Refreshing the future of eye health

In 2018, Optometry Australia launched the Optometry 2040 project, which identified plausible, and the preferred, futures for optometry, optometrists and community eye health in 2040.  

Why refresh Optometry 2040? 

By 2023, it became clear that the healthcare landscape was rapidly evolving, in part due to technological advancements and changing societal needs.  

CEO Skye Cappuccio noted, ‘Optometry is constantly changing due to demographic, technology, economic, government and societal forces. We recognised that the scenarios developed in 2018 needed to be updated if they were to remain relevant and useful. Some changed assumptions have progressed faster than expected, others slower or not at all.   

‘Optometry 2040 is about taking control of our future, so it was clear that more work needed to be done to support the ongoing evolution of optometry in Australia, to take advantage of the opportunities of new technology, big data and a growing workforce, and increase access to eye care for all Australians.’  

This prompted Optometry Australia to reassess and refresh its scenarios, enlisting the expert help of Professor Niki Ellis and Jane Palmer of Niki Ellis and Associates (NE&A) to lead the delivery of the project, with futurist Professor Sohail Inayatullah engaged to review the process at key points.  

Through a series of research and consultation activities over the last six months Optometry Australia has worked to update the 2018 scenarios and establish a more detailed timeline of priorities to achieve the new preferred scenario. The development and consultation process aimed to leverage the expertise of the Optometry Australia team, key stakeholders and our members, ultimately engaging with nearly 200 stakeholders to seek their perspectives, input and advice.   

The new future of eye health: Lighting a pathway to inclusive, holistic healthcare 

Scenario 2, titled ‘Lighting a pathway to inclusive, holistic healthcare’, emerged as the preferred vision for 2040. This future is based on a vision of which includes:  

• Optometrists’ participation in collaborative multidisciplinary health services; 
• an expanded scope of optometric practice working in partnership with other specialists; 
• validated, shareable data on workforce supply and demand, and on patients and health outcomes;
• full uptake of the opportunities presented by digital health transformation, including workforce development and training;
• a more diverse and culturally responsive workforce; and 
• optometrists as key players in eye health research.  

Ms Cappuccio said, ‘In this future, optometrists play a central role in a collaborative healthcare ecosystem, leveraging technology, AI and data to deliver quality, personalised patient care. The optometry profession evolves to meet the diverse needs of patients, with an emphasis on preventative care, innovation and sustainability.’ 

She further notes that the work done on the Refreshing Optometry 2040 project will feed into Optometry Australia’s strategic plan for 2024.  

‘The outputs of the Refreshing Optometry 2040 project are serving as a roadmap for Optometry Australia’s upcoming strategic planning process and inform the wider optometry community about the future of optometry in Australia. 

‘By embracing the updated preferred future for optometry, we as a sector can collectively shape a future where eye health is accessible and equitable for all Australians, and optometrists are utilised to their fullest clinical scope.’   

Read the full Refreshing Optometry 2040 report here, and access a summary report here.