The University of Auckland (UoA) has a substantial track record in eye research and is behind a number of important advances in ocular health provision. The Auckland Cataract Study produced reduced risk strategies for phacoemulsification and the Vision Bus Aotearoa, launched in June 2022, provides e
As the November sun set in Nelson, dispensing opticians (DOs) from all over Aotearoa began to descend onto its streets for for the 2023 Association of Dispensing Opticians New Zealand (ADONZ) annual conference. True to form, ‘sunny Nelson’ put on some stunning weather and the Rutherford Hotel was th
The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (ODOB) has announced an increase in members’ Annual Practising Certificate (APC) fees for 2024/2025 to cover increasing costs and secure long-term financial resilience. The APC fee for optometrists has increased by $280 to $1,199 (including a disciplin
Reviewing the latest results from the CHAMP study, a paediatric ocular injury study on infants and research into intrastromal corneal rings for keratoconus
The theme of the 79th Orthoptics Australia (OA) Annual Conference was ‘Equitable eyecare for all’, which was certainly reflected in Telethon Kids Institute’s Dr Lynne Millar’s opening address. Dr Millar highlighted the importance of understanding why some people disengage from the health system and
Life can often throw up unexpected moments that change the direction of our careers. As a second-year student in Manchester in 1986, I answered an advert in the UK optics press for volunteers to spend their summer vacation helping an eyecare team in Tanzania. Summer holidays in Merseyside or Tanzani
An excellent weekend of learning at Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC) at Sofitel Sydney was elevated by the appearance of some ‘celebrity’ guests. Cast as Optom Barbies and Optom Kens in hilarious
It has been a damn long time between drinks! Christchurch last hosted a New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO) conference in 2009 – pre-earthquake and pre-global pandemic. So, given that this year’s return showing was held in Te Pae, across the road from the now-demolished 2009 conference lo
For the first time since the pandemic, Volunteer Ophthalmic Services Overseas’ (VOSO’s) chair Dr Andrew Riley and I made a five-day visit to Nuku'alofa in Tonga in September. A regular volunteer, this
Epiretinal membranes (ERMs), also known as macular puckers or cellophane maculopathy, are a relatively common condition affecting the retina, particularly the macular region. These membranes can have a significant impact on a person's vision and quality of life. To better understand and manage ERMs,
My optometrist wife, Amanda, and I were supposed to have spent July helping out at Lions Outback Vision in Broome. I would give the hardworking ophthalmologists a break and supervise the registrar, wh
That’s a wrap! The New Zealand Optometry Student Society (NZOSS) finished 2023 with a record-breaking 19 events, a first-time international collaboration with Optometry Australia and Australian univer