NZ Optics caught up with Pippa Martin, general manager for Glaucoma New Zealand (GNZ), one drizzly Auckland morning to find out more about what’s in the pipeline for 2021.

“It’s an exciting year ahead, with three major projects underway which will significantly change GNZ and how we operate,” Martin said.

A new website and app supporting those living with glaucoma, treating glaucoma, or needing to know more about glaucoma, are already in progress. Change is also happening in the community education and support space. Thanks to a Freemasons Foundation grant, GNZ has been able to employ a community education and support coordinator, Martin said. “This role is pivotal to achieving a loud voice in our communities in a way we haven’t had the opportunity to do before. It will connect and engage health professionals, glaucoma patients, those who don’t know they have glaucoma and sponsors to work together to increase awareness, support and education of glaucoma.”

Several education opportunities are also being planned, including the GNZ Professional Symposium on Sunday 7 March, the online Professional Education Programme available from February, a series of nationwide community speaking engagements in response to members’ feedback, and regional patient symposiums in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, engaging local optometrists and ophthalmologists to inform the public on the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Finally, Martin said she wants to transform GNZ from a small charity with limited resource and a quiet nature to one that will proactively grow to achieve its objectives with a much louder voice. “We will focus on delivering our strategy, to connect and engage our communities, members, public, eye sector partners and health professionals, to work together to support, educate and inspire each other to eliminate preventable blindness from glaucoma.”

For more details on the symposium and education programme, https://www.glaucoma.org.nz