2026–27 Federal Budget: what it means for optometry

Earlier this year, Optometry Australia submitted its 2026–27 Federal Budget Submission to the Australian Government, outlining a series of practical, evidence-based reforms aimed at improving access to eye care and better utilising the skills and expertise of Australia’s optometry workforce.

Submitted in January, the proposal focused on targeted investments to improve patient access to timely and affordable care, including:

• enhanced access to Medicare-subsidised eye examinations for high-risk age cohorts;
• reforms to support evidence-based childhood myopia management;
• increased investment in the Visiting Optometrists Scheme (VOS); and
• a pilot of innovative models of care for intravitreal injections (IVIs) in underserved communities.

Since lodging the submission, Optometry Australia has continued to actively advocate for these priorities through several follow-up meetings with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Ministerial offices and key stakeholders. Discussions have focused on practical reforms to improve access and affordability, strengthen rural and remote eye care, support prevention, and ensure Australians benefit from better utilisation of the optometry workforce.

As expected, this year’s Federal Budget was particularly conservative, with strong competition for new health investment across the system. While the Budget did not include direct funding commitments relating to Optometry Australia’s proposals, several measures are relevant to the profession and broader eye care sector.

Intravitreal injections and retinal care access

A key Budget measure for the eye care sector was the Government’s decision to reverse the proposed reclassification of intravitreal injection (IVI) Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items to Type C procedures. This decision is welcome and expected to help maintain affordability for patients requiring ongoing sight-saving retinal treatment by preserving existing funding arrangements and reducing the risk of increased out-of-pocket costs. While this helps in the short term, it is regrettably not addressing the underlying impediments to care.

Optometry Australia has had significant engagement with Government regarding the sustainability and affordability of IVI care. OA made a formal submission to the Australian Government’s consultation on the proposed Type C reclassification and has continued ongoing discussions with the Department and key stakeholders regarding implementation and future service models.

While welcoming the Government’s decision to overturn the proposed reclassification as an important cost-saving measure for patients in the immediate term, Optometry Australia continues to believe there are several opportunities to improve affordability, access and system sustainability through innovative models of care that better utilise the optometry workforce across eye care. Regarding IVIs, OA has consistently advocated that appropriately trained optometrists, working under robust clinical governance and ophthalmologist oversight, can play an important role in improving access to this sight-saving treatment, particularly in rural and regional communities, while helping reduce patient out-of-pocket costs and broader system pressures.

This aligns closely with Optometry Australia’s Federal Budget proposal to pilot alternative IVI models of care in underserved communities to improve access, reduce out-of-pocket costs and alleviate growing pressure on ophthalmology services and associated waiting lists.

Veteran optical supports protected

The Budget included reforms to allied health funding arrangements for veterans, including an annual cap for some allied health services. Importantly, optometry was excluded from these capped arrangements, meaning the cost of glasses and visual aids will continue to be funded separately.

This is an important outcome for veterans and providers, as inclusion within a capped allied health pool may have unintentionally created trade-offs between accessing optical supports and other allied health services. By retaining separate funding arrangements, veterans’ access to essential visual aids and optical reimbursement remains protected.

Support for small business optometry practices

With many optometry practices operating as small businesses, several broader Budget measures may also be relevant to practice owners. Continued investment in small business supports, including financial counselling, mental health coaching and dispute resolution mechanisms, may assist practices navigating ongoing economic pressures and workforce challenges.

Advocacy continues

Federal Budgets are only one part of the advocacy process. Budget submissions help submit policy positions, strengthen relationships with government, and progress practical reforms over time.

Looking ahead, Optometry Australia will also make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the access and affordability of medical specialists, using the opportunity to further advocate for collaborative models of care that better utilise the optometry workforce. The submission will highlight how optometrists can support earlier intervention, monitoring and ongoing management of chronic eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular disease, improving access, reducing avoidable delays and helping lower out-of-pocket costs for Australians

Optometry Australia will continue advocating for timely implementation of reforms that improve access to affordable eye care, reduce avoidable vision loss and make best use of the skills and expertise of optometrists across Australia.

Read the Federal Budget Submission here.