Insight News

18/07/2025

🚨 New product alert 🚨ZEISS Medical Technology has launched the CIRRUS Pathfinder – bringing AI-powered OCT analysis Down Under for the first time.

After debuting at ODMAFair25 in Sydney last month, discover how this groundbreaking ZEISS Group tech will revolutionise retinal diagnostics through automation.

🔗 Read the full story: https://www.insightnews.com.au/australasian-debut-for-zeiss-cirrus-pathfinder/

The Australasian unveiling of ZEISS’ CIRRUS PathFinder – described as a breakthrough in AI-guided OCT image assessment – took place ODMAFair25 in Sydney recently.

18/07/2025

In a move to elevate clinical excellence, the 2025 Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC 2025) program will include a new practical workshop component featuring renowned Australian clinician-scientist Dr Kate Gifford, from Myopia Profile.

Find out what the two interactive stations will involve at the Specsavers Australia-run event. 👇

The 2025 Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC 2025) program will include a new practical workshop component featuring renowned Australian clinician-scientist Dr Kate Gifford.

17/07/2025

AUSCRS 2025 has started with an ending.

On Wednesday night – and in typical AUSCRS fashion – Professor Gerard Sutton and Dr Jacqueline Beltz entered the venue in Darwin dressed as intrepid Aussie tour guides, driving a 4WD.

The next morning, the co-presidents of the Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (AUSCRS) officially and more formally welcomed those attending the organisation’s annual conference, which attracts some of the leading ophthalmologists from around the country and the world.

Dr Beltz told those attending this would be Prof Sutton’s third and last AUSCRS in his current capacity.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Orthoptics Australia

AUSCRS 2025 has started with an ending.

16/07/2025

Strewth. Crikey. What a lively start to AUSCRS 2025 in Darwin on Wednesday night.

It began with a Welcome to Country, before a conga line to the music of entertainers Mitch Tambo and Lele; then came the entry of intrepid travel guides and Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons co-presidents Professor Gerard Sutton and Dr Jacqueline Beltz to welcome all.

In a 4WD. Dressed up in their fair-dinkum outback Aussie gear and fly-repelling hats.

And the dressing up won't end there over the next few days as some of the leading ophthalmologists from around Australia and the world debate what's going on in the sector, including new technology and techniques, in a way that is unique to this very Aussie event.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

16/07/2025

The 3rd Congress of the Asia-Pacific Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology Society (APSPOS), held in Brisbane from 29 June to 1 July 2025, is being hailed as a landmark moment in global paediatric eyecare.

Co-hosted with the annual meetings of the Australia and New Zealand Strabismus Society and the Australia and New Zealand Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Society, the historic gathering brought together expertise unlike any other event in the region.

The weekend was also a major achievement for professional conference organiser Think Business Events, which ran APSPOS and the 15th International Orthoptics Congress within the same week at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

The 3rd Congress of the Asia-Pacific Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology Society (APSPOS), held in Brisbane from 29 June to 1 July 2025, is being hailed as a landmark moment in global paediatric eyecare.

16/07/2025

A new optometry school – which would be Australia’s eighth – is being proposed in North Queensland, as debate about whether the country has enough optometrists for future demand enters a new chapter.

JCU: James Cook University, Australia, in Townsville confirmed it had received a request to establish the course that would become the state’s second such program alongside Queensland University of Technology.

“The university takes industry requests and community input seriously. We are committed to ensuring that any new educational initiatives align with local demand and are underpinned by robust planning and consultation processes,” a JCU spokesperson told Insight, with this comment current as of 8 July 2025.
Optometry Australia Optical Dispensers Australia Australian College of Optometry ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing Specsavers Australia

A new optometry school is being proposed in North Queensland, despite debate about whether the country has enough optometrists.

14/07/2025

A newly released report shows that more than 560,000 Australians with diabetes are reducing their risk of blindness by over 90% thanks to KeepSight LLC, the national eye check reminder program run by Diabetes Australia.

