https://www.insightnews.com.au/

Insight News, Melbourne (2025)

07/12/2025

Researchers have found that increased time outdoors provides limited protection for premyopic children.

And they believe their findings hold “significant implications for future myopia prevention efforts”.

The goals of the investigators in Shanghai, China, were to provide evidence-based recommendations for myopia prevention, as well as reduce the prevalence of potentially pathological high myopia in the longer term.
Optometry Australia RANZCO Optical Dispensers Australia Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Australian College of Optometry Orthoptics Australia ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing Orthoptics Australia

Researchers have found that increased time outdoors provides limited protection for premyopic children.

04/12/2025

Eyecare practitioners are being advised to prepare for potential disruption to patient billing pathways, with the federal government considering changes that would prevent most patients from claiming private health insurance (PHI) benefits for intravitreal injections delivered in private day surgeries or private eye hospitals.

For clinicians managing neovascular AMD and other macular diseases, Macular Disease Foundation Australia warns the change risks compounding already-severe affordability barriers. More than 109,000 Australians currently receive sight-saving injections in the private system, largely due to limited availability of public outpatient services.

RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

Eyecare practitioners are being advised to prepare for potential disruption to patient billing pathways, with the federal government considering changes that would prevent most patients from claiming private health insurance (PHI) benefits for intravitreal injections delivered in private day surgeri...

04/12/2025

Optometry Australia (OA) says optometrists are “not seeking to become doctors” through proposed changes to rules governing the medicines they can prescribe for patients.

OA president Dr Theo Charalambous made the statement in a response to the “serious concerns” raised by the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (A*O) in regard to the proposals.
RANZCO Australian College of Optometry Orthoptics Australia ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing

Optometry Australia (OA) says optometrists are “not seeking to become doctors” through proposed changes to rules governing the medicines they can prescribe for patients.

04/12/2025

Retina Australia has announced the recipients of its 2026 research grants, funding two projects that aim to advance potential new treatments for inherited retinal diseases.

Associate Professor Raymond Wong, from the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and The University of Melbourne, has received $60,000 for his project, ‘Development of epigenetic reprogramming technology to treat retinal degeneration’.

Associate Professor Mohit Shivdasani, from the UNSW, has been awarded $57,912 for the project, ‘Selective Activation of Retinal Bipolar Cells Using Freeform Electrical Stimulation’.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

Retina Australia has announced the recipients of its 2026 research grants, funding two projects that aim to advance potential new treatments for inherited retinal diseases.

03/12/2025

An eight-year-old girl in the United States has been diagnosed with a brain tumour after an eye exam and the optometrist followed up to urge the family to get help for their daughter.

According to a story in People magazine, Annabeth Baah went for her yearly physical in May. The doctor noticed her left eye was weak, so suggested she might need an eye exam and possibly glasses.

That eye exam revealed glasses were the least of her worries.
Optometry Australia RANZCO Optical Dispensers Australia Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Australian College of Optometry Orthoptics Australia ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing Specsavers Australia

An eight-year-old girl in the United States has been diagnosed with a brain tumour after an eye exam and the optometrist followed up.

03/12/2025

With a growing shortage of experienced optical dispensers, the industry is increasingly relying on new entrants to deliver outstanding client experiences and maintain business profitability.

For practice managers, the challenge lies in preparing new dispensers to meet client expectations without compromising short-term sales performance.
Optometry Australia Optical Dispensers Australia ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing

With a nationwide shortage of experienced optical dispensers, investing in the growth, product knowledge and confidence of new recruits is vital for business success.

02/12/2025

Australia’s peak ophthalmology body has elected a new board to tackle what it describes as the nation’s looming eye health crisis, with new leadership set to steer critical reforms as demand for vision care services reaches unprecedented levels amid an ageing population and growing diabetes epidemic.

Dr Peter Sumich has been re-elected as president of the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (A*O), leading an executive team that includes Dr Justin Sherwin as vice president and Mark Grey as secretary/treasurer.

The board welcomes two new members, Associate Professor Thomas Campbell and Prof. Colin Chan, following elections at the organisation’s annual general meeting in Melbourne in November.
Australian Society of Ophthalmologists RANZCO

Australia's peak ophthalmology body has elected a new board to tackle what it describes as the nation's looming eye health crisis.

02/12/2025

Optos has announced the expanded availability of AreaAssist, a clinical review feature now offered through OptosAdvance for use across optomap devices, including the new Silverstone RGB.

The company said AreaAssist was designed to streamline retinal image assessment, allowing the practitioner to highlight regions of interest within ultra-widefield images that might require closer attention.

It said this multimodal insight provided practitioners with an additional tool to review images consistently and to assist with detailed assessment in busy practices or during more complex evaluations.
Optometry Australia RANZCO Optical Dispensers Australia Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Australian College of Optometry

Optos has announced the expanded availability of AreaAssist, a clinical review feature now offered through OptosAdvance for use across optomap devices.

01/12/2025

The way national health practitioner registration fees are charged can deliver unfair financial outcomes for clinicians who register outside their profession’s standard renewal cycle, an investigation by the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman has found.

Published on 27 November by Ombudsman Richelle McCausland, the report follows complaints from three registered practitioners who were required to pay fees to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Ahpra twice within just three months.
Optometry Australia Australian College of Optometry

The way national health practitioner registration fees are charged can deliver unfair financial outcomes for clinicians who register outside their profession’s standard renewal cycle, an investigation by the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman has found.

01/12/2025

The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (A*O) has voiced serious concern regarding the Optometry Board of Australia’s (OBA) proposal to expand optometrists’ prescribing rights to include oral and topical medicines.

In its latest Eyewatch newsletter, the A*O said it acknowledged that limited topical prescribing, when supported by appropriate training, could enhance patient access.

But it believed that the OBA’s proposal to expand the medications that optometrists could prescribe exceeded what was safely achievable within an optometrist’s scope of practice.
Optometry Australia RANZCO Optical Dispensers Australia Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Australian College of Optometry ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Ahpra

The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (A*O) has voiced serious concern regarding the Optometry Board of Australia’s (OBA) proposal to expand optometrists’ prescribing rights to include oral and topical medicines.

30/11/2025

As CEO Skye Cappuccio prepares to step down after more than a decade with Optometry Australia, she reflects on a period of profound change – from strengthening the profession’s voice and unity to addressing workforce supply and conditions, and opening new pathways for optometrists to grow and specialise.
Optical Dispensers Australia Australian College of Optometry ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

As CEO Skye Cappuccio prepares to step down after more than a decade with Optometry Australia, she reflects on a period of profound change.

30/11/2025

From AI smart glasses to frames that help the hard of hearing, and from the expansion into audiology and more clinical business models to increased medical management, optometry seems poised for an exciting future of innovation and diversification.

Insight takes a look at what that future might look like.
Specsavers Australia Specsavers EssilorLuxottica OPSM Optometry Australia Optical Dispensers Australia Australian College of Optometry ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing

From AI smart glasses to frames that help the hard of hearing, and from the expansion into audiology and more clinical business models to increased medical management, optometry seems poised for an exciting future of innovation and diversification.

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