassed accuracy and efficiency at exceptional value as also includes abundant additional vision-testing features.”
According to BOC, the VF2000NEO is extremely compact, and can be used anywhere. It provides the same reliability as the “gold standard”. The device is supplied complete with a tablet PC. Test reports can be uploaded up to the cloud and accessed remotely through the user’s unique portal.
Lumibird Medical encourages those at RANZCO Congress 2025 to visit its booth to discover more on its range of multi-modality YAG lasers, including the latest Reflex Technology platforms spotlighting PROcap, and also its retinal laser portfolio, providing some of the most advanced treatment solutions, covering a broad range of pathologies.
Booth: 14-17
Booth: 157
GLAUKOS HOSTING PANEL DISCUSSION: MIGS VS MIBS
Practitioners navigating the expanding landscape of glaucoma surgical options are invited by Glaukos to attend an interactive evening with leading glaucoma specialists as they explore the nuances between MIGS and MIBS.
The event will be in the Woodside Room at the Pan Pacific Melbourne (2 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf) on Friday, 14 November, between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. Dinner will be provided.
The panel discussion, titled Who, When, and Why: Matching the Right Patient to the Right Procedure, will feature moderator Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, Dr David Manning, and Dr Judy Ku.
Those interested are encouraged to reserve their spot.
Booth: 122
Image: AFT Pharmaceuticals.
Image: Alcon.
Image:
Bausch + Lomb.
Image: BOC Instruments.
Image: Glaukos.
Image: Ellex.
OCULUS HD Disposable LenZ –For
single-use on the ZEISS RESIGHT ®
• Perfect view in every case
Single-use means no scratches or opacities
• Always sterile
Minimizes risk of infection and cross-contamination
• Always available on the spot
Increase your O.R. capacity utilization
INNOVATING FOR HEALTHIER TOMORROW
Johnson & Johnson Vision understands sight is precious. Sight is a key component in the way many people experience the world, learn, and remember. It’s what they fear losing the most. The company says Vision Made Possible is dedicated to solving the vision needs of today while innovating for a healthier sustainable tomorrow. Its vision is to help people see better, connect better, live better. With health at its core, and with a history of innovation firsts, it says it is uniquely positioned to reimagine the future of eye health and deliver a portfolio of solutions to transform patients’ lives. Believing in the power of collaboration, it is working with others to advocate, educate, and expand global access to care. It would love a chance to catch up at RANZCO Congress 2025 in Melbourne.
Booth 106-111
OPTOS SHOWCASES IMAGING INNOVATION
Optos will be showcasing its latest imaging innovations at RANZCO Congress 2025, including the California and Silverstone devices.
It says the California device captures up to 200° of the retina in a single image, supporting earlier detection and monitoring of retinal disease. With Silverstone, it says it has taken this a step further by combining ultra-widefield imaging with OCT, giving practitioners the ability to seamlessly assess peripheral pathology and macular detail in one patient session.
EXHIBITORS
NEW PENTACAM CORNEA OCT AND HANDSFREE SURGICAL GONIO LENS
Ophthalmix says it is proud to attend the 2025 RANZCO Congress in Melbourne, showcasing the latest in ophthalmic diagnostics and surgical technologies.
As the exclusive Australian distributor of OCULUS, Ophthalmix will highlight the renowned Pentacam suite and introduce the new OCULUS Surgical GONIO CL lens, designed specifically to enhance visualisation in MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery) procedures.
LKC Technologies' handheld RETeval offers portable, objective ERG and VEP testing, ideal for in-clinic or remote diagnostics.
From Konan Medical, Ophthalmix brings advanced tools for perimetry, specular microscopy, colour vision testing, delivering precision in functional diagnostics.
Additionally, BVI Medical’s vitreo-retinal surgical range will be on display, and Inka Surgical Instruments made in Germany.
Booth: 95
RANZCO Congress 2025 will be one of the largest gatherings of ophthalmologists in the region, and the company says it is proud to be part of it.
It is keen to demonstrate how its technology can support better clinical decision-making, enhance patient engagement, and streamline workflows.
For more information visit optos.com/events.
Booth: 130
PLENTY ON DISPLAY FROM RAYNER
Rayner is a British company and the only manufacturer of intraocular lenses in the UK.
It offers a comprehensive range of ophthalmic products in Australia and New Zealand – IOLs, OVDs, the Sophi phaco system and HASA single-use instruments, as well as RayPRO – a comprehensive Patient Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) platform that allows clinics to gain essential data on patient outcomes which can be used to inform.
Rayner says its flagship IOL model is the RayOne EMV and EMV Toric – an increased range of vision IOL delivering up to 1.5 D of high-quality vision when used with an emmetropic target. The range of vision can be extended further with a customisable offset for enhanced monovision outcomes.
In 2024 Rayner launched the RayOne Galaxy Spiral IOL – a full range of vision, refractive IOL offering less halo and glare than diffractive optics. Galaxy is currently available in Australia but awaiting Prosthesis Listing.
Booth: 8-9
ALL ABOUT IMPROVED WORKFLOW, PATIENT OUTCOMES
ZEISS will be showcasing its integrated cataract, glaucoma, retina, and refractive workflow solutions at RANZCO Congress 2025.
Designed to seamlessly connect data and devices, these workflows aim to enhance clinical efficiency and support improved patient outcomes.
Attendees are encouraged to visit the ZEISS booth to experience how its innovative solutions can streamline processes and elevate ophthalmic care.
It says that, from diagnosis to treatment, its workflows are tailored to meet the demands of modern practices, helping clinicians deliver precise and effective care.
“Join us at RANZCO 2025 to explore the future of ophthalmology with ZEISS.”
Booth: P2
DISCOVER ICARE AND MORE WITH PARAGONCARE
Those visiting ParagonCare’s booths can explore its comprehensive portfolio of diagnostic and surgical solutions, including Nidek, Keeler, Volk, Tomey and more. All of which, are designed to deliver clinical value and practice growth.
ParagonCare will be showcasing the iCare diagnostic imaging range, the DRSplus and the EIDON family. These systems are recognised for sharp, detail-rich imaging, widefield capability, and automated operation, helping professionals increase throughput and strengthen diagnostic certainty, all while improving the patient experience. To coincide with RANZCO, the company is offering a special limited-time offer, available only until the conference ends.
Be sure to visit the ParagonCare team to experience the latest innovations and its extensive selection of ophthalmic solutions. ParagonCare is dedicated to supporting your clinic with cutting-edge technology and expert guidance to improve patient care and optimise clinic workflow.
Booths 66, 6
AN INVITATION TO ALL OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
Ophthalmologists are being encouraged to visit the Vision Hospital Group (VHG) booth to understand how the day hospital group can provide a new edge to their surgical work.
VHG says it prides itself on offering cutting-edge operating suites and specialist theatre teams in a seamless, well-managed environment.
With 11 day hospitals across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia, the network is “uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional care and optimal patient outcomes”, it says.
“Accommodating over 100 ophthalmologists who perform more than 33,500 procedures annually in our specialised facilities, excellence in eyecare is not just our aim – it’s our standard.
“If you’re an ophthalmologist seeking a day surgery with world-class patient satisfaction (as evidenced by our net promoter score), competitive fees, contracts with all major health funds, and flexible session options, visit our booth.”
Interested parties can also contact Ms Kylie Bennett, national director of nursing, at kylie.bennett@visionhospitalgroup.com.au or 0409 443 636.
Booth: 104
Image: Johnson & Johnson Vision.
Image: Optos.
Image: ParagonCare.
Image: Ophthalmix.
Image: Rayner.
Image:
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An IOL for others to Envy
An experienced eye surgeon who has managed many complex intraocular lens cases believes that lens exchanges for halos and dysphotopsia may soon be extremely uncommon thanks to the arrival of a powerful new design offering a full range of vision.
One of Dr Matthew Russell’s most challenging patients was a highly driven engineer with a demanding workload.
