Registrations are now open for the Optometry Clinical Conference (OCC) 2026 held in Brisbane this August, with a powerhouse program featuring international and Australian clinical experts. Presented by Optometry Australia, OCC has quickly established itself as one of the profession’s most significant national clinical education events.
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. 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.
Secure e-referral systems are helping optometrists replace fax, post and email with more reliable and traceable communication with ophthalmologists, GPs, hospitals and other specialists. A pivotal example is underway in Tasmania, where Primary Health Tasmania and the Tasmanian Department of Health are leading the rollout of eReferrals in optometry.
Entries for the 2026 Professor Peter Swann Photography Prize competition are invited between 20 May and 5 July 2026. The prize celebrates outstanding ocular images and honours the legacy of Professor Peter Swann, who was a faculty member at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) for over 37 years.
The proposal was endorsed nationwide, with 97% of voting members in Optometry Victoria South Australia, 86% in Optometry New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, 95% in Optometry Queensland Northern Territory, 81% in Optometry Western Australia, and 100% in Optometry Tasmania, voting in favour of unification.
In a global first, HOYA Vision Care, Optometry Australia’s Myopia Awareness Campaign parter, today announced that its new MiYOSMART iQ spectacle lens technology is set to halt myopia progression in children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that Australia has become the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. This is a significant milestone for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities across the nation, and a vital step in preventing avoidable vision loss.
Meet Alexandra Forman, who has been awarded the 2026 OV/SA Student Academic Award for The University of Melbourne. Recipients of these awards are selected by the three Australian university optometry faculties and conferred on students who demonstrate academic excellence, and a strong commitment to patient care and professionalism.
As Members will no doubt have seen, we are in full swing of informing Members about the upcoming vote to unify into one national organisation. We need a fit-for-purpose new structure that will kick goals for Members. That is what optometrists deserve.
From 1 July 2026, the Australian superannuation system will change substantially. Known as Payday Super, all employers will be required to pay their staff’s superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions at the same time they pay their salary and wages.
In the spirit of reconciliation Optometry Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
