Optometry Australia welcomes last weeks’ announcement that Treasurers have agreed to support reforms that enable health practitioners to work to their full scope of practice, as included in the updated National Competition Policy Federation Funding Agreement Schedule.
Optometry Queensland Northern Territory (OQNT) recently met with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to seek clarification on the changes to the Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver Form F3712 and to reinforce the critical role of optometrists in assessing visual fitness to drive.
Leading South Australian eye health professionals have joined forces to call for the implementation of universal pre-school vision screening across the state, following the successful launch of the campaign in Adelaide earlier this week.
Optometry Australia’s Workforce Projections Study shows Australia currently has an oversupply of optometrists, and simply increasing graduate numbers will not fix workforce maldistribution. We are strongly opposing proposals for new optometry programs and calling for smarter, locally targeted solutions to support both practitioners and patients.
Earlier this year, Optometry Australia released the Optometry Workforce Projections Study, revealing two critical truths about our profession: On paper, Australia has an oversupply of optometrists when measured against current demand. In reality, a significant proportion of Australians are missing out on essential eye care – meaning true population need is not being met. This …
Continue reading “Meeting Australia’s Unmet Need for Optometry”
The Federal Government’s 2025–26 Budget has committed to banning non-compete clauses in most employment contracts. Optometry Australia’s legal partner, ILG, has prepared a detailed summary of the proposed changes.
As part of Optometry Australia’s “Eyes on Medicare” campaign, passionate optometrists continue to take their concerns directly to policymakers. Recently, Jack Gooden and Teagan Lehmann met with Luke Gosling MP to highlight the importance of reinstating two-yearly Medicare-subsidised eye examinations and ensuring equitable access to primary eye care in the NT.
As part of Optometry Australia’s ‘Eyes on Medicare’ campaign, optometrists continue to take action to advocate for much-needed reforms in primary eye care. Recently, optometrists Sophie Koh and Kerryn Hart met with Assistant Minister Ged Kearney to discuss the growing issue of childhood myopia and the importance of reinstating two-yearly Medicare-subsidised eye examinations.
With a Federal Budget next week, and Federal Election approaching soon after that, Optometry Australia is kicking off a new phase of our Eyes on Medicare campaign, releasing strong commentary to the media on Canberra’s lack of response to your call for urgent action.
Optometry Australia (OA) continues to advocate for improvements in referral pathways, ensuring optometrists can deliver seamless patient care. OA State Lead – Tasmania Karen Garner-Hamilton and Optometry Advancement Advisor, Nicola Mountford recently met with Primary Health TAS (PH TAS) in Hobart to explore opportunities to enhance e-referrals.
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.