His daily tasks involved intricate visual demands – detailed computer work, extensive reading, and significant cognitive load. For him, even a slight reduction in visual quality could compromise his ability to work comfortably and without fatigue.
Adding to the complexity, the patient was myopic at -4.00 D and particularly sensitive to changes in vision quality. Dr Russell has been reluctant to use multifocal lenses on patients who were myopic with occupations that require high visual demands.
As he had done with many patients before, Dr Russell – an ophthalmologist in Queensland who subspecialises in refractive and cataract surgery – sat down with the engineer to explore his options and expectations. They discussed extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses, weighed alternative solutions, and considered the inevitable trade-offs, including the risk of dysphotopsias such as night-time glare and halos.
The chosen solution? Bausch + Lomb’s enVista Envy IOL.
“He elected to have multifocal implants, fully aware that adaptation might be difficult,” says Dr Russell, who practises at OKKO Eye Specialist Centre and VSON Laser Vision Specialists in Brisbane.
The result was remarkable.
“A highly motivated patient who has returned to night driving without difficulty
and is very satisfied with both his intermediate and distance vision.”
This outcome echoes the experience of nearly 40 other patients for whom Dr Russell has implanted the enVista Envy.
He admits to being pleasantly surprised – and excited – by the performance of this new hydrophobic acrylic lens, which B+L describes as a full-range-of-vision design. Despite its diffractive optics and the current buzz around EDOF technology, the enVista Envy is proving to be a strong contender.
Like Insight found with Western Australia’s Dr Rob Paul, he’s confident that it will become one of his go-to lenses for presbyopia correction.
That’s a pretty big statement from a surgeon who has experience with many different IOLs.
But Dr Russell’s confidence is supported by his own observations and the feedback from patients with the enVista Envy.
“Initial impressions are that the image quality for distance is significantly or noticeably better than the majority of other existing implants,” he says.
“I think that the range of focus between intermediate and near is more continuous than traditional trifocal implants.
“Also, the reading vision is excellent. The contrast sensitivity is good relative to other trifocal platforms, and that's where we see patients will report that the print that they're
“I'm excited about the fact that I know that patients are just going to be happier when I put this in their eye. I think it's going to improve our patient satisfaction.”
Dr Matthew Russell OKKO Eye Specialist Centre
reading is clear, the edges are clear.”
Night-time symptoms were not eliminated, he says, but reduced.
With patients implanted with the enVista Envy, “we definitely see that the intensity of the halos is significantly reduced”, he says.
“That's the number one benefit of that implant platform.”
That’s because the chief complaint among patients seeking out surgeons like Dr Russell for an IOL exchange is vision issues at night, including glare, halos and starburst.
He predicts surgeons using the enVista Envy will essentially be getting it right first time, with much less risk that unhappy patients will need to return to the operating table due to refractive surprises or sub-optimal outcomes.
“That is something that limits many surgeons using multifocals to a large degree, having to have the capacity to manage residual refractive error.
“We've got to have a method of managing that by doing laser vision correction, in up to 20% of eyes after surgery.”
That number may tumble with the enVista Envy, he says.
“There are going to be some cases that will require exchange, but we're anticipating the rate is going to be significantly lower. And that seems to be proven to be true from our colleagues’ experience in the US.”
That is one of the reasons he has elevated the enVista Envy in his inventory.
“I'm excited about the fact that I know that patients are just going to be happier when I put this in their eye,” he says. “I think it's going to improve our patient satisfaction.
“I would place this lens way above the traditional or previous platforms we've had available to us – it's going to be in my one or two go-to intraocular lenses for multifocal surgery going forward.”
Dr Matthew Russell has used Bausch + Lomb’s enVista Envy IOL in almost 40 surgeries.
Images: OKKO Eye Specialist Centre.
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A study in collaboration
In research, bigger is not always better. One ophthalmic research foundation has found that even small, more targeted studies can have significant, more profound impacts for both patients and professionals.
The not-for-profit Future Vision Foundation (FVF) was established in 2021 by Vision Eye Institute (VEI) to drive research that enhances outcomes for patients undergoing eye surgery while advancing innovation and best practice across the ophthalmic industry as a whole, ultimately raising the standard of care and the patient experience.
Since that launch and its first round of research funding released in 2022, it has funded nearly 40 projects.
Projects involving not only ophthalmologists but also nurses, orthoptists, optometrists and other support staff, both internal and external to VEI, many of whom have never undertaken research previously.
The foundation has two key aims – to advance patient care and outcomes; and also, to support the careers and clinical education of often young eyecare professionals who may either be intimidated by research or unsure how to advance an idea.
Those two key aims are encouraged by many within VEI, but three people in particular are integral to the foundation’s impact and evolution.
THE BOARD CHAIR
Associate Professor Tim Roberts doesn’t want to put people on the moon.
The VEI cataract and glaucoma subspecialist, clinical associate professor at the University of Sydney and consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Royal North Shore Hospital, certainly understands the value of such aims.
In fact, he’s contributed to some
of that lofty study himself, during a decades-long career in ophthalmology research, teaching and academia.
But he also understands the value of research with a smaller, tighter, more practical focus, which was why VEI sought out his services, after committing to more funding and resources for ophthalmic research.
He now leads a board with a range of clinical, commercial and research skills.
As Prof Roberts points out, the foundation has a good understanding of its strategy, and it’s not about “putting people on the moon.”
That is for other bigger funding institutions whose focus is high-level, multi-million-dollar research.
“We thought, how can we develop some niche skills, because a big part of all of
our practices has been to put time and money that we generate as surgeons back into patient care and research,” he says.
“So, it was a natural extension of that across the group.”
That group is not just the ophthalmologists, many of whom may be familiar with research.
“We've got over 500 staff, including a lot of clinical optometrists and orthoptists who work with us,” says Prof Roberts.
“And one of the things that came through loud and clear was that many technical staff see the surgeons doing a lot of research. They've had no experience in it, but they would love to actually learn how to conduct a study.”
So, the foundation encourages those staff to come up with clinical study proposals that are focused around patient care and improving processes.
“We've done some studies on understanding consent for refractive surgery, for different ways of discussing treatments, alleviating anxiety and more.”
In the previous round of funding, projects supported included assessment of how augmented and extended reality might enrich the patient and family educational experience, a review of how household energy optimisation strategies may have a secondary impact on dry eye, and an investigation of the patient discharge process to understand the current gaps in knowledge and improve this aspect of the patient journey.
They may not be at the same level as big randomised controlled trials, but they've been “incredibly valuable for
Images:
FVF.
A/Prof Tim Roberts and his board lead the strategy for the Future Vision Foundation.
patient care, and they've also been really valuable for teaching our broader clinical colleagues, optometrists and orthoptists research skills, how to come up with a study, how to design methodology, etc”.
Another person at VEI has played an important part in that.
THE RESEARCH CO-ORDINATOR
Dr Chris Hodge is chair of the foundation’s advisory committee. His committee makes recommendations to the board on which projects to fund and pursue.
Often those projects start as little more than ideas and observations, from people with little or no experience of research.
As VEI’s research co-ordinator, where necessary, Dr Hodge works with the applicant to “flesh out” the idea and ensure there is scientific rigour in both the proposal and the research process.
“I've become the liaison between the applicants and the advisory committee and then the board, so I follow the research right through,” he says.
“It's really starting that discussion. A lot of them come together with an idea but they don't really quite know how to take it through, identify the endpoints and a proper pathway. It's a little bit nebulous in their mind.”
Those with ideas from outside VEI are also encouraged to develop their proposals and collaborate with institute staff, but the goal is always to share results with the wider ophthalmic community through presentations, posters and published data.
That is something the board is keen to see, as part of its role in overseeing the prudent use of the foundation’s
for some.
funds and the return of investment in its research.
That means Dr Hodge must work with applicants to ensure the science and methodology is robust and appropriate.
He believes that return includes improved patient outcomes, a growth of knowledge that goes beyond the FVF, and simply the development of better healthcare professionals.
