March 2025

NEW ZEALAND

Women

in Vision

Dispensing

ethics

MARCH 2025

Sales vs

standards

Page 36

Page 48

Page 52

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Inside

6 EDITORIAL

NEWS

8 Commerce Commission censures RANZCO

10 Mapping kids’ eye health data

15 Vit D’s role in uveitis under the microscope

16 Welcome to the CCLS one-day conference!

20 Obituary: Graeme Curtis

30 Kiwi-designed anti-keratitis tech heads to human trials

46 Helping Tongans see and be seen

50 Style news

10

36

FEATURE

22 Vision’s role in sports performance

26 Sight-impaired Paralympians

36 Women breaking barriers, building futures

EDUCATION

12 Case study: visual recovery after decompression

32 BOOK REVIEW: Ocular Pathology, 9th edition

40 Importance of risk stratification in cataract surgery

RESEARCH

34 Rebound myopia and prem-patient findings

40

26

BUSINESS

44 Business focus fundamentals (part two)

48 Do you have an ethical autopilot?

46

52 CHALKEYES:

A wake-up call for ‘comfortable leaders’

54 CLASSIFIEDS

50

30

www.nzoptics.co.nz | PO Box 32185, Devonport 0744 | New Zealand | ISSN 0110-8697 (Print) | ISSN 2703-660X (Online) | facebook.com/NZOptics

To sign up to our free monthly e-newsletters, Clinical Desktop and/or Talking Shop, please go to https://nzoptics.co.nz/subscriptions

For general enquiries or classifieds please email info@nzoptics.co.nz

For editorial, please contact Susie Hill at susie@nzoptics.co.nz or +64 21 815 504, Susanne Bradley at susanne@nzoptics.co.nz or Drew Jones at drew@nzoptics.co.nz

For all advertising/marketing enquiries, please contact Lesley Springall at lesley@nzoptics.co.nz in the first instance, or Susanne Bradley at susanne@nzoptics.co.nz

To submit artwork or to query a graphic, please email susanne@nzoptics.co.nz

NZ Optics is the industry publication for New Zealand’s ophthalmic community. It is published monthly, 11 times a year, by New Zealand Optics 2015 Ltd. Copyright is held by NZ Optics

2015 Ltd. As well as the magazine and the website, NZ Optics 2015 Ltd publishes the New Zealand Optical Information Guide (OIG), a comprehensive online listing guide that profiles the

products and services of the industry. NZ Optics is an independent publication and has no affiliation with any organisations. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily

those of NZ Optics 2015 Ltd or the editorial team.

Take two!

AFTER A SOMEWHAT tumultuous couple of years, I’m delighted

to introduce you all to Susie Hill who will be taking over as editor

from next month’s issue. Susie is the former deputy editor of

NZ Doctor, has run a successful health PR business and has been

helping me out since mid-last year after hurriedly coming to

my rescue when I was left in the lurch shortly before swanning

off for an extended holiday to the UK and Europe. There’s more

about Susie in the contributor’s piece below but, suffice it to say,

I’m thrilled to be taking a bit more of a back seat after a decade of

running the editorial, the advertising and the publishing side of

NZ Optics.

I’m not disappearing, though – I’ll still be running the advertising

side writing the odd story and consulting with and covering for Susie

when needed. I’ve already introduced her to some of you and I’m hoping

to introduce her more widely at CCLS and at RANZCO NZ. So please come

and find us as we’d both be delighted to hear your ideas and thoughts for

NZ Optics’ next decade!

Talking of the future, I was lucky enough to be given a pair of Etnia

Barcelona’s new Chroma frames at Silmo last year, which I picked up from

Brad Boult at CMI Optical just before this issue went to press. We’ll have

more about Chroma in next month’s NZ Optics, which will be packed with

frames news, as is this month’s (p50). This issue also includes a wonderful

obituary for Graeme Curtis, penned by Paul Rose (p20), another

fascinating case study from Dr Arvind Gupta and Kenny Wu (p12), a

snapshot of what’s coming up at CCLS (p16), a great feature by Jeremy

Wong on sports and vision (p22) and our amazing Paralympians (p26)

and all the happenings from the second Women in Vision conference

With Susie…

…and with Brad from CMI Optical, modelling

my new Chroma specs from Etnia Barcelona

(p36). Meanwhile, Chalkeyes takes a long, hard look at the increasing

difficulties our optometrists face in balancing their lengthy training to

provide good clinical assessments with the frames-selling reality they

face when they graduate (p52).

We’ve also got heaps of news, including covering the very welcome

Commerce Commission letter censuring RANZCO for overstepping

the mark when it came to ‘advising’ their Kiwi fellows about training

their teams’ optometrists (p8). This is a wonderful end to my stint as

full-time editor and a great beginning for those experienced hospital

optometrists who wish to expand their

scope to include YAG laser to better help

their ophthalmologist colleagues and,

more importantly, their patients.

Enjoy!

Lesley Springall,

editor, NZ Optics

CONTRIBUTORS

Alli Campbell

Hailing from

Scotland, rugby

aficionado Alli

Campbell and

partner Roger

decided in 2009

to relocate to New

Zealand, a country

where the national

rugby team could

win the World Cup

(which was unlikely

to happen in

Scotland, she says).

Her career path

began during

a routine eye

examination, when

it was suggested

she consider a

course in ophthalmic

dispensing (as it was

then known).

Alli Campbell with ‘Dame’ Nick Gastrell at the Nelson

Repertory Theatre’s Go West production

Alli went on to qualify through the Fellow of British Dispensing Opticians

programme. Dispensing is the perfect mix of art and science, both of

which she enjoys, she says.

When she’s not busy working, Alli takes an active role in the

Nelson Repertory Theatre. “I’ve directed a number of plays and I’ve

written and directed three pantomimes, with a fourth in preparation

for this November. If you are in Nelson, why not book a night at the

Theatre Royal?”

Read more about Alli’s thoughts on dispensing ethics on p48.

Susie Hill

As a youngster, Susie

Hill had her sights set

on parallel careers as

a doctor and a foreign

correspondent. She

compromised slightly,

completing a med lab

tech degree, majoring

in microbiology, before

taking a sharp turn into

journalism inspired by

her then photojournalist

boyfriend. This

Susie, daughter Natalie and moko Joséphine on Mojo

eventually led to starting

her own health communications business 17 years ago. Now, as

NZ Optics’ new editor, Susie says she likes to think she has successfully

combined her two areas of interest into one fascinating career.

Years of covering consumer health and primary care has provided

some weird and wonderful moments, she says. “Interviewing an eccentric

doctor, he told me about taking part in The Emergency in India in the

‘70s, which included mass vasectomies. He was keen to undo his trousers

to show me his quick and virtually painless technique which allowed men

to ride a bike the same afternoon.”

Having enjoyed her first few months focusing on the eyecare world,

Susie admits there’s a lot to take in. “If I ever thought primary care

acronyms were a ‘mare, then eyecare ones are close rivals!”

Out of hours, Susie is a fan of well-engineered thriller novels and all

things aquatic. “From spa pool to ocean, swimming pool to paddle board,

water is my life’s passion! My husband Steve and I can think of nothing

better to do than taking our bright-yellow vintage Haines Hunter, Mojo,

out for a day on the Hauraki Gulf. We live by the sea, holiday by the sea

and dream of the sea.”

Welcome aboard the good ship NZ Optics, Susie!

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NEWS

Commerce Commission

censures RANZCO

By Drew Jones

NEW ZEALAND’S COMMERCE Commission has issued a compliance

advice letter to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of

Ophthalmologists (RANZCO), following an investigation into concerns the

College sought to restrict optometrists wishing to train to perform legally

approved laser treatments.

Prompted by a complaint filed by the New Zealand Association of

Optometrists (NZAO) mid-last year, the Commission’s investigation

focused on a letter RANZCO sent to its members in April 2023. The letter

counselled ophthalmologists against training hospital-based optometrists

in Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies and laser

peripheral iridotomies, despite these being

legally approved scope extensions since

May 2022.

The Commission’s concern was that in

discouraging RANZCO’s members from

training optometrists, the College’s letter

had the potential to substantially lessen

competition, said Vanessa Horne, general

manager Competition, Fair Trading and

Credit. “It also had the potential to negatively

impact patients waiting for these surgeries

and cause Te Whatu Ora and private insurers

Vanessa Horne

to pay more for them,” she said.

Specialised.

Experts.

Care.

The Centre of Excellence

in the Care and

Treatment of Retinal

Diseases in New Zealand

retinaspecialists.co.nz

After the Commission raised its concerns with RANZCO, the College

sent a clarifying letter to members stating it hadn’t intended to suggest

ophthalmologists should refuse to participate in providing professional

training for optometrists or that there was a risk of disciplinary action for

those members who did.

In last month’s letter, the Commission said it had not reached a

conclusion on whether RANZCO’s letter was or was not compliant with

section 27 of the Commerce Act 1986, which only a court could determine.

It acknowledged, however, that some ophthalmologists have now started

taking steps to train hospital optometrists who meet the criteria and

wished to expand their scope of practice to provide the scope-approved

minor laser treatments.

The Optometrists and Dispensing

Opticians Board (ODOB) welcomed

the Commission’s ‘Compliance

Advice Letter’ and RANZCO’s

clarification letter, said Suzanne

Halpin, ODOB chief executive and

registrar. “Now that RANZCO has

clarified its position, we expect

this will reassure its members

that they can provide training to

optometrists without concern

of retribution.” Given this, the

ODOB anticipates an increase

Suzanne Halpin

in optometrists participating in

training programmes, she said, adding the ODOB had already received

some applications for the specialist scope training.

Facilitating optometrists to work to the full extent of their professional

capabilities, while encouraging collaboration with other healthcare

providers, promotes more comprehensive, community-based care,

said Halpin. “This not only enhances patients’ access to eyecare and

expands their choices but also helps alleviate some of the pressure on

the healthcare system.” She also addressed patient safety concerns,

which RANZCO cited in its April 2023 letter, pointing out once again that

an optometrist’s eligibility for the specialist-scope training is subject to

stringent requirements regarding their experience, the environment in

which they practise and their supervision.

In its letter to RANZCO, the Commission said it did not intend to

pursue any additional action, but suggested RANZCO “keep the Act in

mind when corresponding with members” while reserving the right to

assess the matter further if new information is brought to its attention.

Both RANZCO and RANZCO NZ said they had no comment to make on

the matter.

The Commission’s letter is available at https://comcom.govt.nz/case-register.


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NEWS

Mapping kids’ eye health data

By Susanne Bradley

DR PUSHKAR

SILWAL has been

awarded a $30,000

Health Research

Council (HRC)

grant to investigate

how routinely

collected data

from children’s eye

health programmes

could help improve

kids’ eye health

in Aotearoa.

Nowadays, data

is everything,

said Dr Silwal,

research fellow and

population health professional with a special

interest in eye health, health equity and big

data at the School of Optometry and Vision

Science, University of Auckland. “Unless you

can justify the reason behind investment, it’s

hard to get public health funding. And data is

such a powerful tool that can demonstrate if

you do ‘this’, you can get ‘that’ result.”

However, eye health is not as easy to fix as

many other health services, he added, mainly

because of the public-private split. “Working

with Associate Professor Jacqueline Ramke

on the Eye Care Situation Analysis Tool report

for New Zealand, I found the public sector

is less engaged in eye healthcare compared

to other countries. New Zealand is also the

only high-income country with no public

funding for routine eyecare. We have bits

and pieces covered – for example, diabetic

retinopathy screening for people with diabetes

is covered by primary care funding, but it’s

not well integrated into the optometric side.

Then for children there are some screening

programmes, but they are very basic. For

adults, we have no public funding for

our examinations.”

Lack of data is another challenge, Dr Silwal

said. “We don’t know the prevalence of diabetic

Dr Pushkar Silwal. Credit: William Chea, UoA

retinopathy. We don’t know the prevalence of

refractive error. We don’t know the prevalence

of cataract surgery. Basically, we don’t know

many things about eye health in New Zealand.

Therefore, our first priority with this study will

be to map the data to understand what we

know and what we don’t know and, if there are

challenges uncovered, it’ll inform a plan to fix

those challenges.”

When mapping the landscape of the

routinely collected kids’ eye health data, for

example through the B4 School Check and

the year 7 school screening programme, the

team will assess the availability, accessibility

and quality of the data across the country,

Dr Silwal said. “We will then work with key

stakeholders, including schools and healthcare

providers, to identify strategies to enhance data

collection, availability and use. This project will

complement our team’s ongoing work and will

lay the groundwork for a future health delivery

research activity that will draw on routinely

collected data to inform strategies that improve

vision and eye health for children in Aotearoa.”

Co-investigators for the 12-month study are

Associate Professors Jacqueline Ramke and

Joanna Black and Drs Rebecca Findlay and

Justine Zhang.

Weight-loss

drugs implicated

in vision loss

US RESEARCHERS HAVE described a

potential link between two weight-loss

drugs and ophthalmic complications.

Writing in Jama Ophthalmology,

researchers at the University of Utah

said among a case series of nine

patients taking the antidiabetic drugs

semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide

(sold in the US as Mounjaro for diabetes

treatment and Zepbound for weight

loss and treatment of obstructive sleep

apnoea), seven developed nonarteritic

anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy,

one developed papillitis and one had

paracentral acute middle maculopathy.

Despite being unable to demonstrate

a causal link between these drugs and

vision loss, researchers said it has been

hypothesised the rapid correction

of hyperglycaemia induced by these

drugs, rather than a toxic effect, could

be associated with the ophthalmic

complications reported.

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EDUCATION

Case study: visual recovery after decompression

By Dr Arvind Gupta and Kenny Wu

Case 1

A 48-year-old man was referred with a diagnosis of normal tension

glaucoma (NTG). He had a family history of glaucoma and was

treated for systemic hypertension. Visual acuity was 6/6 in each eye,

intraocular pressures were 17 and 18mmHg and central corneal

thickness was 524 and 520µm. The optic disc assessment of the right

and left eye showed a 0.65 and 0.5 cup-disc ratio, respectively, with

possible neuroretinal rim thinning. The right Humphrey visual field

(HVF) demonstrated a visual field defect consistent with glaucoma,

while the left eye was normal. The right eye retinal nerve fibre layer

(RNFL) showed borderline thinning in the temporal quadrant,

while the left eye RNFL was normal.

A closer examination of the right optic disc revealed temporal

pallor. An MRI demonstrated pituitary macroadenoma with

compression of the optic chiasm. The visual field gradually

improved following the transsphenoidal resection of the pituitary

adenoma. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the RNFL and

ganglion cell layer remained unchanged.

Case 2

A 56-year-old woman referred for optic disc pallor had vision

recorded as 6/6 in both eyes. HVF revealed an altitudinal visual field

defect. The optic disc showed pallor. Her medical history included

chronic hypertension. An MRI with contrast revealed sphenoid

wing meningioma with optic nerve compression. It was considered

inoperable. She underwent radiotherapy and the visual field defect

improved gradually over the next few years. There was also some

minor ganglion cell layer thinning in more recent examinations.

