1:30min
Independent optometry is levelling up. With patient expectations shifting and technology evolving at lightning speed, practices now have a tremendous opportunity to modernise, streamline and stand out.
Adrian Vecchio, Optometry Australia member and Owner at The Eye Collective Optometry, has been tracking these shifts for over a decade and is confident the next wave of innovation will transform practice life as we know it.
Adrian’s interest in practice management systems sparked early.
‘Just before I graduated, I remember thinking how clunky the software was,’ he said. ‘What blows my mind is that the landscape around us has changed massively, but most systems haven’t.’
Despite that frustration, Adrian sees significant growth potential. The momentum around new platforms is building, and independent practices are ideally placed to benefit.
The daily juggle that tech can genuinely simplify
Independent owners already do it all – clinical care, dispensing, HR, marketing, rostering and accounting – and most practices currently rely on older platforms or stitched-together add-ons.
Systems like Optomate, Sunix, Ocelot Pro and the newer entrant ooptify each bring their own strengths. However, many practices still run multiple tools for bookings, messaging, email marketing and feedback. That means extra cost and extra admin.
But Adrian believes the right software can smooth out that mental load.
‘Practices don’t need bells and whistles for the sake of it. They need tools that work seamlessly and reliably, so the team can stay focused on patients, not admin.’
Creating a smoother, smarter patient experience
We’ve all had the clunky online booking moment: hard to navigate forms, duplicated info and the awkward shuffle of Medicare numbers being re-entered repeatedly.
Adrian believes integrated workflows and smart systems can reduce double handling, prevent steps from being missed and help patients walk in calm, not frazzled. Staff get to spend time connecting instead of copying and pasting.
The new essentials for future-ready practices
Adrian sees several standout features becoming must-haves:
- End-to-end integration from bookings to follow-up
- AI-powered tools for notetaking, report writing and diagnosis support
- Smart prompts that help practitioners offer the proper recommendations
- Interfaces that anyone in the practice can use confidently
‘Showing patients you’re using current tech builds trust,’ said Adrian. ‘It signals that you’re investing in them.’
Clinical decisions, continuity and the power of better data
One of Adrian’s biggest hopes for future systems is better access to a patient’s full clinical story. Current platforms make it tricky to track past diagnoses or management plans at a glance.
The dream setup? Clear history, smart alerts and integrated AI that flags anything easy to overlook.
‘It’s about helping optometrists make the best decisions without digging through pages of notes,’ he said.
Adrian also stresses that modern systems should offer strong encryption, local storage and airtight backups to protect practices from breaches.
A realistic path for practices ready for an upgrade
For practices still on older systems or manual processes, Adrian says the first step is building buy-in.
‘Talk to your team about what’s not working and what could be easier. Show how new tools can support them and your patients.’
Working closely with providers can also soften the transition and reduce downtime.
Tech that improves job satisfaction
With growing scope and rising complexity, Adrian believes digital workflow tools are crucial for clinician wellbeing.
‘It’s about removing friction. Good software gives time back and helps clinicians do their best work.’
Understanding the return on investment
Adrian encourages practices to think beyond upfront costs and invest in the real value: fewer third-party subscriptions, lower SMS costs, less manual recall, smoother patient flow, happier staff and more repeat business.
‘A lot of it is incremental. Five dollars saved here, ten minutes saved there. But it adds up and creates a notable impact.’
What’s next: a decade of possibility
Adrian is energised by what’s coming. AI and augmented intelligence will soon support everything from automated admin to clinical decision-making and management planning.
He also sees exciting growth in:
- Remote vision testing and remote clinical support
- Forecasting tools that predict patient flow and revenue
- Stronger, more intuitive data management
- Even more robust cybersecurity
‘The next five to ten years will be massive. If practices choose the right tools now, they’ll be ready for anything.’