“The research makes you ask better questions, and I think that makes you a better clinician,” says Dr Hodge.
“At its heart, all of these projects have to benefit our patients; if we can introduce something that even makes a small difference, somehow, that's a fantastic outcome.”
Those “small differences” have led to tangible advances in understanding the role of many treatments for patients, better analysis of eye disease, and changes to how people approach conditions like keratoconus and corneal disease.
It has led to tangible advances for the researchers as well.
“The first successful grant can lay a foundation for the next, larger grant –track record is key and FVF can play a role here. We have been proud to see researchers develop current projects
into larger ideas and succeed in further grants and then take on new roles. This is really exciting to support.”
One person at VEI understands that evolution and the trepidation that can come from considering research as a young professional.
THE CEO
Ms Amanda Cranage began her career as an orthoptist, before moving into operational management and, eventually, the top leadership role at VEI.
“In my early days as a clinician, I’ll admit I found research somewhat intimidating,” she says.
“I would have valued the kind of mentorship that helps bridge the gap between clinical practice and research.”
Mentorship and financial support, because much of the research is done outside of the applicant’s important day job.
“A key part of this has been championing early-career researchers, providing them with funding, mentorship, and resources that are often difficult to access in the early stages of a career."
Like Prof Roberts and Dr Hodge, CEO Cranage sees the value of encouraging such research projects, for the patients, the professionals involved, and the institute.
“From the start, a core pillar of our approach has been the belief that a better understanding of research leads to better clinicians,” she says.
“Modest, targeted grants can generate valuable clinical and practical outcomes, whether that’s improving patient pathways, exploring new diagnostic approaches, or addressing service gaps that might otherwise be overlooked.
“We see these grants as both impactful in their own right and as stepping stones to larger opportunities, with early support providing the opportunity for researchers to move into new areas, secure further grants, or even progress into the ophthalmology program.”
For potential applicants, the message is clear, she says.
“Smaller, well-focused studies can be transformative, and the foundation is here to support that journey.”
Round four of the FVF is open until 20 October 2025. For more information head to the Foundation’s website https://futurevisionfoundation.com.au/.
“At its heart, all of these projects have to benefit our patients; if we can introduce something that even makes a small difference, somehow, that's a fantastic outcome.”
Dr Chris Hodge Vision Eye Institute
Vision Eye Institute CEO Amanda Cranage understands that research can be intimidating
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Enhancing the depth of focus in cataract surgery
As the baby boomer generation ages cataract surgeries are on the rise. And these patients now expect more than restored sight — they want vision that supports their daily life. Dr GRAHAM HAY-SMITH says optometrists play a key role in this process, guiding realistic expectations, ensuring informed referrals, and supporting their patients’ adaptation to modern EDOF technologies.
CABOUT THE AUTHOR:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the completion of this article, the reader should…
• Understand the role of extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lenses (IOLs) in modern cataract surgery.
• Differentiate between monofocal, multifocal, and EDOF IOL designs and their impact on patient outcomes.
• Apply clinical insights when counselling patients pre-surgically on refractive options and expected outcomes.
ataract surgery has evolved from a high-risk intervention to restore sight into a routine, yet transformative procedure that delivers excellent unaided vision in the aging eye. Aphakic spectacles, ubiquitous when I started my ophthalmology career, are now museum curiosities. Today, achieving 6/6 unaided vision is the expectation, and presbyopia management is a routine discussion in the surgeon’s clinic.
Ideally, this discussion should begin with the referring optometrist, many of whom have managed the patient for years. Often the optometrist is much more familiar with their patients’ lifestyle, personality, and visual demands. This insight is valuable when optimising the lens choice.
The aim of this article is to encourage optometrists to engage fully in the refractive outcomes of their patients’ cataract journey from the outset. The focus is on newer intraocular lenses (IOLs) designed to extend the range of vision – primarily in the context of monovision strategies – with the goal of reducing spectacle dependence (multifocal IOLs have been extensively discussed elsewhere and lenses not included on the Australian Prosthesis List are beyond the scope of this review).
The sheer variety of new lens platforms designed to extend the depth of focus, each with distinct optical properties and performance claims, reflects both the clinical utility and their rising popularity worldwide.
In response, manufacturers have introduced a variety of solutions to address a familiar challenge: how to optimise visual outcomes and patient satisfaction.
MONOVISION AS AN OPTION
Monovision predates multifocal IOLs and remains a versatile and well-established strategy. By targeting emmetropia in one eye and mild myopia in the fellow eye, patients can achieve an extended range of functional vision and reduce reliance on spectacles for near tasks and still achieve excellent distance vision without dysphotopsias.
In my practice, I use monovision instead of multifocals more often than in the past, for two principal reasons:
1. Changing visual demands: intermediate vision (50–150 cm) is now more important than traditional near vision (20-50 cm). Thirty years ago, vision was
judged by clarity at distance and the ability to read print at 25-30 cm. Daily life now demands clarity at arm’s length – for smartphones, tablets, computer screens, and modern car displays. A patient who can comfortably read N6 at 50 cm and use digital devices is usually highly satisfied.
2. Advances in IOL technology: contemporary IOLs are now available that extend the depth of focus, enabling blended monovision strategies with fewer compromises than in the past.
MONOVISION AND EXTENDED RANGE OF VISION
Available IOL options that complement monovision strategies include:
• D iffractive EDOF lenses – weak diffractive platforms such as the Symfony (Abbott/Johnson & Johnson) have been part of the armamentarium now for a decade. They provide a proven extended depth of focus with fewer dysphotopsias than full multifocals.
• Refractive EDOF lenses – designs such as the Lentis MF150 use low refractive adds to extend vision but inherently produce some blur due to simultaneous foci. They are often well tolerated and are a well-established option providing well over a dioptre of focal range.
• Small-aperture lenses – like the IC-8 (Bausch + Lomb) are a true EDOF and are useful in selected cases but are not a mainstream option in my practice due to the loss of mesopic and scotopic performance.
• Spherical aberration-based designs –the newest EDOF/'enhanced monovision' (RayOne EMV, Rayner) lenses leverage spherical aberration to increase depth of focus. These fall into three categories:
1. N egative aberration and presumed negative (proprietary) aberration (e.g. Vivity, Alcon) and (Eyhance, J&J).
(PSF) along the optical axis, producing a continuous range of focus. Strictly speaking, this is not a ‘depth of focus,’ but as that is the term commonly used, I will stick with it. The result is not perfect clarity at every distance but good enough retinal image quality across a broader range of vergences.
This is reflected in the modulation transfer function (MTF) curve:
• M onofocals produce a single tall, narrow peak.
• Multifocals produce multiple peaks with dips in between.
• EDOF lenses show a single elongated plateau, sacrificing peak sharpness for extended usable range.
In the human optical system, good vision is not just optics but a complex physiological process which has evolved over aeons.
ROLE OF SPHERICAL ABERRATION
Spherical aberration (SA) refers to the difference in refraction between peripheral and central light rays. In a lens with positive SA, the peripheral rays are refracted more strongly than paracentral rays; negative SA occurs when they are refracted less. The cornea of cataract-age patients naturally has positive SA, the average is around 0.27um. Both positive and negative SA have the effect of extending the depth of focus, at the theoretical expense of
Clinical Considerations for Optometrists
Increasingly, optometrists play an important role in shaping outcomes in modern refractive cataract surgery. With the expansion of EDOF technologies, the optometrist’s long-term understanding of patients’ visual needs is helpful in guiding lens selection and supporting the patient journey from initial consultation through to postoperative care. Here are some practical steps and considerations for optometrist- patient interactions, from pre-surgical counselling to postoperative support.
Pre-surgical assessment
• IOL discussions that start early are best, and the best place to start this can be the optometry clinic.
• A history of successful monovision contact lens wear is a good indicator of surgical suitability.
A trial of monovision contact lenses can be very helpful indeed.