Discussion

Compressive optic neuropathy results from a lesion pressing on

the optic nerve, resulting in optic neuropathy. If it is decompressed

early enough, before the onset of optic atrophy, there is almost

always some recovery 1 . OCT of the retinal nerve fibre layer and

the ganglion cell layer is a good indicator of the recovery following

decompression 2 . Some studies have shown that an average RNFL of

more than 80µm pre-operatively predicts a good recovery 3,4 . Case

1 had an average RNFL thickness of 83µm and case 2 had 99µm.

Similarly, the presence of a healthy ganglion cell layer thickness is

a good predictor of recovery 2 . Despite minor ganglion cell layer

thinning in case 2, the RNFL was preserved, which resulted in a

good visual prognosis. On the other hand, visual field assessment

and the visual field defect are poor predictors of recovery, as

demonstrated in these cases.

Continued on p14

Case 1’s visual fields over time. Visual field sensitivity improved at 18 months post-surgery

Case 1’s OCT of the RNFL


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EDUCATION

Continued from p12

Case 2’s OCT RNFL thickness changes and visual field changes from 2021–2023; before treatment and two years after treatment. RNFL thickness decreased to 81µm; however, visual

field defect improved

Visual recovery occurs in three phases following decompression

1. Rapid recovery phase: this occurs within minutes to hours of

decompression. It is likened to the relief of the conduction block after

an arm ‘goes to sleep’ 5

2. Delayed recovery phase: this lasts weeks to months and is related

to the progressive remyelination of the previously compressed

demyelinated axons 5

3. Late recovery phase: this lasts months to years and is slow. The exact

mechanism is unknown.

Learning points

• Compressive lesions can vary in location and produce varying

degrees of visual field defect

• There is almost always some recovery of visual field defect, but

the extent of the recovery depends on the severity of compressive

optic atrophy

• An MRI scan with contrast is invaluable in diagnosing intracranial

or intra-orbital lesions.

References

1. Carlson AP, Stippler M, Myers O. Predictive factors for vision recovery after optic nerve decompression for

chronic compressive neuropathy: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Neurological Surgery Part

B: Skull Base. 2013;74(01):020-38.

2. Garcia T, Sanchez S, Litré CF, Radoi C, Delemer B, Rousseaux P, et al. Prognostic value of retinal nerve

fiber layer thickness for postoperative peripheral visual field recovery in optic chiasm compression. Journal of

neurosurgery. 2014;121(1):165-9.

3. Danesh-Meyer HV, Papchenko T, Savino PJ, Law A, Evans J, Gamble GD. In vivo retinal nerve fiber layer

thickness measured by optical coherence tomography predicts visual recovery after surgery for parachiasmal

tumors. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science. 2008;49(5):1879-85.

4. Danesh-Meyer H, Papenchenko T, Law A, Gamble G. Pre-Operative Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness

Correlates With Degree of Visual Recovery Following Surgery in Patients With Compressive Optic

Neuropathy. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2007;48(13):2478.

5. Danesh-Meyer HV, Carroll SC, Foroozan R, Savino PJ, Fan J, Jiang Y, et al. Relationship between retinal

nerve fiber layer and visual field sensitivity as measured by optical coherence tomography in chiasmal

compression. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science. 2006;47(11):4827-35.

Dr Arvind Gupta is a consultant ophthalmologist based at

Auckland’s Manukau Super Clinic, Greenlane Clinical Centre and

Eye Doctors in Auckland, specialising in cataract, medical retina

and neuro-ophthalmology.

Kenny Wu is an Eye Institute and Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau

therapeutic optometrist with a clinical background in ocular

surface disease and medical retina.

AI and retinal maps reveal

disease associations

USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) to compare genetic variation

with the most detailed retinal thickness (RT) maps ever produced,

an international team of researchers said they had found that retinal

thinning was associated with many systemic disorders, including

multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes and dementia.

Writing in Nature Communications, researchers in Australia, the

US and the UK used AI to process the OCT measurements of 85,793

retinal-disease-free UK Biobank participants to produce an RT map

of >29,000 points in the macula. They then examined associations

between pixel-level RT and 863 diseases as defined by PheCodes (a

strategy for defining phenotypes for research). “Multiple sclerosis

(MS) had the largest negative global effect, with retinal thinning

observed in MS patients compared to controls and the strongest

effects observed in the nasal perifoveal region closest to the optic

disc,” they said. “Overall, we found retinal thinning to be associated

with poorer health and increased burden of disease.”


NEWS

Vit D’s role in uveitis under the microscope

AUCKLAND-BASED OPHTHALMOLOGIST researchers Drs Rachael

Niederer and Priya Samalia have been awarded a prestigious Health

Research Council (HRC) grant worth $30,000 to investigate vitamin D

levels in patients with HLA-B27-associated uveitis.

HLA-B27-associated uveitis is the most common form of anterior

uveitis, accounting for 20% of cases, and frequently linked with

ankylosing spondylitis. The University of Auckland research team has

identified a strong seasonal variation in its incidence, with higher cases

reported in winter. This trend is even more pronounced among Māori,

Pacific Peoples and Asians, who are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency,

said team leader Dr Niederer.

With the aid of the HRC’s Health Delivery Research Activation

Grant, the 17-month project will investigate whether low vitamin D

levels contribute to the increased prevalence and severity of HLA-

B27-associated uveitis in colder months. Findings from this research

will then inform the design

of a randomised controlled

trial to determine if vitamin D

supplementation can reduce

disease recurrence and severity,

said Dr Niederer who emphasised

the importance of this study in

addressing health inequities and

advancing personalised care. “By

examining the role of vitamin D

in uveitis, we hope to provide

insights that improve patient

outcomes and management of

this challenging condition.”

The project builds on previous

research highlighting the

immunomodulating properties

of vitamin D and its potential role

in inflammatory diseases, said Dr

Niederer, adding its findings could

pave the way for new preventive

strategies and treatments for

patients suffering from recurrent

uveitis. Early diagnosis and

treatment of uveitis are crucial to

preventing complications such as

glaucoma and permanent vision

loss, she said. “I am incredibly

grateful to the HRC for their

support and to my colleagues and

collaborators who have made this

work possible.”

Optical Coherence Tomography

RS-1 Glauvas

Faster workflow without compromising

diagnostic confidence

250kHz

250,000 A-scans/s

high-speed imaging

An HRC supported study will investigate vitamin D levels in patients with HLA-B27-

associated uveitis

Effortless operation

and interpretation

Wide, deep, highresolution

imaging

Advanced analytics

Dr Rachael Niederer

09 443 0072 info@oic.co.nz www.oic.co.nz

www.nidek.com

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 15

CCLS 2025

Welcome to

the CCLS

one-day

conference!

By Adele Jefferies

Talking collaboration…

By Susanne Bradley

This year’s Cornea and Contact Lens Society (CCLS) one-day

conference features an exciting lineup of local and international

speakers, including Australian keynotes optometrist SooJin Nam

and strabismus and paediatric specialist Dr Craig Donaldson.

THE COUNTDOWN

IS on and we can’t

wait to welcome

you to the Cornea

and Contact Lens

Society (CCLS)

Conference 2025

in Christchurch on

15 March!

Hosted at the new,

award-winning Te Pae Christchurch

Convention Centre, the conference is

shaping up to be an unmissable event

for optometrists and ophthalmologists

committed to advancing clinical eyecare.

It offers a unique opportunity to connect,

collaborate and stay at the forefront of

eyecare innovation.

Attendees can expect a diverse

programme covering myopia

management, contact lenses, dry eye,

ocular therapeutics, keratoconus and

acute eyecare. Our trade show exhibitors

will showcase the latest advancements

in the industry and we’re excited to bring

back the annual photo competition!

Sydney-based keynote speakers,

ophthalmologist Dr Craig Donaldson and

optometrist SooJin Nam, will be joined

by a lineup of leading local experts,

including Tui Homer, Anita Pistorius,

Grant Watters, Professor Jennifer

Craig and Drs Malcolm McKellar, Liz

Connor and Hans Vellara. Their sessions

promise to deliver valuable clinical

insights and practical applications

for everyday practice.

Building on the success of the 2024

conference workshops, we’re also

offering an optional pre-conference

workshop, ‘Mastering specialty contact

lens fitting’, on 14 March –

a fantastic opportunity for those

looking to refine their skills in this highly

specialised area.

CCLS conferences are renowned for

high-quality, evidence-based education,

engaging social events and valuable

professional networking in a fun, relaxed

environment. Don’t miss this chance to

learn, connect and be part of the future

of clinical eyecare!

Adele Jefferies is president of the CCLS NZ Council

SOOJIN NAM AND Dr Craig Donaldson will

host two joint sessions on collaborative care,

focusing on myopia control and the safety of

ortho-k. Dr Donaldson will also cover corneal

trauma and provide an overview of syndromal

and pathological myopia, while Nam will share

a case study on congenital stationary night

blindness and why eyecare practitioners need

both biometry and topography in myopia

management.

SooJin Nam

Behavioural

and paediatric

optometry specialist

SooJin Nam holds

both bachelor’s

and master’s degrees

SooJin Nam

in optometry from the

University of New South Wales (UNSW) and

an MBA.

Winning the New South Wales Shell Livewire

business plan competition started Nam’s

journey as a business owner at the age of 25

and she is currently the proud owner of five

award-winning optometry practices.

Passionate about professional education

and mentoring, Nam has served as a children’s

vision clinical supervisor at UNSW School of

Optometry, is active in Optometry Australia’s

national Community of Practice and Education

paediatric groups and a member of the

Australian Optometric Panel.

While still a young student herself, she

wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to

do. “I knew I wanted to help people and,

growing up in a migrant family with a smallbusiness

background, the idea of owning my

own business one day seemed appealing.

Optometry felt like a great fit at the time and,

looking back, it’s been the best decision I could

have made. To be honest, I don’t ever recall my

optometry career being boring. There was just

simply too much to do and learn.”

Now a successful paediatric optometrist,

Nam wasn’t always keen on kids in the testing

room. “I remember being absolutely terrified

of testing kids when I was a new graduate

and honestly tried to avoid having them in

my consulting room. But I’ve had incredible

mentors and teachers who have taught me

so much about managing paediatric eye

conditions so, somewhere along the journey,

I transitioned into a paediatric optometrist.”

Dr Craig Donaldson

Dr Donaldson is head

of the Strabismus

and Paediatric

Ophthalmology

Unit at Sydney Eye

Hospital, a visiting

medical officer at

Sydney Children’s

Dr Craig Donaldson AM

Hospital and a senior

staff specialist at The Children’s Hospital at

Westmead. He is in private practice at Epping

Surgery Centre in Sydney.

In addition to Dr Donaldson’s sub-specialty

interest in paediatric ophthalmology and

strabismus, he maintains a keen interest

in general ophthalmology and cataract

surgery. He was the president of the

Australian and New Zealand Strabismus

Society from 2012–2018, has authored many

papers and lectured extensively both in

Australia and internationally.

In 2019, Dr Donaldson was made a Member

of the Order of Australia, recognising his

services to medicine and ophthalmology in

Australia and overseas, and was given the Asia

Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology award for

prevention of blindness in Asia.

He was attracted to strabismus and

paediatric ophthalmology not only because

these areas cover a huge amount of interesting

pathology, but between them they also

encompass patients in all age groups, he

said. “Each one of these areas can have an

enormous impact on a person, regarding

function, self-esteem and opportunities in life.

I find the diversity and extent of pathology

most fascinating. I have also seen many of

my patients literally grow up; I have patients

who were babies who are now barristers. This

relationship is not only precious but the lives

they find are also fascinating.”

A strong advocate for continuous education,

Dr Donaldson said he is looking forward to the

opportunity for the knowledge-sharing that

CCLS brings. “I am always striving to learn and

I also learn through teaching. I would like

to see more crossover conference-learning

between other specialties and different eyecare

health practitioners. I think we can learn from

each other.”

For more about CCLS NZ 2025 and how to register

see box on p18.


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of axis orientation of DAILIES TOTAL1 ® for Astigmatism lenses where n=47; Alcon data on file, 2020. 4.In a

PRECISION1 TM for Astigmatism study where n=78 eyes: Alcon data on file, 2020. 5.Hines B, et. al. Clinical

subjective performance of two daily disposable toric soft contact lenses. Poster presented at: American

Optometric Association, Chicago. June 15-18, 2022. 6.Thekveli S, Qui Y, Kapoor Y, et al. Structure-property

relationship of delefilcon A lenses. Contact Lens Anterior Eye. 2012;35(Suppl 1):e14. 7.PRECISION1 (DDT2)

Lens with Smart Surface study; Alcon data on file, 2019. 8.In vitro analysis of lehfilcon A contact lenses

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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 17

CCLS 2025

CCLS 2025 – all you need to know

Christchurch’s stunning Te Pae Convention Centre is centrally located with easy access to amenities

THE GARDEN CITY of Christchurch is

host to this year’s CCLS one-day conference

on 15 March, offering New Zealand eyecare

practitioners an opportunity to indulge in

world-class clinical education and enjoy the

new, award-winning Te Pae Christchurch

Convention Centre.

Themed ‘Elevating Eyecare’, the conference

brings together optometry and ophthalmology

specialists to share insights and explore

innovations. Barista coffee and breakfast muffins

will be served from 8am, with proceedings

kicking off at 8.30am. The conference finishes

at 5pm, followed by drinks and nibbles.

A keen supporter of optometry and

ophthalmology students, CCLS this

year offers final-year optometry

students and ophthalmology registrars

free in-person registration with their

membership.

Pre-conference workshop:

Mastering specialty contact

lens fitting

This practical, hands-on session

features ortho-k troubleshooting,

sMap software overview, scleral

lens troubleshooting and fitting and

troubleshooting of Rose K designs.

It’s hosted by Corneal Lens

Corporation (CLC) at its office on

Friday 14 March 2025 from 12pm

to 5pm and lunch will be provided

courtesy of CLC. Spaces are limited.

The workshop is supported by

CLC and Ophthalmic Instruments

Company.

For more and to sign up, please visit

www.contactlens.org.nz/ccls-events/cclsconference2025

Project to boost tailored myopia treatment

LED BY ESSILORLUXOTTICA, a five-year

research and innovation project aims to set a

new standard in the med-technology space

with personalised myopia treatment through

medical optics.

Bringing together technical, clinical and

digital expertise from leading healthcare,

research and industry organisations, the

initiative, PREMYOM (Prise en charge et

Ralentissement de l’Epidémie de MYopie

par l’Optique Médicale – Management and

Slowing down of the Myopia Epidemic

through Medical Optics), will seek to

provide a better understanding of the

clinical and biological mechanisms behind

myopia progression to

deliver widely accessible,

advanced, personalised

ophthalmic solutions.

