‘Beneficial’ and ‘collaborative’ were two strong themes at a recent Dunedin continuing professional development (CPD) evening, hosted by Specsavers Dunedin and attended by more than half the city’s optometry workforce.
Social entrepreneur and local ophthalmologist Dr Sheng Chiong Hong from oDocs Eye Care shared insights and discussed accessibility of eyecare and technology. oDocs is a known leader in this field and Dr Hong’s views are shared by Specsavers, said Specsavers Dunedin director Tianyuan Qu. “All patients should be able to benefit from technological advances if there is clear evidence of improvements to health outcomes.”
The CPD event also featured a discussion of several case studies, led by local graduate optometrists. “Our event aimed to provide a learning platform for graduate and senior optometrists, to strengthen relationships with local ophthalmologists and create a better connected eyecare ecosystem in Dunedin,” said Qu. While attendance was limited due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event was designed to be inclusive, with invitations extended to all Dunedin-based optometrists. “We want to spearhead increased collaborative eyecare within our local industry. It was important to us that everyone in our community was invited and that it wasn’t a Specsavers event,” he said, adding that more events are in the pipeline to offer local CPD and engage Otago eyecare professionals.