Patient education on IOL strategies
• Bilateral emmetropia (“KISS”): Excellent distance acuity but spectacles required for near/ intermediate.
• Multifocal IOLs: High spectacle independence, but with risks of halos, glare, and reduced contrast. Careful selection and counselling are vital.
• Enhanced monovision: Flexible and well tolerated with EDOF lenses, offering good intermediate function and minimal side effects.
Contraindications
• Screen for phoria, binocular instability, high night-vision demands, poor corneal quality, or retinal compromise (AMD, glaucoma, diabetes).
• RayOne EMV lenses are more forgiving in abnormal pupil cases compared with some EDOF/multifocal designs.
Post-operative and collaborative care
• Provide post-operative reassurance, prescribe task-specific spectacles when needed, and include detailed insights in referrals.
Close collaboration and an ongoing relationship between optometrists and surgeons ensure tailored outcomes and improved patient satisfaction in this evolving field of cataract surgery.
maximum contrast (Figure 1).1
When positive SA is employed, peripheral light is refracted more strongly. This moves the point of focus of the periphery towards myopia. This is advantageous in mesopic and scotopic situations when the
pupillary aperture is larger. In photopic conditions, with a small pupil, the pinhole effect provides enhanced depth of field. It appears logical to use a lens which has optics that intrinsically favours myopia in low light over hypermetropia.
FIGURE 1. Research by Rocha et al (Expanding depth of focus by modifying higher-order aberrations induced by an adaptive optics visual simulator) demonstrated that both positive and negative SA extend depth of focus. 2
FIGURE 2. An aberration correcting IOL is designed to produce the sharpest vision at a single distance with an average cornea.
FIGURE 3. A graph of the effect of an RayOne EMV lens carefully augmenting corneal spherical aberration. Note that the focus range for myopia favours the peripheral rays and emmetropia favours the centre of lens.
Aspheric IOLs with negative SA were introduced over 20 years ago to correct the cornea’s natural positive SA (Figure 2). The rationale was to compensate for the positive SA in the cornea and to improve contrast and night vision. However, evidence supporting the routine correction of physiological SA is mixed with many studies showing little to no effect on CDVA and other metrics. 2,3 Some studies do show slightly improved contrast sensitivity, but at the expense of depth of focus.4
Recently, leading figures such as Professor Graham Barrett have explored the potential benefits of carefully controlled positive SA. 5 The RayOne EMV lens cleverly adds the positive SA in the central region of the lens, it then gradually reduces it at the periphery. In this way, depth of focus can be increased without significant loss of contrast in low light. His RayOne EMV lens intentionally augments the natural positive aberration of the human cornea to increase perceived depth of focus at the retina (Figure 3). 5,6
Practically speaking, positive SA is preferable to negative SA because the ’spread energy’ (the area under the MTF curve) shifts more toward myopia, which is functionally useful, rather than hyperopia (Figure 4).
My own experience with RayOne EMV lenses, frequently combined with planned monovision, has been positive, usually yielding a functional range of vision with minimal subjective compromise. The trade-off (and there must always be a trade off as physics cannot be cheated) is mild blur in the myopic eye, which, because it is mild, tends to be very well tolerated.
The goal is to keep the blur within the tolerance of the human visual system –which, unlike the Hubble telescope, evolved to accept and interpret imperfections. Binocular summation further enhances perception, allowing mild blur to be integrated into a highly satisfactory visual experience. When employing monovision with RayOne EMV lenses, due to the extended depth of focus in both a myopic and hyperopic direction, there is a greater blended vision zone and less anisometropia than with standard monovision. Smaller anisometropic differences also minimises compromise to stereopsis. This results in much better acceptance of the strategy by the patient (Figure 5).
STRATEGIES AND COUNSELLING
When discussing lens options, I outline three broad strategies to my patients:
1. T he ‘KISS’ principle (bilateral emmetropia) – monofocal lenses targeted for distance provide the sharpest distance acuity, with spectacles required for near/intermediate tasks. This remains the choice of many ophthalmologists for themselves.
2. Multifocal IOLs – clinical trials and experience demonstrate that multifocal IOLs can provide a high level of spectacle independence. However, inherent trade-offs include glare, halos, and reduced contrast sensitivity, with best outcomes achieved in eyes free of comorbidity. In a trial of unselected patients, one in 20 patients struggled with dysphotopsia to the point of requesting a lens exchange.7 Up to one
FIGURE 4. The MTF curve of the RayOne EMV lens meets the criteria for a monofocal lens and has additional range that stretches the point stretch function (PSF), resulting in a greater range of focus. Note in this graph from Rayner the RayOne EMV lens has considerably more area under the curve in the myopic direction compared to the hypermetropic direction.
in five can experience troublesome night-time visual phenomena.7 Most surgeons avoid implanting these lenses in patients with high night-vision demands, such as regular night drivers. With appropriate patient selection and thorough counselling, most individuals adapt well and achieve satisfactory outcomes.
3. M onovision – a flexible strategy, which is usually well tolerated, even more so with IOLs designed for this approach. Patients benefit from enhanced intermediate function with limited optical side effects. My usual target is -0.75 D to -1.0 D in the near eye, this will yield a near acuity of around 1.7 5D to 2.0 D, often translating to N5 or N6 BEO vision. Nearly all patients fall into 0.5 D to 2.0 D range depending on patient preference. Monovision has the great advantage that augmentation with spectacle correction remains efficacious, for example if night driving or fine reading tasks are not satisfactory.
THE OPTOMETRIST’S ROLE
Patient education is essential. It is much more effective if it begins before the surgical consultation. Optometrists are ideally placed to initiate these discussions, drawing on their long-standing knowledge of the patient’s lifestyle and preferences.
Examples:
• A history of successful monovision contact lens wear strongly suggests suitability for surgical monovision.
• A phoria or binocular instability may make monovision and multifocals inappropriate.
• Passion for night-sky observation or working as a pilot or similar may rule out multifocals.
Optometrists can also guide realistic expectations and ensure relevant information is included in the referral. Post-operatively, they play a vital role in supporting adaptation to the strategy chosen (e.g. reassuring multifocal
FIGURE 5. Enhanced Monovision: when off-setting the second eye for monovision (1), the extended depth of focus can provide functional near vision (2). The myopic (2) and hyperopic (3) extension of depth of focus maintains excellent binocular distance vision and increases the shaded area where both eyes work together, when compared to standard monovision. Note the stretch of the MTF with this lens platform, allowing for blended, binocular vision over a wider range.
patients during neuroadaptation, prescribing task-specific spectacles for monovision patients).
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Poor corneal quality or irregular astigmatism.
– B est managed with aspheric-neutral monofocal lenses (e.g. Rayner RayOne). Multifocals should be avoided. Potentially small aperture lenses in certain patients.
– Patients may benefit most from simple lens strategies and spectacle correction, rather than advanced IOLs.
RODENSTOCK
• Strabismus, tropias and amblyopia.
– T hese patients do best with a simple emmetropic correction in my opinion.
• A bnormal pupils.
– Small pupils limit access to multifocal diffractive zones, while large pupils exacerbate dysphotopsia and can induce hyperopic or myopic shifts with some EDOF designs. RayOne EMV, with positive SA, are more forgiving in these cases.
CONCLUSION
The expansion of EDOF technologies has reshaped the landscape of refractive cataract surgery. For many patients, enhanced monovision with modern lenses,
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Craftsmanship with precision lens fitting: Expert fitters experienced working with todays innovative and unconventional frame designs combined with the world’s most advanced edging equipment.
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like RayOne EMV, provides a great balance of range, quality, and tolerance unmatched by earlier designs.
Ultimately, outcomes depend not only on lens choice but on individualised counselling, optometrist collaboration, and realistic expectation setting.
NOTE: References are available in the online version of this article.
NOTE: Insight readers can scan the QR code or visit insightnews.com.au/cpd/ to access a link to this article to include in their own CPD log book.
IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR NDIS PARTICIPANTS
The NDIS can appear rigid and uncaring to some struggling with disability, including low vision and blindness. But Dr SUE SILVEIRA says there are ways orthoptists can help with that, and the system’s navigation.
"OFTEN
WHEN PEOPLE FINALLY SEEK OUT AN ORTHOPTIST, THEY ARE COPING THE BEST THEY CAN WITH A LIFE-CHANGING DIAGNOSIS AND WHAT THEIR FUTURE MIGHT LOOK LIKE."
Orthoptics is a recognised discipline in eye healthcare that specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and non-surgical management of eye and vision disorders.
Orthoptics is essential for promoting better quality of life in both adults and children with vision impairment, and orthoptists who work in vision rehabilitation provide specialised assessment, reporting and support that closely reflect the person, while recognising and respecting their immediate goals and future plans.
Those working in the vision impairment sector may be self-employed or work for service providers such as Guide Dogs, Vision Australia and NextSense.
People will seek out an orthoptist for vision rehabilitation after they have received a diagnosis of an eye or vision condition related to vision impairment. This means they have already been on a significant journey of clinical investigations involving ophthalmologists, and perhaps other professionals such as paediatricians, genetic specialists, neurologists, endocrinologists and allied health professionals.
This journey continues as they face applying for NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) funded support.
Orthoptists support a variety of people going through their low vision and blindness journey, including young children.
Often when people finally seek out an orthoptist, they are coping the best they can with a life-changing diagnosis and what their future might look like.
They may have also faced challenges with the requirements of the NDIS. Orthoptists who work in vision rehabilitation understand, they listen, put the person and their
family first, and provide support to help make decisions that are informed, but also led by the person and their family.
One of the joys of orthoptic practice in vision rehabilitation is the diversity of people supported, ranging from people who acquire vision issues later in life, to children born with vision impairment or those who develop it during childhood or adolescence.
Alongside that vision impairment, people often face other complex health conditions and psychosocial situations, all of which require tailored supports, including those funded by the NDIS.
The key to ensuring a successful journey with the NDIS is clear: person-centred and goal-orientated reporting.
Orthoptists conduct functional assessments that reveal the true nature of the person’s vision by exploring their everyday use of vision, their preferences, and the environment that allows them to function at their best. The outcome reveals the person’s preferred strategies allowing sustained and meaningful access. This includes use of assistive technologies, low-vision aids, glasses and environmental adjustments.
Orthoptic reporting clearly conveys to NDIS planners and decision-makers what is needed now and what should be planned for. This reporting provides critical information for the person, their family and other professionals, all of whom need to build their understanding to become confident advocates who ensure NDIS funded support aligns with the person’s wishes and goals.
Vision impairment, especially in children, is somewhat rare and this leads to a lack of general awareness and anonymity.
We have seen this in NDIS approaches. Things are improving but we carry the burden of a lack of recognition by the NDIS for funding and supports.
A general misunderstanding about low vision and blindness has been evident, especially by NDIS planners. There have been inconsistencies in decisions regarding supports that will be funded.
People with complex conditions have found the NDIS rigid – in the deafblind sector it has been very challenging to get funding for dual sensory impairment.
The NDIS has proven difficult for some families to understand – how can they advocate for their loved one when they can’t navigate the system themselves?
Sadly, some people have had to dispute the level of funded NDIS support that has been approved. Some have abandoned the NDIS and chosen to self-fund where they can.
The peak body for orthoptists – Orthoptics Australia – works tirelessly to raise the profile of people with vision impairment and the need for vision rehabilitation. Authorities need help in understanding that vision rehabilitation provides critical functional support rather than medical supports, which brings the NDIS into closer alignment with its own core goal – to support people with disabilities to achieve greater independence, social and economic participation, and a better quality of life.
Australia is lucky to have a dedicated group of orthoptists working in vision impairment to provide personalised assessments and support to help people navigate their deeply personal, non-linear journey, one that may be filled with uncertainty, altered life plans and long-term grief.
The system itself – the NDIS – also benefits from advocacy by orthoptists and Orthoptics Australia, to hopefully become one that supports the goals of people with vision impairment to be independent, to exercise their choice and control, to live to their best life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr Sue Silveira is a qualified orthoptist who holds a conjoint academic position with Macquarie University and NextSense. She is the course director for the Master of Disability Studies and a senior research fellow.
ORTHOPTICS AUSTRALIA is the national peak body representing orthoptists in Australia. OA’s Vision is to support orthoptists to provide excellence and equity in eye health care. Visit: orthoptics.org.au
Images: Sue Silveira.
DR SUE SILVEIRA
THE ACCIDENTAL OPTICAL DISPENSER
DISPENSER DETAILS
Name: Brad McMillan
Position: Optical dispenser
Location: Young Eyes
Optometrists, NSW Years in industry: 6
1. What inspired you to pursue an optical dispensing career, and how has your perspective changed over time?
My path into optical dispensing wasn’t the most conventional. I quite literally fell into the industry by accident; an opportunity came up unexpectedly that I heard about from a family member, and I decided to take a chance on it. What started as simply finding a job soon turned into a genuine passion. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate just how meaningful this work is. I’ve realised helping people see better has a direct impact on their lives, and being part of that journey is incredibly rewarding.
2. What are the most influential moments and people that led you to this point?
About three years into my job, I was at a real crossroads. I knew I either needed a new challenge or risk losing my spark for the work. I was given the opportunity to move into an independent practice, Young Eyes Optometrists, and it completely changed my trajectory. The opportunities I’ve been given by my current employers – Janine and Simon Hobson – have been countless and incredibly rewarding. The most significant was the opportunity to complete my optical dispensing qualification through ACOD, which has given me the theoretical knowledge to complement the practical skills I’d been using every day.
3. What’s something you know now that you wished you understood at the start of your career?
I wish I had understood from the beginning just how valuable having the theoretical knowledge of optical dispensing can be. It’s such a powerful tool for problem-solving and finding the right solutions for our patients. I also wish I had realised how much I would enjoy this career; if I had, I might have entered the industry much sooner. That said, I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
4. Can you share a moment where you made a significant impact on a patient’s life?
During my recent outreach trip with Optical Dispensers Australia to Fiji, where we provided free eyecare and glasses to those in need, there was one moment that really stuck with me. On our second day, a young lady arrived at the school where we had set up our clinic, bringing her younger siblings to be screened. They didn’t end up needing glasses, but it did not fall short on me that she went out of her way to make sure her younger siblings were looked after. For me, that’s what it’s all about, making sure people have the opportunity to get the eyecare they need, whether they walk away with glasses or simply the reassurance that their vision is healthy.
5. What innovations in eyewear or technology are you most excited about, and why?
I’m really enjoying seeing how far photochromic lenses have come. I now wear Transitions in three pairs of my own glasses, so I’ve experienced first-hand the difference faster reaction times make, a much wider range of stylish colour choices, and a complete shift in how they’re perceived. The
old stigma is fading, and younger patients are starting to embrace them for both their practicality and style. I’m also keeping an eye on the smart glasses space. The idea that wearable technology could help someone navigate their day independently or access information in real time is both exciting and a little surreal. It’s amazing to think about how much our industry continues to evolve and the possibilities it opens for people.
6. What skills or qualities do you believe are most important for an optical dispenser to thrive in today’s market?
In today’s world, human connection is more important than ever. Being able to communicate openly, spark up conversation, and make patients feel comfortable is just as vital as technical skill. Listening to people, understanding what matters to them, and building that trust allows you to provide solutions that really work. Attention to detail is still essential, it’s what transforms a pair of glasses from “okay” to “wow”. And with the industry constantly evolving, embracing new products, technologies, and ways of working ensures you can always deliver the best care.
7. How do you ensure your skills and knowledge stay up to date and current in such a fast-moving industry?
I make it a priority to keep learning. Working in an independent practice has given me the opportunity to attend industry events, trade fairs and formalise my experience with a qualification from ACOD. Being part of ODA has been invaluable too, not just for the ongoing educational webinars, but for the networking and shared experiences with other professionals who are equally passionate about what they do.