The initiative, whose partners

include Hôpital Fondation

Adolphe de Rothschild, Inria,

InSimo, IMT and Institut de la

Vision, will tap into cutting-edge

research on retinal biology,

large-scale cohort studies,

clinical trials and big-data

analytics. “It will also leverage advanced digital

modelling and biomechanical simulation of

the myopic eye, innovative optical concepts,

as well as next-generation lens manufacturing

technologies and optometry instruments,” the

partners said in a statement.

Repeated Low-Level Red-Light Therapy: >1 year in New Zealand!

Case study:

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Elin Eyes by Adele

By Susanne Bradley

DRIVEN BY A desire to improve eyelid health and comfort for patients

who wear makeup and suffer from dry eye, optometrist and CCLS NZ

president Adele Jefferies has created Elin Eyes, a locally made organic

range of lid- and lash-care products.

Many of her patients have dry eyes or related issues that are often

caused or exacerbated by cosmetic lash procedures or wearing a lot

of makeup, she said, noting the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society’s

(TFOS) Lifestyle Report findings which led her to develop her new

beauty-care product range. “We all understand that lid hygiene is

important for many of our patients. With Elin Eyes, I set out to create a

range of New Zealand-made products that not only cleanse the lids and

lashes but also won’t strip moisture from the skin or clog pores, while

possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.”

Drawing on her clinical expertise, Jefferies said she collaborated with

a team of chemists to develop effective formulations that wouldn’t

compromise eye health. “I have been involved in every stage – from

concept and formulation to testing and packaging. It has been a

four-year journey, beginning with a lot of reading and research, then

collaborating with leading chemists to create safe, effective and gentle

solutions for the delicate lid and lash area. There have been a few formula

tweaks along the way and there’s also been a fair bit to learn about

cosmetic and personal care regulations in New Zealand.”

Those four years included sourcing packaging, running product trials

and undertaking stability testing and brand development. To help

encourage compliance, Jefferies wanted to make the process of lid

hygiene more appealing by designing aesthetically pleasing products

Adele Jefferies (centre) supervising the manufacture of her new lid

and lash range Elin Eyes

– something users would want to display in their

bathroom – to encourage daily use. The response

so far has been overwhelmingly positive, she said.

“People love that Elin Eyes is New Zealand-made and

that the formula’s been so considered. Even patients

with sensitive eyes have reported good results; this

week a patient mentioned she and her lash technician felt it has made

her lash lift last longer.”

When asked if she will expand the range, Jefferies said she has a few

more product ideas but decided to start small with lid and lash cleansers,

as eyelid hygiene is “a cornerstone of dry-eye management and the

benefits extend beyond that, to supporting contact lens comfort, lash

health and overall eye appearance”.

Optometrists and ophthalmologists who are interested in stocking the

range are welcome to contact her, she said. “Elin Eyes was designed to be

a range eyecare professionals can feel confident in. As a small startup, I

also love feedback to help shape the range to help eyecare professionals

and their patients.”

Find out more at elineyes.co.nz or email Jefferies at hello@elineyes.co.nz

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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 19

NEWS

Obituary: Graeme Curtis

By Paul Rose CNZM

IT IS A great honour to write this

obituary for Graeme Curtis, director of

the Corneal Lens Corporation (CLC),

who died peacefully surrounded

by his family on 9 January at Nurse

Maude Hospice, Christchurch, after a

12-month battle with cancer.

Over the last 25 years, I had the

privilege of knowing Graeme as

both colleague and friend and we

shared some very memorable times at

conferences in Australasia and around

the world.

My first contact with the Curtis

family goes back to the ’70s, when CLC

was producing its conoid lens design

and Ed Curtis was the sole and very

enthusiastic owner of the company.

In the late ’80s, a phone call from Ed revealed he’d just installed the

latest DAC computer lathe, the first of its kind in New Zealand, so CLC

could produce high-quality, very-repeatable rigid lenses, changing our

relationship into a commercial one.

Ed was aware I was attempting to design a lens for keratoconus, but

because most of the secondary curves were applied by hand, it was

impossible to get any consistency, so I’d given up trying. The new DAC

CNC lathe changed that completely and, within a year of working

with CLC, I had completed my Rose K lens design, now available in 96

countries. So I will always be very grateful to CLC for assisting me in

those early Rose K-design days.

Graeme acquired CLC (NZ) and CLCA (Australia) in 2000/2001.

Back then the company had around 16 staff but, given his vision for it,

his drive and his business acumen, he expanded staff numbers to 26 and

turned CLC into one of the most modern contact lens laboratories in

Australasia.

Over the last 30 years, I have visited contact lens laboratories in

many countries, so I understand what a huge asset CLC is for Kiwi

practitioners and their patients. We are very fortunate to have this

Paul Rose (left) and Graeme Curtis at the CCLS conference in 2021

outstanding facility available for a

population of just 5.3 million people.

Under Graeme’s guidance, CLC’s

dedicated team didn’t just provide

quality lenses, they also provided

seminars and fitting advice. Nothing

ever seemed to be too much trouble

for them and, as designs became

more complicated, Graeme made sure

he updated his lab technology and

equipment to allow CLC to supply just

about any lens design and geometry

practitioners could possibly want.

He also travelled extensively overseas

to learn about new developments to

ensure CLC remained a world-leading

contact lens laboratory.

Graeme’s unwavering commitment

to eyecare in New Zealand was legendary. He built long-lasting

relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues worldwide. He

was an inspiration for many in the contact lens industry ensuring CLC

and his legacy will live on through the work of CLC’s dedicated staff,

many of whom have worked with Graeme since he acquired the business.

For me, a quote from a recent communication I had with Nicola, a

long-serving CLC staff member, says it all: “Graeme was a great boss and

friend to us and he will be greatly missed by many of the staff who have

worked for him for years. He always had an open-door policy in which

we could just go see him and chat, not always about work. He was always

interested and spent the time to talk and see how you were.”

You will be missed, Graeme, but I am confident that your staff will

remain committed to upholding the high standards and values that you

instilled in them. RIP.

Paul Rose CNZM is a Hamilton-based optometrist and inventor of the Rose K family

of lenses for irregular cornea. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order

of Merit (CNZM) in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list and was awarded the prestigious

Contact Lens Manufacturers Association’s Dr Josef Dallos Award in 2022.

UK’s first ‘smart’ eye hospital

‘ORIEL’, THE NHS’S first digitally enabled ‘smart’ hospital is due to

open in 2027 as the new home for Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS

Foundation Trust and the University College London (UCL) Institute

of Ophthalmology.

With input from staff and patients, Oriel is designed to offer an

inclusive environment for research to flourish, staff to thrive and

patients to experience an enhanced, seamless experience, said a

Moorfields statement. “With improving access and reducing eye

healthcare inequalities being a focus, technology will play a pivotal

role in how people use the building. This means patients will access

specialist care virtually via the centre’s ‘digital front door’ (using mobile

check-in and digital reminders in place of paper forms and telephone

calls), to deliver care closer to home and avoid unnecessary visits.”

The design of outpatient areas, future-proofed for changing care

delivery pathways, and Moorfields’ diagnostic test pathways for

improved patient experience and clinical efficiency have already been

trialled, said Moorefields.

Ophthalmology clinics account for 10% of all hospital NHS

outpatient visits, said Laura Wade-Gery, Moorfields chair. “That figure is

expected to rise, so we designed the new centre to ensure it is built to

meet future demand.”

Oriel will also be

home to ophthalmology

research via its innovation

hub, designed to

encourage collaboration

and catalyse the

dissemination of

knowledge and crossfertilisation

of ideas

between clinicians and

researchers, said Moorfields. This will include wet lab ‘neighbourhoods’,

where each research group has access to tissue cell laboratories,

genomic research and state-of-the-art cellular and molecular imaging,

it said.

The centre’s 14 theatres “will enable clinicians to be highly efficient,

increase elective activity and deliver an excellent experience for

patients”. Oriel’s seven education areas will be shared by Moorfields

and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology to create opportunities for

collaborative teaching and learning, while shared dry labs will be

dedicated to experimental medicine, novel device development and

early phase research.


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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 21

Eyes on the prize – vision’s role in

sports performance

By Jeremy Wong

Eliza McCartney pole vaulting. Credit: Jeremy Wong

VISION IS A critical component in sports performance, influencing

everything from basic hand-eye coordination to complex strategies and

decision-making. An athlete’s quality of vision can mean the difference

between victory and defeat. Here, I explore sports vision correction,

protection, enhancement options, the significance of tints in eyewear

and the specific visual demands of different sports. I also delve into the

importance of vision training for elite athletes.

Vision correction

Prescription glasses may not always be the best option for athletes

involved in contact sports or those requiring significant head movement,

since they can become dislodged or fogged up. For children, the

Prospecs sports eyewear range is perfect for basketball, soccer and

cricket, coming in various sizes and with a strap or temples.

Modern sports glasses are often lightweight and durable, sometimes

made with titanium. Supra designs allow the sportsperson to look

downwards and not have the frame in their field of view, which is perfect

for golf and cycling. Oakley sunglasses and spectacles have a classic

skull-grip temple, giving a three-point fit that lots of sportspeople love,

especially cyclists.

For prescription cycling glasses, ask the patient to assume an ‘on the

hoods’ position (leaning forward, hands over the brakes and looking

through the top of the lenses to get better aerodynamics) and you’ll

see they look through a lot higher than a normal eye height position.

Check your progressive height measurements so they can see their

cycle computer.

Contact lenses (CLs) are great for athletes. The benefits include full

fields of view and peripheral vision, no raindrops on glasses or fogging

up and the ability to wear plano sports-specific sunglasses.

We are spoiled for choice with soft disposable CLs. One of my patients,

a New Zealand orienteering champion, uses monovision contacts. His

amount of astigmatism didn’t let us use a standard multifocal CL, so I

trialled monovision as I wasn’t sure if compromised binocular vision

would hamper his judgement of obstacles like tree roots and uneven

ground. He loved them, can read maps, see the course and has had

no accidents. Even a small prescription, like +0.25DS with -0.75 cyl, can

really make a difference. One patient, a Northern Districts cricket player,

loved having her minor prescription corrected for her bowling and

batting.

A naturally talented winger with the Warriors rugby league team came

to see me for a sports vision assessment, feeling he had no problems

with his vision. I found OU unaided vision of 6/9- with a prescription of

-0.50DS and -0.75 cyl in both eyes; he had been prescribed glasses to

play video games but was not given any advice or help to see better

for his occupation. I fitted daily disposable CLs, which he loved and,

unsurprisingly, said he now sees high balls at night under lights better.

Ortho-k can be a great option for an athlete who experiences dryness

from CLs or doesn’t want to wear disposables, but always consider the

sport played. I dissuaded an elite international hockey player from going

for ortho-k as he routinely played under lights at night and his vision

would not have been as clear.

Procedures such as LASIK have become increasingly popular among

athletes. A very myopic Tiger Woods had photorefractive keratectomy

early on in his career and later said he felt the hole on the green looked

bigger. A top Warriors player with a mild amount of myopia couldn’t wear

contacts and had a LASIK consultation. Due to the full-contact nature

of the sport, the safest option was small incision lenticule extraction

(SMILE), as there would be no flap. In the end he decided to play

uncorrected but is still an amazing player.

Vision protection

High speeds, projectiles or physical contact in sports pose a risk of injury.

Protective eyewear should be made from impact-resistant polycarbonate

or Trivex. I don’t recommend wearing glass lenses for sport, even if they

have passed a drop-ball test, as the risk can still be high if the lens is hit

with enough force to shatter it.

With smash speeds of over 100m/s among elite players, badminton is

the fastest racquet sport, with a high potential for shuttlecock injuries.

Squash, with a perfectly sized ball moving with high energy, can also

cause devastating injuries to the eye. Unfortunately, although junior

squash players have to wear protective eyewear, very few adult players

do. Protective eyewear is also advised for pickleball, an increasingly

Continued on p24


Reaching

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Children with higher myopia

prescriptions can now benefit from

MiYOSMART spectacle lenses

At HOYA, we continually evolve our myopia management treatment solutions to

support you in providing the best care possible to your young patients.

We are excited to introduce a broader power range of MiYOSMART clear spectacle

lenses, accommodating prescriptions up to -13.00D. With this extended power

range, MiYOSMART spectacle lenses can better serve myopic patients with high

prescriptions, meeting the diverse needs of the myopic population more effectively.

Key Features and Benefits:

Extended Power Range

Now up to −13.00D, accommodating high myopia and astigmatism,

with the highest combined power of -13.00D.

Larger Lens Diameter

This aims to meet every child’s needs, allowing them to find the perfect

style to suit their active lifestyle.

Optimised Edge Thickness

This enhances the aesthetic appeal of the lens, addressing a common

concern related to the appearance of thick high-prescription lenses.

To learn more about MiYOSMART spectacle

lenses, please contact your HOYA Sales

Consultant or free call 0800 744 692.

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 23

FEATURE

Continued from p22

popular modern-day version of padder tennis.

Cyclists need polycarbonate lenses to protect

them from stones flicked up by cars or trucks

ahead of them. A sports sunglass with adjustable

nose pads, like a Rudy Project Rydon, allows a

frame to sit higher on the bridge, which will help

reduce wind coming up and over the top of the

sunglasses into the eyes. Mountain bikers should

wear impact-resistant sunglasses to protect their

eyes from branches when riding trails and downhill.

Motocross riders often wear goggles with tear-away

clear strips, so they can be quickly removed when

mud and grit obscure the lens.

For those hitting the wintry slopes, sunglasses or

ski goggles are essential for skiing or snowboarding

to reduce the risk of photokeratitis or snow blindness, which can be very

painful. Mountaineers can get 90% tinted lenses to reduce the glare

from the snow and ice at high altitudes, while side shields, like those on

Vuarnet sunglasses, can help reduce dryness and glare. All sportspeople

who spend significant time outdoors should protect their eyes from UV.

Ideally, a wrap-around design will help avoid pterygia and pingueculae

from peripheral corneal light scatter. A lot of golfers just wear a cap, but

since grass reflects a lot of UV, sunglasses are also advised.

In some sports, such as time-trial or triathlon cycling, helmets with

dark or high-contrast tinted visors offer both protection and enhanced

visibility. Motorcycle helmet visors help reduce wind reaching the eyes,

reducing irritation, and can make it more comfortable to see, depending

on the tint of the visor. Although a cricket helmet’s main benefit is head

protection, it also protects the eyes, since the ball cannot get through the

metal grille.

It should also go without saying that all shooters, be it of pistol or rifle,

should wear some form of protective eyewear.

Vision enhancement

Beyond correction and protection, athletes often seek to enhance their

vision to gain a competitive edge. Options include specialised eyewear

and vision training.

