Clear Minds, Bright Futures: A symposium on burnout and mental wellbeing in optometry

In September 2024, Optometry Australia hosted the Clear Minds, Bright Futures symposium, an event designed to bring together the optometry community to address the growing challenges of burnout and mental wellbeing within the profession. 

The topics of burnout and mental health have been consistent concerns voiced by the optometry community. Recently, these issues were further emphasised by early career optometrists (ECOs), who identified these as top priorities during our 2024 National ECO Think Tank.  

In response, and with the support of ECO committees and participants from this year’s Think Tank, the symposium was designed to: 

• Raise awareness of burnout and mental wellbeing within the optometry profession; 
• share and understand the perspective of optometrists who have lived experience of burnout and mental ill-health; and 
• explore innovative approaches to enhance mental resilience across the field.

A space for open, honest conversation  

The virtual event welcomed a diverse group of attendees; from optometrists and mental health professionals to employer groups and university representatives. Many attendees appreciated the opportunity to hear and connect with others, knowing they were not alone in facing these challenges. 

Moderated by Grace Hand, Chair of ECOVSAT (Early Career Optometrist Victoria South Australia Tasmania), the symposium featured keynote presentations by Professor Sharon Bentley, ECOVSAT committee member Madeline Baker and clinical psychologist Dr Tim Doyle. These presentations set the scene, outlining the evidence base regarding burnout and mental wellbeing in optometry. Recordings of these sessions, along with PowerPoint slides can be found on the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence, here. 

Panel and group discussions afforded attendees the opportunity to delve further into the established evidence base and consider innovative opportunities for change, with the shared aim of establishing a robust future for optometry, which prioritises optometrist wellbeing alongside meeting community need.   

We are grateful for the unique perspective each panellist added to the discussion.   

Supporting members now 

Beyond the symposium, we continue to prioritise and support the mental health and wellbeing of our members. 

In addition to a dedicated webpage containing free, tailored resources for members (including webinars, podcasts and more), we have also launched a Member Assistance Program, which provides access to three, free counselling and coaching sessions by trained psychologists. This service does not require referral, Medicare, GP or employer information, and members can opt to talk to their trained psychologist anonymously if they prefer.  

To book a coaching or counselling session, simply call the Centre for Corporate Health on 1800 959 956 or email eap@cfch.com.au. To access additional free mental health resources, visit our webpage here.  

Looking ahead 

 OA CEO Skye Cappuccio said, “Optometry Australia is committed to fostering a sustainable profession by promoting work-life balance and tackling burnout. The conversations sparked during the symposium will continue, but more importantly, they will lead to action.”  

Our organisation has committed to:   

• Consider opportunities to further develop leadership skills and promote ethical, health-focused decision-making across the profession. Strong leadership is essential to fostering a profession-wide culture that prioritises mental wellbeing.  
• Continue to promote and prioritise workplace wellbeing through the development of relevant guidance and resources.  
• Promote stories of success throughout the profession, showcasing practices that prioritise workplace culture and staff wellbeing. 
• Provide ongoing support and resources for members, including in our member services offerings and education programs.

We also recognise the impact that our existing activities can have on this space. For example: 

• Facilitating the profession to work to their full and evolved clinical scope across multiple health care contexts in collaborative, patient centred models of care which provide timely access to quality primary eye care. It is our vision that by working to their full scope in these settings, optometrists are exposed to greater diversity in their workday, which can promote career satisfaction and improved mental health outcomes. By continuing to evolve optometry’s scope of practice, new opportunities to innovate and pursue satisfying careers can be realised. 
• Implementing an Advanced Practice Recognition program which recognises and credentials optometrists with demonstrated expertise in particular clinical areas. This will encourage career diversity and provide meaningful clinical recognition, further supporting professional well-being and job satisfaction. 

We thank all attendees for taking the time to join us for this important conversation.  

Further reading 

• Recordings of keynote presentations are available on the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence, here. 
• Optometry Australia has also launched a Member Assistance Program, which provides access to three, free counselling and coaching sessions by trained psychologists.  
• Optometry Australia’s Optometry Advisor Help Desk is here to help – no matter how big or small your query, we are only a phone call or email away. We take pride in providing you with independent and unbiased advice and this will be provided in complete confidentiality and without judgement. Find out more here.