8. Why did you become a member of ODA, and what value do you see in the organisation?
I wanted to be part of an industry body of optical dispensers that could provide support, ongoing education, and training beyond just my own workplace. ODA has given me that, connecting me to the wider industry and offering opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. Being part of the industry body also gave me the chance to participate in an outreach trip to Fiji, where we helped people access eyecare they might not otherwise receive. That experience, along with the lifelong connections I made with fellow dispensers, was incredibly rewarding. ODA is about learning, sharing, and contributing to a profession I’m proud to be part of, surrounded by people who are equally passionate about quality, care, and the future of optics.
A recent outreach trip to Fiji helped optical dispenser Brad McMillan better understand the value of people having the opportunity to get the eyecare they need. Image: Brad McMillan.
Image: Young Eyes Optometrists.
AI – THE DISPENSER’S PARTNER, NOT REPLACEMENT
Many employees in various industries are worried about the rise of AI, optical dispensers included. But as SARAH THOMPSON points out, AI is likely to sharpen the focus on the value of human input with patients.
“FOR DISPENSERS, THIS RAPID GROWTH OF AI CAN FEEL BOTH EXCITING AND UNSETTLING. IF ALGORITHMS CAN DESIGN LENSES AND VIRTUAL SYSTEMS CAN RECOMMEND FRAMES, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US? ”
Having worked as a practice manager and optical dispenser in central Victoria for many years, I’ve seen the industry evolve through countless waves of innovation. From digital surfacing to advanced imaging in optometry, change is part of our profession. Today, the most significant shift is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
AI is no longer futuristic; it is already here. Lens manufacturers use AI-driven algorithms to optimise progressive lens designs, tailoring them to prescription and lifestyle needs. Diagnostic equipment, such as retinal imaging machines, now feature AI that detects early signs of glaucoma or macular degeneration with accuracy rivalling practitioners. Retail platforms offer virtual frame try-ons, letting patients experiment with styles from home.
For dispensers, this rapid growth of AI can feel both exciting and unsettling. If algorithms can design lenses and virtual systems can recommend frames, where does that leave us?
The truth is that AI should be seen as partner, not replacement. Technology can streamline calculations, predict needs, and automate stock management, but dispensing remains deeply human, and when the system’s down, revert to the ‘old school way’.
Take frame selection: AI may suggest shapes that “fit” a face, but it cannot sense hesitation, confidence, or the personal joy a patient feels when they find the right pair. It cannot reassure a nervous child getting their first glasses, or calm an elderly patient worried about progressive lenses. These are moments where empathy and experience are irreplaceable.
Fitting lenses also illustrates the point. Digital devices may capture measurements with precision, but the dispenser must interpret posture, head tilt, or facial asymmetry, subtleties that impact comfort and vision.
The final success often comes down to the human touch.
The future of dispensing is about blending AI with human connection. Picture a practice where AI automates back-office tasks, predicts recalls, and analyses imaging; freeing dispensers to
focus on building trust and guiding patients through increasingly complex lens options. Far from diminishing the role, AI makes the dispenser’s expertise more valuable.
This is especially true as lens technologies expand. Myopia control, customised progressives, and blue-light solutions require explanation. Patients may research them online, but they turn to a skilled dispenser for clarity and reassurance. AI may create the product, but people create confidence.
In Australia, optical practices thrive on relationships. Patients often return to the same dispenser year after year not just for the product, but for the trust built through familiarity. Adjusting a frame on the spot, remembering a style preference, or sharing a laugh during selection, all of this is what keeps patients loyal.
The key challenge ahead is balance. Practices should welcome AI to improve efficiency while ensuring human expertise remains central.
Training will be essential, so dispensers feel confident alongside new technology rather than displaced by it.
Education and the qualification of being an accredited optical dispenser is essential to ensure a deeper understanding of lenses and how they work with a certain
prescription, rather than just doing what the promotion or optometrist says.
AI makes us accountable here and calls us to deepen our optical knowledge. Importantly, AI should be framed not as cost-cutting but as a tool that adds value to care.
Take digital centration devices. Used alone, they risk making dispensing a sterile transaction. But combined with the dispenser’s explanation, how measurements affect vision and why lens choice matters, they become powerful tools for education.
Similarly, AI-driven recall systems are most effective when personalised with a warm call or message, turning automation into meaningful contact.
Ultimately, optical dispensing is about more than correcting vision and selling glasses, it’s about people.
AI may sharpen our tools, but it cannot replace empathy, intuition, and care.
As AI continues to transform the industry, optical dispensers who embrace it while keeping the human lens in focus will not only remain relevant but become more essential than ever.
Image: Sharne T/peopleimages.com/stock.adobe.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ms Sarah Thompson is an optical dispenser working in central Victoria.
AI might help an optical dispenser fit a frame, but it’s the human interaction that is more likely to bring joy to the patient’s experience.
Image: Sarah Thompson.
BE PROUD OF WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT
Senior optical dispenser LILLI-ANN PALCE provides a tour through Whitehouse Optometrists in Sydney, highlighting the elements that make boutique practices like this thrive.
There are no guarantees in business, but there’s a surefire way modern-day optometry practices can shore up their successes. That is, finding harmony between three potent forces: heritage, innovation, and individuality.
Whitehouse Optometrists in St Leonards – where I have worked as an optical dispenser since 2022 – offers a compelling blueprint for how independent practices can carve out a unique space in the market – by embracing what makes them different, supercharging it with high-end technology and systems, and using that to deepen patient loyalty.
It’s helping us to stand out, something that is more critical than ever in a highly competitive optometry landscape. Patients don’t just want a place to check their vision; they want an experience and products that reflect who they are and how they live.
Here are some lessons we’ve learned along the way.
CURATE AN EXPERIENCE
One of the most striking ways independents can differentiate themselves is through a boutique experience. At our practice, it feels more like visiting a Parisian salon than a typical eye clinic. We’ve had success with this approach: from elegant, textured interiors to soft lighting and curated displays, every design choice is intentional.
Whitehouse Optometrists is steeped in heritage, which the practice uses to its advantage.
For other independent practices, this is a powerful reminder that your physical environment is more than décor; it’s a silent ambassador of your brand. A thoughtfully designed space can immediately communicate your values and create emotional
connections. Whether it’s minimalist Scandinavian calm or vibrant local art, let your practice’s interior speak to the kind of care and personality patients can expect.
It's more than offering appointments, but curating experiences. Patients deserve to feel welcome, understood, and seen.
A distinctive eyewear range is another way to create that differentiation factor. Our patients walk out with frames that turn heads and often prompt passers-by to ask: “Where did you get those?”. But it’s not just about fashion; it’s about developing a product range that aligns with patients’ identities. Plus, it's important to remember style is only half the story. Independents can foster that point-of-difference by taking the time to understand each patient’s lifestyle, aesthetic, and comfort level. Their goal is to find the perfect fit whether it be visually, emotionally, or physically.
This level of personalisation transforms routine care into a valued and loyal relationship.
Without the constraints of mass retail models, you can train your team to ask deeper questions, spend extra time on fittings, and follow up personally. It’s a reminder that small gestures – like remembering a patient’s previous frame style or checking in after a prescription change – can create a lasting impression.
TRADITION MEETS INNOVATION
Despite its boutique feel, Whitehouse invests heavily in clinical excellence. The reality is these seemingly opposing forces (retail and clinical) fuel one another. When optometrists go beyond
sharp clinical acumen and focus on becoming excellent communicators, it creates a sense of comfort that patients yearn for in a health setting. Taking the time to listen, explain, and tailor care – whether it’s a first visit or a long-time regular – patients appreciate when appointments feel personal and unhurried.
Then, backed with advanced diagnostics, this enables optometrists to be proactive and personalised with their care plan. It also helps build trusted relationships with local ophthalmologists, so patients experience seamless referrals and integrated care.