High-performance eyewear is designed to improve visual acuity,

contrast sensitivity and depth perception. Oakley offers zero-distortion

sunglass lenses for superior optics, with skull-grip temples, which can

provide a comfortable and secure fit for a lot of sports. The company’s

Prizm lens technology can give enhanced colour perception, which may

help golfers, anglers and road cyclists. Especially popular among the

many designs of sports sunglasses used by Tour de France competitors

are one-piece wrap-around shields. However, these are hard to fit a

prescription into unless lens cutouts are inserted or an adaptor is fitted

David Ferrer at the ASB Classic in 2017. Credit: Jeremy Wong

Ross Taylor avoiding a bouncer in the day-night test at Eden Park in 2018. Credit: Jeremy Wong

behind the lenses. I have a pair of Oakley M frames with prescription

lenses, which are very functional but can look very weird due to

the cutouts.

Tinted lenses enhance visual clarity, reduce glare and improve

contrast. The choice of colour depends on the sport and environmental

conditions, with yellow and amber tints popular in sports like skiing,

shooting and cycling, enhancing contrast and depth perception in lowlight

conditions. Some drivers like a yellow tint to enhance night driving.

Years ago, TAG Heuer designed a yellow-tinted sunglass lens with -0.25DS

to enhance accommodation for the night driving portion of the 24 hours

of Le Mans race.

To improve light conditions, especially if mountain biking through

forests or on a cloudy day, a high-contrast rose tint is often used. It’s also

applied to ski goggles. Since grey tints give true colour perception and

can reduce overall brightness without altering contrast, they are suited to

bright, sunny conditions for running and cycling.

To help enhance the contrast between the green of the grass or water

and blue skies, brown and copper tints are commonly used in tennis,

golf and fly fishing. Polarised lenses are essential for fly fishing to reduce

reflections on the water to spot the trout. Green tints are sometimes used

for similar reasons in golf, tennis and baseball, to make the ball stand out

better against the grass.

Different sporting requirements

Understanding the visual demands of different disciplines is essential for

selecting the appropriate vision correction, protection and enhancement.

For golfers, the ability to accurately judge distances and read the

green’s contours is imperative. I don’t recommend polarised lenses, as

they make it harder to see the lay of the green when putting. Ideally,

golfers should only wear distance vision glasses and not progressives,

since altering their head position to look through the distance part of

progressive glasses can affect how they address and strike the ball.

Cricketers need sharp visual acuity and fast reaction times to track

the ball’s speed and trajectory. Protective eyewear is essential for close

fielders and wicketkeepers. Interestingly, you’ll rarely see an international

cricket player using sunglasses while batting. You would imagine

sunglasses would make it comfortable when batting for long periods

in bright sun, but one player said he doesn’t wear them because no

professional players do so when batting.

Distance runners need lightweight, comfortable eyewear providing

UV protection and reducing glare. Photochromic lenses are beneficial for

those who move between shaded areas and open sunlight. Triathletes

require versatile eyewear that can perform well in various environments.

Rudy Project sunglasses offer options such as adaptors and lens-directto-frames

for patients who need a prescription to see. You can even use

stick-on bifocals, just make sure you fit them a few millimetres below the

lower lid.

Swimmers can benefit hugely from prescription goggles which can be

custom made or have generic plus or minus spherical lenses. UV blocking

goggles with a dark tint can help ocean swimmers see the buoys and


markers in a race and are also suited to

indoor-pool swimming. For the cycling and

running legs of a race, transition lenses are

versatile as they can be clear when you

ride or train early in the morning or late

in the evening and are fully dark when in

bright sun.

Athletes in track and field events need

clear vision to maintain focus and timing.

Lightweight, non-slip sunglasses with UV

protection are ideal for outdoor events. For

indoor events, athletes may opt for eyewear

with minimal tint to reduce glare from

artificial lighting. However, some Olympians

appear to wear sunglasses purely to obscure their eyes and psych out

other competitors!

Skiers who tackle a lot of moguls won’t easily perceive undulations

in the snow if they opt for a polarised lens. Similarly, glider, paraglider

and hang-glider pilots need non-polarised sunglass lenses as they won’t

see subtle differences in colours in clouds to catch the best thermals.

Polarised lenses also give windshield flare, so are unsuitable for pilots.

Yusuf Dikeç, the famously laidback Turkish Olympic shooter, has

presbyopia, which compromised his shooting. Because he has to

accurately see both the pistol sight and the target in the distance, an

unusual solution of monovision glasses was successfully prescribed.

This is in contrast to most other competitors who wear shooting-specific

glasses with a pinhole lens and an occluder.

Vision training

Vision training is an increasingly important aspect of sports performance,

especially for elite athletes. It involves exercises and drills designed

to improve various aspects of vision,

including hand-eye coordination,

peripheral vision and reaction time.

Eye-tracking exercises help athletes

improve their ability to follow moving

objects, with drills involving tracking fastmoving

targets while maintaining focus

and accuracy. For depth perception, vision

training exercises may involve focusing on

objects at varying distances. I find using a

Brock String up to 3m long can help.

For athletes competing in team sports,

Author Jeremy Wong’s nephew Max competing. Credit: Jeremy Wong awareness of their surroundings without

losing focus on the primary action is vital.

Peripheral vision drills often include multitasking exercises that require

athletes to react to stimuli in their side vision.

Fast visual reaction time is crucial in sports like boxing, fencing and

motorsports, where split-second decisions can determine the outcome.

Hand-eye coordination speed can be improved with training devices and

computer programmes involving the eyes tracking onscreen objects.

Contrast sensitivity training helps athletes who compete in low-light

conditions or against opponents wearing similar colours. Exercises may

involve identifying patterns or shapes against different background

colours and levels of brightness.

Optometrist Jeremy Wong practises at Gates Eyewear and

has been providing sports vision solutions to help athletes

and weekend warriors perform better for over 30 years. His

patients have included many Olympic and Commonwealth gold

medallists, world champions and professional sports teams.

See more of Jeremy’s Insta images @eyeguysphotos

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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 25

FEATURE

Sight-impaired Paralympians: a triumph

of willpower and skill

By Jeremy Wong

THE PARALYMPIC GAMES have long stood as

a testament to human resilience, providing

a platform where athletes overcome various

disabilities to compete at the highest level

of sports.

The visually impaired athletes who

competed in the Paris 2024 Paralympics fought

not just for medals but also for recognition

of their incredible abilities. Visually impaired

athletes must rely on heightened senses and

a fine-tuned sense of spatial awareness. They

must possess incredible mental resilience to

focus on their tasks, pushing through physical

and mental barriers to succeed.

The Games showcased remarkable feats

of athleticism from these extraordinary

competitors, who pushed boundaries, broke

records and inspired future generations of

athletes, sighted or otherwise, to chase their

dreams with relentless determination.

To ensure fair competition, the sportspeople

competed in one of three International Blind

Sports Federation categories: B1 athletes with

no light perception in either eye; B2 athletes

with a limited ability to see – up to visual acuity

of 2/60 or a visual field of less than 5°; and B3

athletes with higher visual acuity but who still

have a significant impairment – up to visual

acuity of 6/60 or a visual field of less than 20°.

Many events for sight-impaired athletes

have been adapted from mainstream sports,

while goalball and five-a-side football were

Katrin Mueller-Rottgardt and guide Noel-Philippe

Fiener of Germany compete in Women’s 100m T12

semi-finals. Credit: IPC

specifically designed for

them. Key sports for sightimpaired

athletes at Paris

2024 are described below.

Athletics

One of the most popular

and diverse parts of

the Paralympic Games,

athletics includes

sprinting, middle- and

long-distance races, and

throwing and jumping

events. Visually impaired

athletes are classified

in the T11, T12, and T13

categories, depending on

their degree of sight loss,

with T11 being the most

severe. Athletes rely on

the assistance of guides

tethered by a short cord,

who run alongside to

help maintain pace and

direction. In the longjump,

sighted guides stand

at the take-off point and

use audible cues to help

athletes’ orientation. For

throwers, assistance may

come in the form of

a guide’s voice.

Swimming

Classifications for swimmers range from

S11 to S13 based on the severity of the

visual impairment. Swimmers use ‘tappers’

– individuals who stand at the pool’s edge

and tap the swimmers with a pole when they

approach the wall, allowing them to prepare for

turns or finish the race. Competitors must have

an acute sense of timing and spatial awareness

to perform successfully given the absence of

visual cues.

Judo

One of the few combat sports available for

visually impaired athletes in the Paralympics,

judo is governed by the same rules as in the

Olympics, with some modifications for sightimpaired

judokas. Athletes begin gripping their

opponent’s gi (uniform) at the start of the bout

to make up for the lack of visual cues. Judokas

need excellent balance, tactile sensitivity and

the ability to feel their opponent’s movements

to anticipate throws and counters. Judo’s

dynamic nature makes it a sport where

strength, technique and instinct are crucial.

France take on Argentina in a gold medal five-a-side football match. Credit IPC

Tandem cycling

Visually impaired cyclists ride with a sighted

‘pilot’ who sits at the front of the bike.

Communication and coordination between

the pair is crucial to maintaining speed and

endurance. This demands not only physical

strength but also trust between athlete and

pilot, as well as an acute sense of body position

and spatial awareness.

Goalball

Goalball is one of the most iconic sports for

visually impaired athletes. The fast-paced game

involves teams of three players attempting

to throw a ball with embedded bells into the

opposing team’s goal. To ensure fairness, all

players wear eyeshades.

Five-a-side football

This game is played with a ball that emits a

rattling sound. All outfield players are blind or

visually impaired, while the goalkeepers are

sighted. The pitch is also enclosed by boards

to help players orient themselves. Ideally, the

crowd is quiet to let the players hear both the

ball and instructions from their coaches.


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NEWS

Champion supporter backs low-vision athlete

By Susanne Bradley

VISUALLY IMPAIRED ADVENTURER Neelu

Jennings and Optimed’s Craig Norman are teaming

up in April to race the Porirua Grand Traverse.

Celebrating two decades of action and fun,

the multisport event involves legs in a double

kayak (12k), a tandem mountain bike (28k) and a

supported trail run (18k).

Jennings lost about 70% of her vision and

acquired a balance impairment following a brain

injury and ensuing coma at 16 years old; she can

see blurry shapes and colour but has little depth

perception.

Not letting these challenges hold

her back, Jennings was determined

to continue pursuing her passion for

adventure sports and has excelled in

them. After summitting Mt Aspiring

in 2010, she began pushing herself

further and has since climbed Mt

Kilimanjaro, skied the Tasman

Glacier, paddled across Wellington

Harbour and, in 2012, became the first

legally blind person to complete the

Coast to Coast with support.

A keen mountain biker, Norman rode with Jennings about 15 years

ago and last year she asked if he’d be interested in supporting her in

the mountain bike leg of the Porirua event. “I decided to offer support

for all three disciplines. I

have enjoyed our training

sessions together and the

event definitely provides

motivation to get out and

keep fit!”

Stoked to have Norman’s

support, Jennings said her

teammate is absolutely

integral to every part of the

race. “He’s so committed;

whatever happens, he won’t

get upset, he will stick with

me and see it through.”

Having not raced in the

Craig Norman and visually impaired Neelu Jennings

are teaming up to race the Porirua Grand Traverse six years since having her

kids, Jennings said she’s

both excited and nervous about the event. “It’s a six-hour race, which

used to be easily manageable; now I’m thinking, wow, six hours, that’s

quite a long time! I’m fortunate to have Craig by my side – he’s the best

person to be doing this with,” she said.

Also supporting Jennings, Essilor has gifted her a pair of Oakley

prescription glasses, for which Maile Tarsau from Eye Spy Optometrists

in Palmerston North has provided a free eye test and fitting.

Go team, have a great race! For anyone interested in sponsoring the team,

please email: craig@optimed.co.nz

Compassionate-Care

Optom-Friendly

Patient-Centric

Dr Trevor Gray

Dr Mo Ziaei

Dr Simon Dean

Co-Management

Conference

Sunday 15 th June 2025

Venue: Tote On Ascot

Your friendly team at Re:Vision invite

you to join us & colleagues for a half

day packed with real cases, practical

and useful patient management tips all

designed to enhance patient outcomes

through professional Shared-Care.

Dr Divya Perumal

Email Jennifer.S@re.vision.nz

revision.nz/auckland


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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 29

NEWS

Kiwi-designed anti-keratitis tech heads to

human trials

By Lesley Springall

AN AWARD-WINNING, New Zealand-designed

handheld device to destroy keratitis-causing microbes

within seconds is heading to human trials in

Auckland this year.

Designed by Kiwi ophthalmologist and University

of Auckland honorary senior lecturer Dr Simon

Dean, the PhotonUVC device was commercially

launched to the UK veterinary market in November

last year at the London Vet Show. This was a

milestone achievement for its parent company,

Photon Therapeutics, which originated nearly 15

years ago in a kitchen in Birmingham, England, when

Dr Dean was studying collagen crosslinking (CXL) as

a possible way to treat infections.

Winner of the 2020 American Society of Cataract

and Refractive Surgery Winning Pitch Challenge, the

device uses UVC (ultraviolet light with wavelengths

between 200–280nm) to treat bacterial, viral and

fungal corneal infections. Since then, the PhotonUVC

device has been put through its safety and efficacy

paces by Dr Dean’s partner, Professor Jennifer Craig,

head of the Ocular Surface Laboratory at Auckland

University, and her co-supervisor Dr Sanjay Marasini,

who gained his PhD for research in this area.

Given the product’s success in the UK vet market,

Photon Therapeutics is planning to expand its availability to vets in

other markets, with a New Zealand trial planned for later this year in

Tauranga and a clinical animal trial underway at the Royal Veterinary

College in London. The Tauranga trial will run parallel to the first

human trials that will be funded by the company and run by Prof

Craig and Dr Dean, who is also Photon’s chief scientific officer, at the

University of Auckland.

Dr Dean said 2025 is a big year for the company: “It’s super exciting

to get this out to veterinarians and in parallel keep pushing to get the

technology into optometry and ophthalmology clinics to help reduce

The Photon Therapeutics team at the 2024 London Vet Show at the end of last year with co-founder, Aucklandbased

ophthalmologist Dr Simon Dean third from right

the risk of visual compromise in patients with presumed corneal

infections from any cause – bacterial, viral, fungal or Acanthamoeba.”

In trials to date, as little as five seconds has treated infections

including pseudomonas, antibiotic-resistant pseudomonas, many

other bacteria and fungi, said Dr Dean. There are also promising

pilot data with viruses, including the herpes simplex virus, while an

Acanthamoeba trial is planned in Australia this year, he said. “Jennifer

has been instrumental in ensuring the studies are rigorous and robust

and Sanjay has conducted the trials – putting Auckland on the map for

ophthalmic UVC research.”

Glaukos makes MIGS and CXL inroads

GLAUKOS HAS ANNOUNCED positive clinical updates for its iDose

sustained release procedural pharmaceutical platform.

The tech company’s 36-month follow-up analysis of its two phase

3 iDoseTR (travoprost intracameral implant) 75μg showed sustained

substantial intraocular pressure (IOP) reductions in approximately 70% of

treated subjects versus 58% of timolol control subjects.