Established in 2019, KeepSight reminds people with diabetes to have regular eye checks. An average of more than 8,000 new participants join the program each month, and more than 60% of those receiving reminders return for ongoing checks within the recommended timeframes.

The Deloitte report, Unveiling the Value of KeepSight: Enhancing Diabetes-Related Vision Care and Preventing Vision Loss, released during National Diabetes Week (July 13-19), highlights the benefits of early and regular eye screening.
Optometry Australia Optical Dispensers Australia Orthoptics Australia Specsavers Australia

More than 560,000 Australians with diabetes are reducing their risk of blindness by over 90% thanks to KeepSight.

14/07/2025

Forty years ago, when ophthalmologist Dr Keith Zabell returned to Australia after a number of years working in the UK, he saw a glaring gap in the private healthcare landscape.

He had graduated in honours in medicine from the University of Queensland, following that up with a specialist degree at Sydney Eye Hospital and post-grad fellowships at Britain’s Bristol and Moorefields eye hospitals.

But a career on the rise encountered a surprising crossroads when he returned home to find all was not necessarily green and gold in the lucky country.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Orthoptics Australia

Insight talks with an ophthalmologist and pioneer in Australia’s private health system about the establishment of Cura Day Hospitals Group.

14/07/2025

Insight is excited to launch its new comprehensive resource for IOL technology in Australia.

Ophthalmologists can find an up-to-date list of lenses from the country’s main suppliers, bringing key features and specifications into one place – split across presbyopia-correcting and monofocal categories.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Vision Eye Institute

Insight IOL Directory is comprehensive resource for intraocular lens (IOL) technology in Australia, featuring an up-to-date list of lenses from the country’s main suppliers.

13/07/2025

A researcher at QUT (Queensland University of Technology) has secured significant funding to investigate the early warning signs of myopia in Australian children.

Dr Rohan Hughes, a postdoctoral research fellow in the QUT Centre for Vision and Eye Research and Optometry Australia (OA) member, is being supported by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation.

According to a story shared by OA, Dr Hughes’ research project, Characteristics Associated with Eye Growth in Pre-Myopic Children, will be the first of its kind in Australia to investigate pre-myopia.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Optometry Australia Orthoptics Australia Australian College of Optometry

A researcher at Queensland University of Technology has secured funding to investigate the early warning signs of myopia.

13/07/2025

Presbyopia management has been the holy grail for intraocular lens technology development for 30 years, but sub-classifying lenses has become confusing and ad hoc, says Dr Peter Sumich. He offers a way out.

As biometry became predictable and 90% accurate for achieving reliable emmetropia, intraocular lens (IOL) companies geared their development teams towards solving the presbyopia puzzle.

Right from the start the goal has been to maximise near vision while minimising unwanted side effects. I approached this brief review to describe the current approaches to presbyopic IOLs in an agnostic, non-manufacturer specific way.
RANZCO Australian Society of Ophthalmologists Orthoptics Australia Vision Eye Institute

Presbyopia management has been the holy grail for intraocular lens technology development for 30 years, but sub-classifying lenses has become confusing and ad hoc, says Dr Peter Sumich. He offers a way out. As biometry became predictable and 90% accurate for achieving reliable emmetropia, intraocula...

13/07/2025

Picture this: Mrs Fancypants, a new patient at your practice, arrives driving a very flash car. She sports a diamond the size of a cricket ball on a ring and an even larger one on a gold chain around her neck.

She trots in 10 minutes early for her eye check with the optometrist. Eager to save time, you decide to browse frames beforehand, skilfully guiding her towards the latest designer frames fresh from France. She falls in love with a nice large inline frame and you hand her off to your optometrist, congratulating yourself on your efficiency.

The optometrist returns Mrs Fancypants to you. Her near script is R +3.50/-0.25×180 Prism 4 Base In and L +3.00/-0.50×5 Prism 4 Base In… oops.
Optometry Australia Optical Dispensers Australia Australian College of Optometry ACOD - Australasian College of Optical Dispensing

Jacobus Boshoff on why a good optical dispenser sometimes needs to dish out the harsh truth, and why frame choice starts with a prescription.