For independents, staying ahead with technology and clinical expertise demonstrates a commitment to high standards and builds trust. Regularly reviewing your equipment and strengthening referral networks ensures patients receive comprehensive care without feeling like a number.
Whitehouse’s integration into the George & Matilda Eyecare network, which occurred in 2024 as part of the National Optical Care partnership, is also an example that scaling up doesn’t have to mean giving up individuality. Even with the support of a larger group, the practice has retained its unique identity, proving that growth and differentiation can go hand-in-hand.
If your practice is considering partnerships or networks, be clear about what elements of your brand and patient experience have underpinned your success while embracing new ways of working. Document your practice’s story, style, and patient promise so it can guide decisions as you evolve.
In a highly competitive optometry landscape, differentiation isn’t just about surviving, it’s a pathway to prosperity. Take inspiration from Whitehouse Optometrists and perhaps consider: what makes your practice different? More importantly, how can you amplify that so your patients feel they’ve found not just an optometrist, but an experience they won’t find anywhere else?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lilli-Ann Palce is a senior optical dispenser at Whitehouse Optometrists, with two practices in Sydney’s CBD and at the North Shore Medical Centre, St Leonards.
SOAPBOX
and precision – that often separate a good practice from a truly exceptional one.
I’ve spent 20 years working with independent practices across Australia and even in some international markets, and one thing is clear: independents can absolutely survive – and thrive – in today’s market. But survival isn’t automatic. The very best practices understand that success comes from combining patient-centric care with sharp business acumen. They take advantage of their adaptability, the uninhibited access to innovation, and an ability to invest into the practice over the long term.
But above all, the patient experience comes first. Bringing it back to the patient in every decision is where independents really shine. Spending the time patients need, tailoring their options, and creating experiences that other optometry business models can’t replicate. I’ve seen practices where staff know their patients so well that they can look at a new frame and immediately think, “That would suit Betty perfectly”, or, “John has been looking for something like this”. That level of personalised service builds loyalty and creates a patient experience that feels truly bespoke. The human element extends to follow-ups, too. A lot of practices rely on letters or automated texts for recalls, but I’ve noticed that
when recall rates fall below 10%, then it might be time for a rethink –a personal phone call can make all the difference. If the optometrist, head dispenser, or practice manager calls a patient directly, the appointment book fills quickly. That personal touch reminds patients they’re valued, and it reinforces the trust they have in the practice.
High community engagement is another factor in high performing practices. Whether it’s running the water bottles at a local sports club, supporting schools and teachers with vision education, or simply being present at community events, this visibility strengthens relationships and keeps the practice top-of-mind. Even small gestures, like encouraging parents to bring in their husband or children (tip: listed on their Medicare card) for eye checks, build long-term loyalty and demonstrate genuine care.
Staffing is just as critical. Some of the best staff in the independent sector are what I call “X factor” team members – extroverted, engaging, and capable of taking the patient experience to the next level. These are people who might not fit a corporate framework but thrive in an independent setting where their energy and personality are recognised and rewarded.
When thinking of a common thread running through successful owners, one word springs to mind: personality. They are warm, engaging, and genuinely caring about their patients’ eye health. But they’ve still got that edge required for tough conversations and decisions. At the same time, they’re on top of all the business KPIs, not just the bottom line. Have the patient recalls gone out this month,
and what was the success rate?
How many bookings have we got this week, and the weeks ahead?
They delegate with precision too. The best practice owners know their own strengths and weaknesses and build a balanced, cohesive team that ensures every patient interaction is seamless. Patients can sense when a team isn’t aligned, and it impacts the overall experience.
Looking to the future, I see independent optometry evolving even more towards the boutique, bespoke experience. Patients aren’t just buying lenses and frames anymore – they’re buying an experience. They want frames that suit their look, the ability to follow fashion trends, access to the best lens technology and to feel good when they walk into and out of a practice.
The independents who succeed combine attention to detail, strong community engagement, X factor staff, and rigorous business management. They can also create an environment that has empowered staff to engage with the patients so they feel valued and seen.
Putting these elements together, the business itself will be set up for long-term success.
In small business it’s about being agile, innovative, and committed to the patient – that can be the difference between a patient leaving just satisfied, or a returning loyal advocate of your practice for years to come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Name: Mark Wymond
Affiliations: Eyes Right Optical, managing director
Location: Melbourne
Years in industry: 20
ABOVE: Recalling people who would match a certain frame indicates high engagement with the patient-base.
“The best practice owners know their own strengths and weaknesses and build a balanced, cohesive team that ensures every patient interaction is seamless.”
Image: Dusan
Image: Eyes Right Optical.
EVENTS CALENDAR
OCTOBER 2025
ORTHOKERATOLOGY SOCIETY OF OCEANIA MEETING Benowa, Australia 10 – 12 October oso.net.au
ART OF OCULAR IMAGING CONFERENCE 2025 Sydney, Australia 11 October artofocularimaging.com.au
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY MEETING AND EXPO Orlando, US 18 – 20 October aao.org/annual-meeting
ADELAIDE INTERACTIVE Adelaide, Australia 31 October – 1 November optometry.org.au
NOVEMBER 2025
RANZCO CONGRESS
Melbourne, Australia 14 – 17 November ranzco2025.com
OPTOMETRY VIRTUALLY CONNECTED
Online 16 November ovc.optometry.org.au
Optometry Virtually Connected, running 16 November, is a no-borders conference and product showcase for Australian optometrists.
JANUARY 2026
MIDO
Milan, Italy
31 January – 2 February mido.com
FEBRUARY 2026
SILMO INSTANBUL
Istanbul, Turkey 19 – 22 November silmoistanbul.com
DECEMBER 2025
18TH CONGRESS OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC VITRO-RETINA SOCIETY Manila, Philippines 12 – 14 December 2025.apvrs.org
100% OPTICAL London, UK 128 February – 2 March 100percentoptical.com
AUGUST 2026
O-SHOW 2026 Melbourne, Australia 16 – 17 August o-show.com.au
The Silmo brand continues to go from strength-to-strength in Turkey, with Silmo Istanbul now in its 12th year.
Image: Silmo.
SPECSAVERS STORIES:
WHY DID YOU PURSUE OPTOMETRY?
CHANGING LIVES THROUGH
I’ve been highly myopic since a young age and was seeing the optometrist every six months – even up until I graduated high school. These regular visits sparked my curiosity and interest in the profession and I began thinking that I would love to start a career as an optometrist. As I grew older, I began to ask my optometrist about the path he took to enter the profession, and I dedicated myself towards that same goal.
HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK AT SPECSAVERS?
I was drawn to Specsavers due to its strong commitment for exceptional eyecare whilst still remaining accessible and affordable to the community. I share these same values regarding eyecare and joined Specsavers with the goal of becoming an optometrist so that I could make a positive impact on people’s eye health and wellbeing.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST ROLE WITHIN THE BUSINESS?
My first role at Specsavers was as an optical dispenser. My responsibilities included assisting patients with suitable frame selections based on their prescription, ensuring accurate fitting and adjustments and ensuring the lenses dispensed were suitable for the patient’s lifestyle needs. I was also responsible for processing orders, handling repairs, and providing ongoing customer support. This role enabled me to experience both the clinical and retail aspects of optometry and further deepened my passion for the profession.
WHAT GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES HAVE PRESENTED THEMSELVES?
Since my initial role as a dispenser, I was able to expand my knowledge and skills with
Specsavers
SO LET’S TALK!
In a few short years, Specsavers has achieved market leadership in Australia and New Zealand with more people choosing to have their eyes tested and buy their prescription eyewear from Specsavers than any other optometrist. To learn more about these roles, or to put your hand up for other roles as they emerge, please contact us today:
Joint Venture Partnership opportunities enquiries: Kimberley Forbes on +61 (0) 429 566 846 or E kimberley.forbes@specsavers.com
hands-on experience and training. I gained a greater understanding of clinical workflow, patient communication and product knowledge, all of which has supported my progression into becoming a confident optometrist. Now as a graduate optometrist, I am growing and learning under the guidance of my mentors, who support me in building clinical skills and delivering exceptional patient care.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP CAREER HIGHLIGHTS SINCE JOINING SPECSAVERS?