It said iDose TR also demonstrated excellent tolerability and a

favourable safety profile at 36 months. The titanium minimally invasive

glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device contains a preservative-free proprietary

formulation of travoprost and is designed for a single administration for

patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Glaukos also said it has commenced a phase 2b/3 clinical programme

for iDose TREX, which is designed to be similar to the original iDose TR

but has nearly twice the drug capacity.

In related news, the company announced the submission of a new

drug application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

for Epioxa – a corneal crosslinking iLink therapy for the treatment of

keratoconus. If

approved, it will

be the first such

non-invasive

therapy to not

require removal

of the corneal

epithelium.

The submission Glaukos’ iDose, as seen implanted in the eye

includes data from

two phase 3 pivotal trials of Epioxa, which both achieved their primary

efficacy endpoints and demonstrated favourable tolerability and safety

profiles.

Epioxa is designed to reduce procedure times, improve patient comfort

and shorten recovery time, said Thomas Burns, Glaukos chair and CEO.

“This represents a potentially meaningful advancement in the treatment

paradigm for patients suffering from keratoconus,” he said.


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NEWS

Rare plant fungus

attacks eyes

A GREEK STUDY has identified Macrophomina phaseolina, a fungal

pathogen primarily affecting plants, as a rare but emerging cause of

endophthalmitis in humans.

Researchers Drs Panagiotis Toumasis and Georgia Vrioni from the

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens reported the first case of

severe endophthalmitis caused by M. phaseolina in a 78-year-old man.

Despite aggressive antifungal treatment, the infection led to enucleation.

Their literature review, published in Journal of Clinical Medicine,

documented 13 known cases of M. phaseolina infections worldwide.

Of these, 77% involved ocular infections, often associated with eye

trauma. Nearly half of the affected patients experienced poor outcomes,

they reported.

The review highlighted the diverse clinical presentations of M.

phaseolina infections, ranging from superficial skin infections to invasive

conditions including severe

ocular disease.

Authors cautioned that

timely diagnosis remains

challenging due to the

fungus’ rarity in clinical

settings and the lack of

standardised treatment

guidelines. “However,

early identification and

appropriate antifungal

therapy are critical for

improving patient outcomes,

Macrophomina phaseolina’s effect on a mungbean

crop. Credit: Photchana Trakunsukharati

particularly for vulnerable

patients,” they said.

Alcon acquires Cylite

ALCON HAS ACQUIRED

Melbourne-based Cylite,

known for its hyperparallel

optical coherence tomography

(HP-OCT) technology.

“We are excited about the

potential of this technology

in whole-eye OCT imaging

and measurement diagnostics

and look forward to providing

updates in the future on how

we are working together to

integrate this innovation into

our robust eyecare portfolio,”

Cylite’s HP-OCT device

Alcon said in a statement.

Former Cylite New Zealand distributor Cam Gordon said Alcon

has been working with Cylite since last year and had an exclusive

agreement to license the technology for ophthalmology use. “While I’m

disappointed to be losing such a great product from our optometry

portfolio so early on, I’m also genuinely thrilled for the shareholders of

Cylite and the team who developed the technology. A successful sale is

a recognition of their hard work.”

The award-winning device uses novel 3D imaging to provide

micron-accurate measurements of the eye, achieving rates of over

300,000 scans per second. The HP-OCT’s true-volume images can

be used to generate excellent 3D images of the anterior and posterior

segments, highly accurate topography maps of the cornea and

sclera, plus a full set of biometry parameters, including axial length,

Cylite said.

Existing Cylite customers are advised to continue to reach out to

their usual point of contact for service and support.

BOOK REVIEW

Ocular Pathology, 9th edition

By Myron Yanoff and Joseph Sassani | Reviewed by Dr Sarah Oh

OCULAR PATHOLOGY IS an essential resource for ophthalmologists

and trainees. This updated 9th edition builds on the strengths of its

predecessors with expanded content, updated diagnostic techniques

and new high-quality images. It offers a well-balanced integration of

foundational pathology and clinical relevance.

The book begins with the basic principles of pathology, including

inflammation, immunobiology, genetics and diagnostic techniques.

It then dedicates a comprehensive chapter to congenital anomalies,

categorised into phakomatoses, chromosomal disorders, infectious

conditions and drug embryopathies. Subsequent chapters are

organised anatomically, covering pathologies of the conjunctiva,

cornea, uvea, retina, optic nerve and more. Specialised chapters

address trauma, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma and tumours, ensuring

comprehensive coverage of ocular diseases.

The text is clearly laid out, with each chapter beginning with a

review of normal anatomy and histopathology before transitioning

into congenital and acquired pathologies. The inclusion of highquality

clinical photographs, histological slides and diagrams

enhances understanding, while summary tables and figures provide

quick comparisons and key takeaways. These features make the text

equally suitable for both in-depth study and quick reference.

The availability of an eBook version further enhances its

practicality. The linked online bookshelf offers easy navigation,

annotations, bookmarks and a built-in flashcard function to aid

learning. Users can create

personalised study decks by

directly incorporating text and

images from the book, making

it a valuable tool for trainees

and clinicians.

For trainees preparing for

pathology exams, this text is

an excellent resource due to

its thorough and structured

approach. Clinicians will

appreciate its quick-reference

outline format that allows for efficient information retrieval.

The side-by-side image comparisons and highlighted clinical-pearl

boxes bridge the gap between histopathological findings and

clinical practice.

The ninth edition of Ocular Pathology is a valuable addition to

any ophthalmologist’s library.

Dr Sarah Oh is an ophthalmology trainee and doctoral

candidate with the University of Auckland’s Department

of Ophthalmology.


A new

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NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 33

FOCUS ON EYE RESEARCH

NEWS

Dr Mo Ziaei,

series editor

Rebound myopia and prem-patient findings

By Dr Sarah Hull

Clear lens extraction and intraocular lens

implantation to correct extreme myopia

after retinopathy of prematurity

Correa-Venegas et al

Journal of AAPOS 2024. Epub ahead of print.

PMID: 39413986

Review: Three patients, all born extremely

premature (23–25 weeks) are reported with

severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in zone

1 (very posterior) and treated with bilateral

indirect retinal laser. Myopia ranged from

-23D to -35D spherical equivalent with axial

lengths ranging from 25.7mm to 28.1mm. All

patients were intolerant of contact lenses. Clear

lens extraction and insertion of intraocular

lenses (range +3D to +11.5D) was performed

at age 7–21 years without complication with

improvement of visual acuity for all three

patients (post-op range: 20/50 to 20/125) and

no complications except posterior capsular

opacification after follow-up of 1–10 years.

Comment: Zone 1 disease is now typically

treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections.

The landmark Bevacizumab Eliminates

the Angiogenic Threat of Retinopathy of

Prematurity (BEAT-ROP) study, which compared

anti-VEGF with laser in posterior threshold ROP,

was published in 2011. Widespread adoption of

this as the primary treatment has only occurred

in the last several years and likely after this

group of patients initially presented.

Refractive clear lens exchange in adults is an

established approach to glasses independence.

In children, lens surgery is typically performed

for congenital cataract, with refractive

indications rare. The extreme myopia in these

children was not just axial, as the axial lengths

were less than expected for the degree of

myopia. Lenticular and corneal abnormalities

also contribute to myopia of prematurity.

Glasses for this degree of myopia have

problematic minification and aberrations and,

if contact lenses are not tolerated, options are

limited. Clear lens surgery for this fortunately

rare indication appears to be a safe and

effective approach.

Myopia progression following 0.01%

atropine cessation in Australian children:

findings from the WA-ATOM study

Lee SS et al.

Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology

2024;52:507–515. PMID: 38400607

Review: This is a follow-up report from the

initial Western Australia – Atropine for the

Treatment of Myopia (WA-ATOM) study (a

single centre, randomised double-masked

placebo-controlled trial) looking specifically

at whether cycloplegic spherical equivalent

(SE) and axial length rebound after lowdose

(0.01%) atropine treatment is stopped.

Included were

153 children,

randomised 2:1 for

treatment (0.01%

atropine drops at

night in both eyes)

vs placebo for two

years. All patients

then underwent a

one-year washout

period. Twelve

patients dropped

out from the

treatment arm

and 12 from the

placebo arm.

After one year

of washout, the

treatment group showed significantly faster

progression than the placebo group, with SE

change of -0.41D vs -0.28D and axial length

increase of +0.20mm vs +0.13mm. After three

years, SE and axial length changes were similar

between the groups.

Comment: Rebound myopia and axial length

change have been noted in other myopia

control studies but this study provides useful

information as there was a placebo group for

the whole study. Other reports, such as the

LAMP study, had a placebo arm for the first

year only, with those participants then

switched to treatment.

Outcomes in this study were the same

for treatment and placebo groups. The

demonstrated rebound in this study and in

others raises the concern that treatment only

delays eventual myopia rather than controls it.

It is unknown just how long low-dose atropine

drops need to be used for, how patients should

be weaned off them and whether 0.01% should

be used at all. With other treatment modalities

now widely available that incorporate myopia

control into patients’ refractive correction

with glasses or contact lenses, low-dose

atropine should probably be considered as an

adjunctive treatment only.

Prevalence of strabismus and risk factors in

adults born preterm with and without ROP:

results from the Gutenberg Prematurity

Eye Study

Fieß A et al

British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2024 Oct

22;108(11):1590-1597. PMID: 38503479

Review: This retrospective cohort study

compared patients born prematurely with a

group born at term (≥37 weeks), with patients

divided into groups based on gestational

age, non-treated retinopathy of prematurity

(ROP) and treated ROP (15 eyes, eight treated

with cryotherapy, seven with laser). Patients

were prospectively examined at age 18–51

years, with 892 eyes of 450 patients included

in analysis. With 938 patients invited to the

study, this represented a 48% response rate.

Strabismus was strongly associated with

gestational age, found in 11.1–17.4% of

patients born <32 weeks. Rates in patients who

had ROP were even higher at 27.1% for nontreated

ROP patients and 60% for those treated,

all of whom had esotropia. Onset of strabismus

was in the first 10 years of life for the majority

of patients. Refractive error was also strongly

associated with risk of strabismus developing.

Comment: There are limited published data

on strabismus outcomes in prematurity. The

study provides a useful contribution to this

knowledge gap, with long-term outcome data

presented. Patients were identified based on

retrospective records with detailed prospective

examinations performed, providing

comprehensive and detailed data expected to

be more accurate than a retrospective records

review. Of those invited, 48% completed the

examination, which gives a potential selection

bias. It is possible that patients more impacted

by their ophthalmic history were more likely to

participate.

The high rate of esotropia in treated

ROP should be interpreted cautiously for

counselling patients, since the numbers are

small (n=15) and treatment approaches have

changed over time, with cryotherapy no

longer preferred. The rate in untreated ROP of

27.1% (all esotropia) is useful information for

counselling families and ensuring surveillance

in childhood.

Dr Sarah Hull is a specialist

in paediatrics, genetics and

strabismus, working at Te Whatu

Ora Auckland and Auckland

Eye and a senior lecturer at the

University of Auckland.


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Women breaking barriers, building futures

By Dr Joevy Lim

Delegates enjoying their last day at the Women in Vision Aotearoa 2024 conference in Queenstown

THIS YEAR’S WOMEN in Vision Aotearoa

three-day conference was nothing short

of extraordinary. Set against Queenstown’s

breathtaking backdrop, it brought together

female ophthalmologists, registrars,

optometrists, junior doctors as well as medical

and optometry students for an event unlike

any other. More than a conference, it was a

celebration of connection, empowerment

and a shared vision to advance eye health and

equity in our community. It was a privilege to

co-organise this landmark event alongside Dr

Ruhella Hossain, with the vision and leadership

of Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer and Drs Liz

Insull and Pragnya Jagadish, the inspirational

founders of Women in Vision Aotearoa.

Over 100 delegates came together to engage

in raw, thought-provoking conversations

led by world-class speakers and panellists.

Prof Danesh-Meyer, neuro-ophthalmologist

and scientific director of Vision Research

Foundation, set the tone with a powerful

L to R: Dr Pragnya Jagadish, Prof Erin Shriver, Prof Helen Danesh-Meyer,

Drs Annika Quinn, Laura Wolpert, Narme Deva, Jo-Anne Pon, Chantelle

Venter and Jane Shi. Credit: Dr Shira Sheen

address. She highlighted the evidence behind

gender equity and bias within the eyecare

workforce, honouring the women who paved

the way and reflecting on the progress made.

Her words were a grounding yet inspiring call

to action to continue breaking barriers.

We were fortunate to host the internationally

renowned Professor Erin Shriver, oculofacial

and plastics consultant at the University

of Iowa and past president of Women in

Ophthalmology (WIO). With honesty and

conviction, she shared her personal journey of

challenging the status quo and overcoming

barriers and her experience as a WIO president.

Her insights were a reminder of the work still

ahead in addressing inequities, and we were

emboldened to take up this mission in our

local communities.

The energy remained electric as optometrist

and president of the Cornea & Contact

Lens Society New Zealand, Adele Jefferies

led a compelling session on improving the

patient’s journey through eyecare.

She explored the challenges and

opportunities for collaboration

between optometrists and

ophthalmologists, offering

practical solutions to bridge

gaps in care. We also heard

forward-thinking perspectives on

photobiomodulation, shedding light

on innovations shaping the future of

holistic patient care.

Rising above and beyond

The scientific programme delivered

a rich mix of case-based discussions,

clinical pearls and collaborative

panels. Experts tackled topics spanning anterior

segment, paediatrics, oculoplastics, medical

retina, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology and,

of particular importance, collaborative care

strategies. The atmosphere fostered open, crossdisciplinary

dialogue – a rare and powerful

opportunity to learn and grow together.

We also ventured beyond the boundaries of

a traditional eye conference. Brooke Roberts,

co-founder and co-CEO of wealth development

platform Sharesies, captivated the audience

with her entrepreneurial journey and insights

into financial wellness. This was a topic equally

relevant to both our personal and clinical

practice lives and her story was a reminder that

empowerment begins with knowledge and

self-awareness.

Dr Emma Wehipeihana, a general surgical

trainee and respected writer and broadcaster,

shared her inspiring path as a Māori wāhine

rising above gender- and ethnicity-based bias.

Her eloquent message of “you cannot be what

you cannot see” reinforced the importance of

representation and the transformative power of

communities like Women in Vision Aotearoa.

Similarly, Renata Watene, optometrist,

University of Auckland PhD candidate and

professional teaching fellow kaiāwhina,

delivered a moving talk on equitable outcomes

in Māori health, underscoring the critical

role eyecare practitioners play in creating

meaningful change. Her powerful statement,

“Vision for Māori is broader than the Western

sense”, resonated with many in the room, as

this worldview is also shared by other cultures,

including my own.

Continued on p38


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FEATURE

Continued from p36

Taking a broader step back,

Tania Te Whenua, principal of

Te Whenua Law & Consulting,

took us on a reflective journey

through the history of bias

in New Zealand’s healthcare

system. Her words were both

stirring and empowering,

urging us to “beat to our own

drum” while confronting

systemic inequities and

inherent racism with courage

and resolve.

The programme offered

not only knowledge but

tangible tools for personal

and professional growth.

Sessions on negotiation

strategies, led by strategic

leader, board director and

author Wendy Kerr, provided

delegates with invaluable skills

applicable in all areas of life.

Roleplay scenarios shed light on the power of

bystanders in addressing microaggressions,

equipping participants with the skills to foster

safer, more respectful environments.

A clear highlight was the unforgettable

wellness session held on the rooftop of the

Heritage Hotel. Against a panoramic view of

Queenstown, we were gently reminded by

Nera Fernando – wellness coach and founder

of OYF Far Infrared Yoga & Fitness Remuera –

of the importance of health and self-care as

the foundation for success and longevity in

our careers.

One cannot forget the conference

dinner held at stunning Millbrook Resort.

The conversations continued to flow while

delegates mingled and enjoyed five-star

cuisine. New connections were made and

existing relationships strengthened, paving

Drs Emma Wehipeihana (front left) and Simone Freundlich (third from left), Prof

Helen Danesh-Meyer (seventh from left, front) and Renata Watene (middle,

front) with the 12 Vision Research Foundation recipients

yet another way for future mentors to

meet mentees.

Delegates left inspired, recharged and

deeply connected. These conversations mark

the beginning of a country where we can shape

a future that values equity for both patients

and practitioners, while fostering a safer, more

inclusive workforce. Achieving this vision will

require collective effort from allies, advocates

and every individual who believes in a fairer,

brighter tomorrow.

For me, the experience was humbling

and profoundly uplifting. To stand alongside

such dedicated, passionate colleagues was

a privilege and a powerful reminder of the

collective strength we hold.

None of this would have been possible

without the support of our generous partners.

A heartfelt thank you to Eye Institute, our

Prof Helen Danesh-Meyer and Paige Richter at the

conference dinner at Millbrook Resort

platinum sponsor and our bronze sponsor,

Legacy Group. We are also grateful for the

support of the Royal Australian and New

Zealand College of Ophthalmologists New

Zealand Branch, Medix21 Surgical, Glaukos,

Southern Eye Specialists, Glaucoma New

Zealand and the Vision Research Foundation,

who made it possible for 12 medical/optometry

students and junior doctors to attend through

full scholarships.

I eagerly await the opportunity to gather

with this incredible fellowship at the third

Women in Vision Aotearoa conference (date

to be confirmed). Until then, may we carry

forward the spirit of connection, empowerment

and relentless progress that defined this

unforgettable event.

Dr Joevy Lim is a RANZCO trainee

in Auckland and was a recipient

of an HRC clinical research

training fellowship for her PhD: a

contemporary appraisal of ocular

melanoma in New Zealand.

Delegates listen intently as Sophie Woodburn shares a personal tale during the financial wellness session


NEWS

What DOES glaucoma look like?

SHINING A SPOTLIGHT on

glaucoma this month, Glaucoma

New Zealand (GNZ) is sharing

patient stories explaining their

experiences of the disease and is

inviting the country’s optometrists

and ophthalmologists to help

them share the message and keep

referring patients.

The 2025 awareness campaign

is designed to provoke thought,

said GNZ general manager Pippa

Martin. “Having the public and our

eye-health professionals consider

how they might be impacted if they

or their loved ones had glaucoma

is important, as glaucoma ‘looks’

different for everyone.”

The campaign will feature six

42-second video clips of patients,

including GNZ ambassador and

journalist Paddy Gower, describing

what glaucoma looks like for them

and how it impacts their daily life. GNZ is also handing out 4,000 sets

of cardboard glasses with different lenses – clear, frosted or blurred

to varying degrees – to broadly mimic early, moderate or advanced

glaucoma to encourage discussion, understanding and motivate people

to get an eye health check, Martin

said. The glasses will come with a

generic information card about the

campaign and directions to go to the

GNZ website to register for a twominute

challenge, donate or share

their story.

Packs of the cardboard glasses will

be sent to New Zealand eye-health

practices with a campaign poster

and information letter. If a practice

is not already a member of GNZ and

would like to receive a pack, they

can register on the website to receive

these, said Martin.

“We’d like to encourage eye-health

professionals to be aware of our

campaign, display a poster in their

staff room, have fun with the twominute

challenge and share their

experience with us and their patients

through their newsletters and social

media channels. If they come up

with an idea to fundraise, we’ll be happy to shout this from the rooftops

to name and thank them.”

For more, see glaucoma.org.nz/get-involved/glaucoma-awareness-month

0508 DEVICE (338 423) sales@device.co.nz www.device.co.nz

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 39

NEWS

EYE ON OPHTHALMOLOGY

Importance of risk stratification

in modern cataract surgery

By Dr Yuanzhang Jiao, Associate Professor Jie Zhang, Professor Charles McGhee

CATARACT SURGERY HAS transformed significantly over the decades, becoming one of the

most performed and highly successful surgical procedures worldwide. It carries a small risk

of intraoperative and postoperative complications, often quoted at around 2–5%; this varies

across centres, as highlighted in Tables 1 and 2 1 .

Fortunately, the majority of complications are mild and self-resolving; however, these can

still increase operating resources and postoperative follow-ups and induce patient anxiety.

Complication

Posterior capsular rupture

Zonular dehiscence

Dropped nucleus or lens

fragments

Corneal oedema

Incisional thermal burns

Intraoperative floppy iris

syndrome

Iris trauma

Incorrect IOL placement

Inadequate capsular

support for IOL

Vitreous loss

Suprachoroidal

haemorrhage

Phacoemulsification or IOL

injector malfunction

Incision issues cornea /

sclera

Retained lens material

Description

Tear in the posterior capsule, potentially

leading to vitreous loss and increased

retinal detachment risk

Detachment of zonular fibres, more

commonly in pseudoexfoliation or trauma

cases

Pieces of the lens falling into the vitreous

cavity, often requiring subsequent pars

plana vitrectomy

Swelling from excessive

phacoemulsification energy or endothelial

damage

Rare; caused by inadequate cooling of the

phaco tip during ultrasonic lens removal

Floppy iris prone to prolapse, commonly

linked to alpha-blockers like tamsulosin

Accidental damage to the iris from

instruments, manipulation or iris prolapse

Improper positioning or decentration of

the lens implant

Due to capsular or zonular complications

– may require alternative lens fixation

techniques (eg, scleral-fixated)

Often due to posterior capsular rupture, or

zonular dehiscence – may require anterior

vitrectomy

Rare but severe; blood collecting between

choroid and sclera, often in high-risk cases

(eg, hypertension)

Issues with surgical instruments causing

delays or complications.

Poor wound construction can lead to leaks

or instability

Residual lens fragments causing

inflammation or secondary glaucoma.

Complication

Endophthalmitis

Post-op

inflammation

Corneal oedema

Raised intraocular

pressure (IOP)

Secondary glaucoma

Cystoid macular

oedema (CMO)

Intraocular lens (IOL)

dislocation

Dysphotopsias

Posterior capsular

opacification (PCO)

Capsular phimosis

Retinal detachment

Toxic anterior

segment syndrome

(TASS)

Description

Less than 1:1,000 cases but requires emergency

treatment. Acute intraocular infection; symptoms

can include pain, redness, and rapid vision loss

typically in the first week post-op.

Mild anterior chamber inflammation is common

and treated with topical corticosteroids; severe or

prolonged cases beyond 4–6 weeks need further

investigation and intervention.

Early post-op, mild/transient due to surgical

trauma or Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. May

also be gradual loss of corneal endothelial cells,

potentially leading to decompensation

Can occur due to retained viscoelastic material or

in eyes with pre-existing glaucoma.

Uncommon; increased IOP due to chronic

inflammation, debris, malpositioned IOL or

retained lens fragments

May affect 1:30. Swelling in the macula causing

blurred or distorted central vision; treated with

anti-inflammatory drops

Misplacement of the lens implant; may require

repositioning

Visual disturbances (glare, halos, or shadows) due

to IOL design. Typically settle with time in most

cases

Common over months to years. Clouding of the

lens capsule, treated with YAG laser capsulotomy

when vision is affected

Contraction of the capsular bag causing lens

decentration, more common in pseudoexfoliation

Uncommon; symptoms include floaters, flashes

or shadows. More common in high myopes or

complicated cases

Uncommon; non-infectious inflammation from

contaminants; mimics infection but resolves with

anti-inflammatory treatment

Table 1. Intraoperative complications of cataract surgery 2

Table 2. Postoperative ocular complications based on timing, adapted from Terveen et al

2022, based on Medicare claims in the United States post cataract procedures 3


Professors

Charles McGhee

& Dipika Dr Jie Zhang, Patel,

series editors

Risk factors of complications

It is generally accepted that as surgical precision increases, so does the

complexity of managing diverse patient characteristics. A key summary

of the common risk factors associated with cataract complications is

found in Table 3. In an early study in the UK, approximately 40% of

cataract cases contained one or more risk factors for cataract surgery,

including diabetes, advanced cataracts and pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

The incidence of surgical complications increases with the number of risk

factors, from 4% with one to 32% with four or more risk factors 4 .

Patient systemic factors refer to the general health status, such as age,

diabetes, medications and social requirements. In general, cataracts

in the extremes of age necessitate more individualised and multidisciplinary

surgical approaches.

A large systematic review found that general health factors

significantly increase the odd ratios of complications, such as

hypertension (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.329, p < 0.001), diabetes

mellitus (aOR = 2.818, p < 0.001), hyperlipidaemia (aOR = 1.702, p <

0.001), congestive heart failure (aOR = 2.891, p < 0.001), rheumatic

disease (aOR = 1.965, p < 0.001) and kidney disease needing

haemodialysis (aOR = 2.942, p < 0.001) 5 .

A tailored approach is required to mitigate the risks. For example,

diabetic patients at high risk of maculopathy are often given concurrent

intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-

VEGF) or steroids to reduce the risk of macular oedema after cataract

surgery. Additionally, cognitive impairment, hearing impairment and

physical frailty are also associated with worse complications, possibly

due to noncompliance with intra- or post-operative instructions.

Certain medications including tamsulosin (alpha-1 blocker) can cause

intraoperative floppy iris syndrome, which creates intraoperative

challenges 6 . The psychosocial history of the patient, including cultural

biases, dependence needs and availability to travel, will also impact on

the success of the surgery.

Patient ocular factors refer to specific ocular risk factors, such as the

grading and type of cataracts, pupil size, previous ocular surgeries or

comorbidities. Denser cataracts are associated with an increased risk

of capsular rupture, zonular instability and dropped nucleus 7 . Small

pupil, zonular weakness or iris abnormalities, such as pseudoexfoliation

syndrome or synechiae, significantly increase the difficulty of surgery

and may necessitate the intraoperative use of pupil expansion devices,

resulting in increased postoperative inflammation, especially for

junior trainees 8 . Patients with previous ocular surgeries have altered

anatomy, complicating IOL power calculations and the choice of surgical

approaches. Finally, concurrent ocular conditions such as advanced

glaucoma, uveitis or retinal pathologies also influence visual outcomes

by being unmasked by surgery, as well as influencing recovery.

Many anatomical ocular variations exist and some can affect surgical

planning. Shallow anterior chamber is common in hyperopic eyes and

increases the risk of intraoperative corneal endothelial damage if not

addressed. The presence of extremely long or short axial length can

pose challenges in IOL power calculation, increasing the risk of refractive

surprises and the need for secondary IOLs 8 .

Amount of risk is increasing

With variations in demographics, expectations and technical complexities

of cataract surgery, the amount of risk is increasing. First, there is an

ageing patient demographic with associated comorbidities. Second,

there are increased patient expectations regarding cataract surgery,

placing additional emphasis on postoperative visual outcomes. Third,

the complexity of procedures is increasing with the introduction of

femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and premium IOLs, such as

multifocal and extended depth of focus lenses 9 . This necessitates risk

stratification for cataract surgery.

General health factors

Diabetes mellitus

Hypertension

Autoimmune diseases e.g.

lupus, rheumatoid arthritis

Immunosuppression

Obesity

Chronic respiratory

diseases

Age

Physical disability

including posturing,

hearing or cognitive

impairment (affecting

cooperation)

Medications eg,

anticoagulants (minimal

risk), alpha-1 blockers

Ocular factors

Advanced cataracts

Ectopia lentis

Small pupil size

Glaucoma

Fuchs endothelial

dystrophy

Pseudoexfoliation

syndrome

Previous ocular

surgery

Age-related macular

degeneration/retinal

disease

Corneal ectasia or

high astigmatism

Table 3. A summary of risk factors in cataract surgery

Risk stratification in cataract surgery

Anatomical factors

Deep set eyes or

prominent brow

Small orbit or lid

aperture

Long axial length or

high myopia

Shallow anterior

chamber

Short axial length or

microphthalmos

Risk stratification in cataract surgery is a process of categorising patients

into groups based on their likelihood of experiencing negative health

outcomes, using systemic, ocular and anatomical characteristics. The aim

is to enhance patient safety, optimise surgical outcomes and ensure the

efficient use of healthcare resources.

Many risk stratification scoring systems have been developed, such

as the Muhtaseb and Buckinghamshire scoring systems, and different

centres have developed implementations 4,12 . The development of

the New Zealand Cataract Risk Stratification System (NZCRS) follows

a refinement of the Muhtaseb scoring system (M-score), with Table 4

showing the scoring template. The NZCRS differs from the M-score by

the addition of oral alpha-receptor antagonists as a risk factor and the

allocation threshold of >3 or previous vitrectomy or only eye.

The NZCRS was developed from the four phases of the Auckland

Cataract Study series from 2016–2020. Each phase utilised 500

consecutive cataract surgeries performed in the public hospital setting

at Greenlane, Auckland. Phase 1 was a retrospective cohort study that

compared the Buckinghamshire and Muhtaseb stratification systems and

confirmed the increased risk of complications with risk factors 12 . Phase 2

was a prospective cohort study that used the M-score to stratify patients;

if M>3, the case was allocated to senior eye surgeons. The intraoperative

complication rate reduced from 8.4% to 5.0% 13 . A related observational

study revealed a 2.6% rate of posterior capsular tear and 3.5% rate of

cystoid macular oedema. Postoperatively, mean best-measured visual

acuity was 6/9 and this was not significantly different between surgeon

levels (p=0.234) 14 .

Phase 3 utilised the NZCRS prospectively, which identified 38% of

cases as high-risk to be allocated to senior surgeons. Adherence was

observed in n=448 and the intraoperative complication rate was 4.5%.

In those where the NZCRS recommendation was not observed (n=52),

the intraoperative complication rate was 9.6% 16 . Phase 4 was also a

prospective cohort study where the NZCRS template was inserted into

Continued on p42

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 41

EDUCATION

Continued from p41

621 consecutive case files without oversight of utilisation. NZCRS scores

were calculated in n=500 cases and n=98 was scored as high risk. The

recommendations for allocation were adhered to in 99% of 500 and

resulted in overall intraoperative complications of 3.0% including iris

prolapse of 1.6% and posterior capsule tear of 0.8% 16 .