Receiving the Dame Mary Perkins Award within my first two months of practice, which was incredible recognition that boosted my confidence early on. It was based on a patient case that demonstrated my clinical care, patient communication, and timely management. The patient also left some positive feedback for me which was really rewarding and motivated me to further grow as an optometrist to give back to my community. I also had the opportunity to present this case at the Graduate Program Mentor-Mentee event in front of all my New South Wales graduate peers and their mentors, which allowed me to share my experience and improve my public speaking and leadership.
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT TURNING UP FOR WORK EACH DAY?
The opportunity to make a real difference to a patient’s vision, whether it be someone’s first pair of glasses to see clearly, or managing an ongoing ocular disease. Everyday feels very rewarding and there are always new challenges and opportunities to grow as an optometrist. Also, having a team who share the same values and are incredibly supportive makes work even more motivating.
ALL SPECSAVERS STORES NOW WITH OCT
Optometrist Joint Venture Partnership Opportunity – Innaloo, WA
Specsavers Innaloo is offering an exciting Joint Venture Partnership for an experienced Optometrist to lead a highly skilled team with over 100 years of combined experience. Just 9km from Perth CBD, Innaloo blends coastal charm with city convenience, and the store’s prime location in Westfield shopping centre ensures strong foot traffic. Enjoy a competitive salary, share of profits, and a range of benefits including birthday leave, free glasses, and family discounts.
Optometrist opportunity – Specsavers Mildura, VIC
Join our Mildura clinic as a full-time Optometrist and be part of a supportive, close-knit team in a 4-test room store. You’ll work alongside experienced colleagues in 20-minute rolling clinics, serving a diverse patient base, from paediatrics to geriatrics with a high volume of complex cases. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced optometrist to expand their clinical skills in a collaborative environment. Enjoy a flexible roster and a competitive salary package of up to $120K base, plus annual bonus and relocation support. Share ideas, grow your knowledge, and make a real impact in the Mildura community.
Optometrist opportunity – Specsavers Porirua, NZ
Specsavers Porirua is looking for an Optometrist to join the team in early 2026! With a flexible roster that supports work-life balance and a competitive salary package on offer, this is a fantastic opportunity to work in a newly refurbished store in Wellington, known for its diverse pathology and supportive team environment
Graduate Opportunities
Specsavers are still looking for final year students to join one of our stores as a Graduate Optometrist in 2026. With strong career development paths for optometrists, great graduate packages and a diverse range of patients in locations all across Australia and New Zealand, Specsavers remain the market leader within the Optical industry. If you like the idea of building your career and working in a patient-focused environment, then reach out to the graduate team at anz.graduateoptometry@specsavers.com
People on the move
EXCITEMENT OVER ESSILORLUXOTTICA’S MEDTECH MOVE
Dr Monica Jong, previously an Australian optometrist who has worked extensively in the field of myopia management, has joined EssilorLuxottica as its head of medical affairs for North America. “The company’s transformation into a MedTech organisation represents a pivotal moment for our industry, and I am excited to contribute to this next chapter,” she said. “In this role, I will be leading the North America medical affairs strategy and execution, working in close partnership with eyecare professionals to bring advanced technologies to market to elevate and serve our patients across their life journey.”
NEW ROLE FOR FORMER DEAKIN OPTOMETRY PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Professor James Armitage has recently taken on the role of associate head of school (international and partnerships) in the School of Medicine at Deakin University. In this role, he will contribute to leadership in all aspects of international education and research activities, as well as domestic and international partnership development and management, within the School of Medicine. His previous role was optometry course director for Deakin’s optometry program (Jan 2016- Dec 2024). Associate Professor Simon Backhouse is the new optometry course director and Ms Linda Robinson the deputy course director.
NEW ADDITION TO VEI’S CLINICAL RELATIONSHIPS TEAM
Ms Cindy Trieu has become the South Australian clinical relationships manager at Vision Eye Institute (VEI). She is described as a highly experienced clinical optometrist. Most recently, she has been practising at VEI’s Kurralta Park clinic. VEI said Trieu’s commitment to collaborative care and clear communication mades her a natural fit for its clinical relationships team – a dedicated group of optometrists and orthoptists who support referring practitioners across the country. The team plays a vital role in ensuring a seamless referral experience for healthcare professionals, managing VEI’s national education program, and serving as a key point of contact for clinical enquiries.
PROVISION BOLSTERS QUEENSLAND BUSINESS COACHING RANKS
Ms Emma Solanki has joined ProVision as a Queensland business coach. She brings more than 20 years’ industry experience spanning wholesale and independent retail, including as operations manager at National Optical Care since 2020. Having worked as an independent practice manager early in her career, she understands the challenges facing small business operations, and her mentoring and coaching experience positions her to deliver solutions that improve operational efficiencies and growth optimisation, the organisation said. Solanki shares the ProVision Queensland region with recently appointed Ms Yvette Safier.
OPTOMETRY AUSTRALIA APPOINTS SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Ms Christy Natalia brings more than seven years of experience in digital marketing, content strategy and social media management across APAC markets, with a strong focus on health, wellness and impact-driven brands. She has previously led digital campaigns for Fithappy, a fitness and wellness brand; managed regional engagement at Artemis Impact, a social impact platform; and supported global marketing efforts at Chemarome, a multinational fragrance house
EXECUTIVE CHANGES AT NATIONAL PHARMACIES
Finance executive Ms Brigid Hughes has been appointed CFO for National Pharmacies, which now operates 20 optical locations. Hughes has worked in senior leadership roles across multinational, ASX-listed and privately owned consumer-facing companies, including fast-moving consumer goods and retail. Most recently she was head of financial planning and analysis for Viva Energy Australia in Adelaide and, before that, in the same role at Nandos UK in London.
Image: Vision Eye Institute.
Pharmacies.
Meet Tom Ford
BMedSc(VisSc) MOptom
AdvCertGlauc FAAO
“Optometry was an attractive career path given the ability to directly translate clinical knowledge into practice, helping people with one of their most important senses—sight.
Having completed work experience with a local optometrist during high school, this solidified my desire to become one myself. I went on to complete optometry studies at Flinders University, which has a focus on regional students returning to practice in the regions. I’m proud to have completed this journey and love how I can help to preserve or restore vision on a daily basis.
“Being a partner allows me to influence business decisions and provide a hyperlocal approach to eye care.”
Having grown up in Shepparton, I understand the challenges that regional patients face in accessing local, high quality and affordable care. Now practising in Griffith, I am proud that our local residents don’t have to travel excessive distances to access world-class eye care.
Our practice features OCT with a new Optos ultra-widefield machine on the way, allowing us to offer comprehensive glaucoma care and to co-manage complex patients with visiting ophthalmologists, who travel here once a month.”
Why did you become a partner and what are the benefits?
“Having experienced first-hand the benefits of being a George and Matilda Eyecare optometrist, I jumped at the opportunity to become a partner this year.
Compared to other companies, G&M definitely ‘walks the talk’ when it comes to delivering world-class eye care, where I am empowered to spend more time with patients while providing a personal and local touch. George & Matilda lives the independent value where an optometrists’ clinical judgment and knowledge is respected and valued”.
“In terms of advantages, G&M’s partnership model provided an affordable way for me to be an owner, where I can have more influence on day-to-day operations. From a personal perspective, I have found this experience very rewarding, where I am continuously learning and growing. With the support of the wider business, I have more time to spend mentoring my team and more time to spend with my patients”
What are your plans for the future?
“I’m excited to build upon the success of our practice, which has a remarkable 42-year history of serving the Griffith community. I am especially passionate about building our reputation in children’s vision care. This allows us to provide family-centric eye care across the lifespan. Not many people can say that they have patients spanning the ages from 2 to 102!”