These consecutive Auckland cataract studies showed a continued

decreasing trend in frequency and severity of intraoperative

complications with adherence to the NZCRS system. Furthermore, the

NZCRS demonstrated lower complication rates to the M-score, and both

scoring systems showed superiority over no risk stratification system.

Risk Factor

Dense cataract (greater

than grade 3) or total or

white or no fundal view

Pseudoexfoliation

syndrome

Phacodonesis

Oral alpha-receptor

antagonist

Age more than 88 years

Corneal scarring

Total points:

Previous vitrectomy

Interpretation:

Benefits of risk stratification

Points

Risk stratification has been shown to improve patient safety, optimise

visual outcomes, allow efficient resource utilisation and enhance

overall patient satisfaction. By identifying and addressing risk factors

preoperatively, surgeons can better anticipate challenges, personalise

surgical plans and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction 4 .

Risk stratification will also aid in prioritising patients and allocating

resources effectively, ensuring high-risk cases receive greater attention.

The application of a cataract surgery stratification system in surgery

allocation, as shown by Tsinopoulos et al (2013), resulted in a reduction

in complication rates (3.2% compared with 5.9%) 10 . By discussing realistic

expectations, patients are better informed, leading to greater trust

and satisfaction.

What challenges exist in risk stratification?

3

3

3

2

1

1

Yes or No

Anatomical factors

Shallow anterior

chamber (<2.5mm)

High ametropia

(>6D myopia)

Posterior capsular

plaque

Posterior polar

cataract

Small pupil (<3mm

with maximal

dilation)

Miscellaneous risks

e.g. poor positioning

or cooperation

Only eye

If total points >3 OR Yes to Previous

vitrectomy OR Yes to only eye, then

allocation to fellow or SMO only

Points

Table 4. NZCRS template used in risk stratification prior to planned cataract surgery.

Adapted from Auckland Cataract Study IV 16

As phase 4 of the Auckland cataract studies showed, despite the wellevidenced

benefits of cataract risk stratification systems, the utilisation

rate was still only about 80%. This may be due to logistical factors such as

timing of patients’ attendance, being over-looked by clinical staff or being

ignored by the surgical team. It is acknowledged that comprehensive

assessment may be difficult in busy or resource-limited clinical settings.

There is also inconsistent application of risk stratification protocols across

centres, requiring ongoing education and training.

The future of cataract surgery will likely see greater integration of

technology and tools such as artificial-intelligence-driven predictive

models, where advanced algorithms trained on large data subsets can be

used to predict outcomes and guide decision making.

1

1

1

1

1

1

Yes or No

Conclusions

Risk stratification is a cornerstone of modern cataract surgery, allowing

ophthalmologists and trainees to navigate the complexities of diverse

patient profiles while delivering excellent outcomes. By systematically

identifying and addressing the potential risks, surgeons can enhance

patient safety, optimise visual results and improve overall efficiency in

surgical care, as demonstrated in New Zealand by the Auckland Cataract

Study series. As cataract surgery continues to evolve, further refinements

to the risk stratification system will ensure that this procedure remains at

the forefront of precision medicine.

References

1. Chan E, Mahroo OAR, Spalton DJ. Complications of cataract surgery. Clinical and Experimental

Optometry. 2010;93(6):379-89.

2. Magyar M, Sándor GL, Ujváry L, Nagy ZZ, Tóth G. Intraoperative complication rates in cataract surgery

performed by resident trainees and staff surgeons in a tertiary eyecare center in Hungary. International

journal of ophthalmology. 2022;15(4):586-90.

3. Terveen D, Berdahl J, Dhariwal M, Meng Q. Real-World Cataract Surgery Complications and

Secondary Interventions Incidence Rates: An Analysis of US Medicare Claims Database. J Ophthalmol.

2022;2022:8653476.

4. Muhtaseb M, Kalhoro A, Ionides A. A system for preoperative stratification of cataract patients

according to risk of intraoperative complications: a prospective analysis of 1441 cases. Br J Ophthalmol.

2004;88(10):1242-6.

5. Lin IH, Lee CY, Chen JT, Chen YH, Chung CH, Sun CA, et al. Predisposing Factors for Severe

Complications after Cataract Surgery: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. J Clin Med. 2021;10(15).

6. Amin K, Fong K, Horgan SE. Incidence of intra-operative floppy iris syndrome in a U.K. district general

hospital and implications for future workload. Surgeon. 2008;6(4):207-9.

7. Waghamare SR, Prasad S, Sankarananthan R, Venkatalakshmi S, Nagu K, Sundar B, Shekhar M. Nucleus

drop following phacoemulsification surgery: Incidence, risk factors and clinical outcomes. Int Ophthalmol.

2024;44(1):247.

8. Kang C, Lee MJ, Chomsky A, Oetting TA, Greenberg PB. Risk factors for complications in residentperformed

cataract surgery: A systematic review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2024;69(4):638-45.

9. Oustoglou E, Tzamalis A, Mamais I, Dermenoudi M, Tsaousis KT, Ziakas N, Tsinopoulos I. Reoperations

After Cataract Surgery: Is the Incidence Predictable Through a Risk Factor Stratification System? Cureus.

2020;12(9):e10693.

10. Tsinopoulos IT, Lamprogiannis LP, Tsaousis KT, Mataftsi A, Symeonidis C, Chalvatzis NT, Dimitrakos SA.

Surgical outcomes in phacoemulsification after application of a risk stratification system. Clin Ophthalmol.

2013;7:895-9.

11. See CW, Iftikhar M, Woreta FA. Preoperative evaluation for cataract surgery. Curr Opin Ophthalmol.

2019;30(1):3-8.

12. Kim BZ, Patel DV, Sherwin T, McGhee CN. The Auckland Cataract Study: Assessing Preoperative

Risk Stratification Systems for Phacoemulsification Surgery in a Teaching Hospital. Am J Ophthalmol.

2016;171:145-50.

13. Kim BZ, Patel DV, McKelvie J, Sherwin T, McGhee CNJ. The Auckland Cataract Study II: Reducing

Complications by Preoperative Risk Stratification and Case Allocation in a Teaching Hospital. Am J

Ophthalmol. 2017;181:20-5.

14. Kim BZ, Patel DV, McGhee CN. Auckland cataract study 2: clinical outcomes of phacoemulsification

cataract surgery in a public teaching hospital. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2017;45(6):584-91.

15. Han JV, Patel DV, Wallace HB, Kim BZ, Sherwin T, McGhee CNJ. Auckland Cataract Study III: Refining

Preoperative Assessment With Cataract Risk Stratification to Reduce Intraoperative Complications. Am J

Ophthalmol. 2019;200:253-4.

16. Han JV, Patel DV, Liu K, Kim BZ, Sherwin T, McGhee CNJ. Auckland Cataract Study IV: Practical

application of NZCRS cataract risk stratification to reduce phacoemulsification complications. Clin Exp

Ophthalmol. 2020;48(3):311-8.

Dr Yuanzhang Jiao is a non-training ophthalmology registrar and

has a strong research background in inherited retinal diseases,

optic nerve drusen and retinoblastoma. Awarded for excellence

in ophthalmic optics, he has extensive clinical experience and

interests in teaching.

Associate Professor Jie Zhang is a vision scientist at the Department

of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, and manager of

NZNEC’s microsurgical and cataract virtual reality training unit.

She has specific research interests in both laboratory and clinical

aspects of the cornea and anterior segment.

Professor Charles McGhee heads the Department of

Ophthalmology and is director of the New Zealand National Eye

Centre (NZNEC) at the University of Auckland. His interests include

keratoconus, corneal diseases and corneal transplantation, complex

cataract and anterior segment trauma, and complex anterior

segment pathology, including iris and conjunctival melanoma

and other rare anterior segment tumours, for which he receives

nationwide referrals.


St George’s eyecare

education night a hit

By Monique Boddy

ST GEORGE’S EYE Care in Christchurch brought together

over 60 optometrists for an educational evening towards the end

of last year. With engaging presentations and a light-hearted

quiz to close the night, the event seamlessly blended learning,

networking and a bit of holiday cheer.

The CPD-accredited event featured three presenters who explored

cutting-edge topics in ophthalmology and optometry. St George’s cohost

Dr Paul Baddeley’s compelling talk on genetic testing highlighted

the critical advancements in understanding how genetic markers can

inform the early diagnosis and management of glaucoma. While his

colleague, Dr Oliver Comyn, delivered an insightful discussion on

diabetic retinopathy,

including

updates on the

latest screening

techniques and

management

practices, offering

valuable guidance

for practitioners

tackling this

St George’s theatre team members L–R: Anna Pask,

Kadie Geradts and Patricia Artates-Olmo

growing issue.

Dr Ainsley

The three wise surgeons get festive. L–R: Drs Oliver Comyn, Ainsley Morris and Paul Baddeley

Morris of EyeAM rounded out the evening with an intriguing session

illuminating how understanding ocular dominance can improve

patient care, particularly in areas such as vision therapy and refractive

correction.

Attendees were treated to an evening of entertainment, complete with

refreshments and an opportunity to exchange ideas with peers. The

event concluded on a high note with a fun, ophthalmic-themed quiz.

Questions ranged from the fascinating – ‘Which animal uses its eyes to

help it swallow?’– to clinical brain teasers on eye conditions. The quiz

champion was OPSM’s Tim Robinson, who won the Bubbly prize.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many

praising St George’s Eye Care for hosting an event that was both

educational and enjoyable. Events like this not only advance clinical

knowledge but also strengthen Christchurch’s network of eyecare

professionals. Here’s to more inspiring gatherings and clear vision for

the remainder of 2025!

Monique Boddy is practice manager for St George’s Eye Care.

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 43

BUSINESS

Brought to you

by the IOGroup

BEST PRACTICE, MADE EASY

Purpose: business focus fundamentals – part two

By Lynden Mason and Teréze Taber

IN OUR LAST article, we explored financial

statements as a powerful tool to assess the

health of your business, offering a quick

inventory of your operations and identifying

opportunities to boost your bottom line.

But what really drives the ‘how’ in your

financials is the second of our business focus

fundamentals (BFF) – purpose. If you step

into 2025 with a strategy and tactics rooted

in purpose, your financial direction often

becomes self-driven.

Seeing the big picture

As optometry practice owners, our work is

about far more than just selling glasses. Our

practices touch people’s lives, often in deeply

personal ways. But here’s the question: does

your team know what your practice stands

for? Do they connect with the bigger picture

– the ‘why’ behind your practice’s existence

and the values that guide ‘how’ it operates? If

not, you could be missing out on untapped

potential in team engagement, patient satisfaction and profitability.

Let’s explore why this truly matters, how to approach it (even in a

well-established practice) and how it can ripple through every aspect of

your business.

When purpose and values are clearly communicated and consistently

applied, they become the foundation for everything your practice does.

They shape patient interactions, influence hiring decisions and even

guide investments in equipment and technology. Without this clarity,

a practice can feel adrift. Staff may end up simply going through the

motions, rather than actively contributing to a meaningful, shared vision.

The benefits? Staff who feel connected to a purpose and values are

more engaged. Engaged staff provide better patient care and make

better, more thoughtful decisions. They become loyal employees who

feel truly ‘plugged in’ to what you’re building. By being part of something

bigger than themselves, they also experience a sense of purpose in

their own lives. Even in established businesses, staff can lose sight

of the why and how behind the work, especially on the back of the

last few years navigating the stresses of a pandemic and an ongoing

cost-of-living crisis. When your team embraces your values, it creates

consistency across all touchpoints – from the front desk to the exam

room – leading to enhanced patient experiences and, ultimately, stronger

business outcomes.

How to start

Begin by envisioning the future of your practice. Compile a list of your

current values and ask yourself some hard questions: are they still

relevant? Have they evolved – or perhaps devolved – over time? Are they

clear and memorable, or do they feel like generic statements that could

belong to any business? Be honest – staff can quickly sense whether

values are hollow or deeply ingrained in your practice.

Your team works on the front lines every day and their perspectives are

invaluable. They often have a deeper, more nuanced understanding of

their roles and patients’ needs. Tap into this insight by actively involving

them in the process and avoid doing all of the talking – listen. This not

only enhances the outcome but also fosters more engaged employees

who feel truly valued. Host brainstorming sessions and ask questions like:

• What do you think our practice stands for?

• What makes us unique in the way we care for patients?

• What do you think our patients appreciate most about us?

• How do we want to treat each other as a team?

Define and redefine your purpose and values

Your purpose statement should be inspiring and future-focused – it’s

the big picture of what your practice is working towards. Consider

the broader impact you want your practice to have on patients, the

community and even the industry. This statement should resonate with

your team and feel meaningful to them.

Your values are the principles guiding how you achieve that vision.

Keep them simple, authentic and actionable. Aim for three to five core

values that genuinely represent your practice and are easy for everyone

to remember, but avoid vague generic tropes such as ‘excellence’. Instead,

try ‘We go above and beyond to delight our patients’.

Look at communications through a new lens

Once you’ve refreshed your purpose and values, ensure they’re reflected

in every aspect of your practice. From patient communications and social

media to the way your team interacts with one another, these principles

should shine through. They should feel cohesive and become the

foundation of both internal and external messaging.

Rolling out new or refreshed purpose and values isn’t a one-time event –

To learn more about the IOGroup, contact Neil Human:

0210 292 8683 neil.human@iogroup.co.nz


THE INDEPENDENT

OPTOMETRY GROUP

NEWS

Stars

Top Kiwi golfer joins

Maui Jim stable

DAME LYDIA KO, New

Zealand’s 2024 Olympic gold

medallist in women’s golf and

the youngest inductee of the

LPGA Hall of Fame, has entered

a two-year partnership with

sunglasses brand Maui Jim.

The 2025 Supreme Halberg

Award winner and official

brand ambassador, 27-year-old

Dame Lydia will be sporting

Maui Jim’s high-performance

sunglasses on and off the course, showcasing a

game advantage for active golfers and a broader audience of

open-air sports enthusiasts.

“We are super proud to welcome Lydia Ko to the Maui Jim family.

Her excellence and commitment to always be the best embodies

the spirit of our brand and we look forward to supporting her

as she continues to inspire golfers worldwide,” said Roberto

Vedovotto, founder, president and CEO of Kering Eyewear.

Dame Lydia said she is very excited to partner with Maui Jim, a

brand she’s worn and trusted for years. “I am thrilled to kick off a

new year of tournaments with this new partner that consistently

strives for excellence and that I’m truly proud to represent.”

Founded in Hawaii and now part of the Kering Eyewear

portfolio, Maui Jim designs functional, user-driven sunglasses for

performance under harsh solar conditions.

See Sports vision feature page 22

Continued from p44

& their eyes…

it’s an ongoing, reinforcing conversation. Use team meetings, one-on-one

discussions and visible reminders in your workspace to reinforce them

regularly. Keeping purpose and values top of mind ensures they remain a

living, breathing part of your practice.

At the end of the day, having a clear purpose and values isn’t just

a feel-good exercise, it’s a smart business move – make it one of your

BFFs! When you and your team are aligned, everything clicks, from

patient care through to profitability.

So, take a step back and ask yourself: why does your practice exist,

what do you stand for and how can you make sure everyone on your

team is on the same page? Answer those questions and you’ll be well on

your way to creating a practice that doesn’t just survive but thrives.

Lynden Mason is the co-founder and former co-owner of Vivo,

a large Southern Hemisphere group of privately owned hair

salons. An optometrist, he started his career by growing 10

optometry clinics across the North Island.

Teréze Taber – a former television producer – is a passionate

content writer and brand specialist. With Lynden, she is now

focused on their private consultancy practice, Behind the Brand.

Contact Lynden or Teréze on Lynden@behindthebrand.co.nz and

tereze@behindthebrand.co.nz

APPOINTMENTS

Orthoptics stalwart is new NZOSI president

Long-term New Zealand Orthoptic Society Inc

(NZOSI) executive Sally-Anne Herring is the

society’s new president, replacing Nia Stonex.

Based in Hawke’s Bay, Herring has more than

30 years’ experience in paediatrics and neuroophthalmology

and was one of the founding

members of the then-informal association of

orthoptists, now NZOSI.

Herring said her immediate priorities

include continuing to work with the Ministry

of Health (MoH) to seek clarification on the addition of orthoptists

to the critical job-shortage list and speed up immigration permit

application access. “We have successfully petitioned the MoH and

the Department of Immigration to have orthoptists on the critical

job-shortage role list for preferential entry as we do not train

orthoptists here in New Zealand and are unlikely to start, due to

our small population,” she said.

With her new commitments, Herring has stepped down as

NZOSI’s Allied Health Aotearoa representative, a role that has been

picked up by Wellington-based orthoptist Elizabeth Gately-Taylor.

J&J VC appoints new regional

sales manager

Hirdesh Nair has moved into the role of

regional sales manager at Johnson & Johnson

Vision Care (J&J VC). Based out of Melbourne,

he will be covering Victoria, Tasmania, South

Australia, New Zealand and Western Australia.

“Hirdesh’s six-year tenure as professional

development manager has seen him drive key initiatives like

JnJVisionPro and significant contributions to product launches

and industry engagement. His experience and leadership will

continue to elevate Acuvue’s market impact,” said J&J VC in a

statement.

A BOptom graduate from the University of Auckland, Nair

previously worked as an optometrist in New Zealand and held

various senior roles at OPSM Luxottica before joining J&J VC.

Essilor NZ’s new eyecare manager

With more than a decade of experience

in the industry, optometrist Karthigan

Paramananthasivam is the new area eyecare

manager for New Zealand for EssilorLuxottica.

Paramananthasivam is passionate about

advanced contact lenses and collaborative

care and believes collaboration between

optometrists, GPs and allied health professionals is key to the

future of eyecare, said Amy Pillay, EssilorLuxottica’s professional

affairs manager. “In this new role, he will support optometrists

and team members in advancing eyecare excellence.”

Outside of work, Paramananthasivam said he enjoys cooking,

surfing, fishing, snowboarding and spending time with his wife

and two daughters.

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 45

NEWS

Helping Tongans see and be seen

By Germaine Joblin and Janice Yeoman

UNITED BY A shared passion for

eye health and advocacy, four

EyesForGood volunteers set out to

bring essential eyecare services to

Tongan communities.

As well as ourselves, our team

included professional teaching

fellow Sachi Rathod and community

coordinator Telusila Moala-Mafi Vea. We

set out to provide comprehensive eye

examinations and distribute new and

donated glasses and sunglasses. With

no ocular prosthetic services on the

island, we also addressed a critical need

there. The negative psychosocial and

quality-of-life impacts of eye loss are

profound, so this service brought new

hope and confidence to patients, their

families and communities.

Our mission was not only about

immediate care but also sustainability.

As part of this, there were sessions

with Tongan eye nurses focusing on

clinical skills and discussions about

keratoconus and myopia and their risk

factors. The eye nurses were especially

fascinated by prosthesis fabrication in

the prosthetic clinic, a service they had

not seen before. Over the course of the

visit, they learned about prosthesis care

and we trained them to provide annual

prosthesis checks and polishes.

Over four and a half days, we saw 210

patients, mostly at the Vaiola Hospital in the

capital, Nuku’alofa, but also at the Tonga Red

Cross Society to check the eyes of children

with disabilities. The cases we encountered

were varied and included uncorrected

refractive errors, for which we prescribed 172

pairs of glasses. The team also encountered

numerous cataracts and many cases of diabetic

retinopathy, keratoconus and pterygia.

The EyesForGood team with eye nurses at Vaiola Hospital

Germaine Joblin dispenses a pair of glasses

to the local bishop from the car boot outside

Ha’amonga ‘a Maui

With five to six hours of clinic

time required to produce each

prosthesis, the success of the

prosthetics clinic was down

to efficient multi-tasking and

exceptional support from the

local nurses. By the end of our

visit, nine people had each

received a new prosthesis. All

but one of them had lost their

eyes as a result

of an injury, and

more than half

had never had a

prosthesis before.

The prostheses we replaced

were close to 20 years old and in

very damaged states, resulting

in socket complications and

poor cosmesis.

One of the standout

moments was meeting

the Tongan prime minister

Hu’akavameiliku. He was affable

and articulate and quickly took

action by sending the minister

of health and his team to meet

us at the hospital just four hours

later to discuss the country’s

eyecare situation.

Kindness and warmth

a standout

The team was also fortunate to

experience Tonga’s rich culture and

landscape. From participating in a

local church service and swimming

with humpback whales to watching

the plumes of water from blowholes

on the west coast and swimming in

the eastern Anahulu cave, Tonga’s

beauty and the kindness and

warmth of its people never ceased to

amaze us.

Our trip wasn’t just about

providing glasses and prosthetic

eyes, it was about building

relationships, sharing knowledge

and leaving behind sustainable

practices that would benefit the

Tongan community long after we

had departed. We left the island

not only having contributed to

eye health but also having created

lasting memories of friendship,

culture and the beauty of the Tongan

people. Malo ‘aupito!

Our trip would

not have been

possible without

the generous

donations and

support of Max

Grapengiesser

from Eyewear

Design, the

New Zealand

Prosthetic Eye

service, Orewa

Optics’ Grant

Dabb, Blur

Eyecare, Tanoa

Hotel, Friendly

Island Dental

Clinic and PMN

Tonga 531PI

radio, Tonga

Broadcom

Broadcasting, Tonga High School Ex Students

NZ Association and many others who advised

us in the planning of this trip.

Janice Yeoman (L) teaches an eye nurse how to

polish a prosthesis

Janice Yeoman is an optometrist and ocular

prosthetist at the New Zealand Prosthetic Eye

Service and doctoral candidate with the University of

Auckland’s Department of Ophthalmology.

Germaine Joblin is a therapeutically qualified

optometrist who works in private practice and serves

as a professional teaching fellow with the University

of Auckland’s Vision Bus Aotearoa.


When you wish upon a star…

Maddy Scavone, the Australian orthoptist behind Speckles’ Hide&See Eye

Patches for children with amblyopia, tells Drew Jones about the business

going global and how her dream of a Disney collaboration came true

SPECKLES FOUNDER and CEO (chief eye

officer) Maddy Scavone has teamed up with

The Walt Disney Company ANZ ahead of the

June release of its animated movie Elio. Speckles

is celebrating the movie’s eye-patch-wearing

eponymous hero with a new line of Disneybranded

Hide&See amblyopia patches.

Scavone says she approached Disney because

she saw they were launching a movie where

the main character wears an eye patch and she

wanted to see if they could collaborate and “use

the movie as an awareness piece for patching

and the importance of eye checks in kids”.

The day after emailing Disney, Scavone

received a reply from the head of the Licensing

Business Unit for Walt Disney ANZ, who

expressed a personal connection to her

message. “They totally understood what I’m

trying to do at Speckles and were all for it. It

evolved from a Disney Princess range to adding

Marvel characters, Moana and a Christmas

range,” Scavone says.

In June last year, the collaboration was

officially launched with an eye-screening day

at Optometrist Warehouse’s superstore in

Campbelltown, New South Wales. “We had

the student orthoptists from University of

Technology Sydney come and help us give

free checks to 40 children. We put the Disney

Princess and Marvel eye patches on the kids as

they had their eyes tested and we made it really

fun with balloon art and face painting. It was

about raising awareness of how important kids’

eye checks are.”

Half of the parents the Speckles team talked

to had never had their child’s eyes checked –

even though 80% of those parents wore glasses

themselves – and 80% had never heard of

amblyopia. “We actually picked up two kids

with severe vision issues, who we referred

to Optometrist Warehouse,” says Scavone.

This year, the team is hoping to do

Kids’s eye screening at the Disney and Speckles launch event 2024 in

Campbelltown, New South Wales

another big campaign around Elio’s 19 June

launch to make sure all kids under the age of

eight have had their eyes tested, she says. “I

think Disney is really good at that storytelling

aspect, where they have an underdog and raise

them up. The Elio character is an underdog

who ends up being the representative of

Earth and on that journey he discovers who

he is really meant to be. So I think this movie

will help with more acceptance for kids to

understand why other children might wear an

eye patch and maybe boost the confidence of

those who do,” she says.

Global goals

Even prior to the Disney

collaboration, Speckles had

been making headway in

the Americas. Scavone’s

annual trips to the

American Association for

Pediatric Ophthalmology

and Strabismus conference

have generated interest in

the US and, more recently,

Mexico, she says. “We’re

working on bringing our

products there this year,

which they haven’t had

access to before.”

Also in 2024, Speckles lent its support to

charity partner Sightsavers on its Liberia

ship project, which implemented vision

screening services in the West African country.

The UK-based NGO trained people in the

communities to test school

kids’ vision, providing

resources, equipment

and deworming

medication.

“Sightsavers’ whole

mission is to prevent

avoidable blindness

and to help people with

disabilities gain access

Above: Speckles’

founder Maddy

Scavone

to employment. We’ve

been supporting them

from pretty much the

get-go. It’s always been

our mission to do that and now we’re

looking at doing the same things in

Nigeria – supported by every Speckles

purchase,” says Scavone.

Providing families with easy-tounderstand

information on children’s

eye health all in one place is also part

of Scavone’s plan. “We want to connect

more with eye clinics and have them

share their stories and interesting case

Speckles’ Hide&See Marvel and Disney Princess eye patches

studies about their patients to spread further

awareness on eye conditions in children. With

the gap between seeing the specialist at the

clinic and then not having any support, we

want to use our educational resources through

our social media and YouTube videos to

make it easier for parents to learn about the

importance of kids’ eye health.”

Sunglasses gain traction

One aspect of that is sun safety, with Speckles’

sunglasses range gaining traction. “We’ve seen

more Australian and New Zealand parents

buying their kids sunglasses now, which is great.

Eventually we’ll have a range of prescription

eyewear too, which will be a really nice addition

to everything we’ve been working on.”

Despite this burgeoning workload, Scavone

says the Speckles team has remained small

but resourceful. “Obviously I’m not in clinic

anymore, but I feel Speckles is having a greater

impact than I could have made in a clinic

alone,” she says. “When you’re aligned and on

the right path, things just happen and you meet

the right people at the right time. It’s really felt

that way the last few years, especially with the

Disney partnership. I actually wrote that down

as an ambition when I first started Speckles:

‘partnership with Disney’!”

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 47

PRACTICE MATTERS

Do you have an

ethical autopilot?

By Alli Campbell

OPTOMETRY AND OPHTHALMIC dispensing are both

recognised as highly ethical registered professions. Even if we

were not required to complete at least one ethical CPD point

per cycle to maintain our registration, we would still retain

ethical behaviour as our default – thinking before we act and

speak. Here are some ethical behaviour elements to consider.

Privacy and business protection

Data protection was always important, but even more so in today’s

digital world. We are trusted to keep important personal details secure,

so make it your habit to minimise the patient’s details being on screen

unless you need them. All it takes is someone walking past your screen

with a mobile phone and all that sensitive information can be snapped

up and used for nefarious purposes.

Your business information also needs to be protected. We hear of

increasing numbers of businesses being hacked, losing not just sensitive

data but their reputation too. A moment’s lapse of concentration by

clicking on a PDF attachment can allow hackers to freeze your entire

system, to the point where you cannot work or even rendering the

computer hardware unusable. ‘Ransomware’ is easily embedded in a

PDF and can lie dormant in your system for months. Never click on a

link unless you know exactly where it will lead. Raising your level of

protection is highly ethical.

Developing a level of healthy scepticism when opening any

attachment can protect you. If you are copying and pasting bank account

numbers from a PDF, you need to be particularly vigilant. Hackers can

embed code to modify the numbers when

copied, so always check what

you’ve pasted matches

the original numbers.

Also be careful when

scanning QR codes,

as hackers have

started embedding

malicious code

there too. Think

twice before

you click.

Avoiding gossip

is another aspect

of your professional

responsibility,

whether it be on

social media or casual

chatting within or outside

of work. For example, boasting

about famous people who attend your

practice is nobody’s business unless you have their express permission

to do so. Everyone enjoys being in the know, but keep this phrase in your

thoughts: loose lips sink careers. Keep the ACC television “Have a hmmm’

ads in mind! At the very least don’t be someone who can be described as

having no filter. Stop and look around you before discussing a patient’s

information out loud; think about who could overhear you. Would you

return to where you thought you might be the person being discussed

so openly?

Good quality record keeping

Quality record keeping is second nature to us, but it’s easy to become

relaxed and just use the same acronyms you’ve always used. But what

if the next person to read your notes isn’t you? Would they make sense

to everyone?

Notes on a record without being identified with initials and a date

are less than useless. Their relevance is lost and could be entirely

wrong in the case of an insurance claim number or a patient who has

called to advise they are experiencing visual disturbances but with no

follow-up noted.

On records, be polite at all times – people have the right to read them.

I’ve seen records from decades ago with all sorts of acronyms identifying

a patient as rude or difficult. Thankfully, I have not seen those in the last

15 years.

Here’s an interesting one and worthy of discussion in your practice:

I have seen ‘SOA’ (smells of alcohol) or ‘C 2

H 6

O’ (ethanol) on records. Is

that relevant? Could vision/perception be affected by alcohol? Or is it

inappropriate unless backed up by further notes and what has been

discussed with the patient?

Make ethical behaviour your default

Dispensing ethically, to me, is straightforward: if the solutions you

provide are in the patient’s best interest, you are behaving ethically

towards them. If you consider dispensing only that which is beneficial

to them, your ethical radar is working. Integrity is at the heart of ethical

behaviour. One of the greatest feelings in life is when someone believes

you to be worthy of their trust. It is handed to us by our patients, by our

employers and ultimately by ourselves. It is a fragile thing – think about a

time when your trust in someone was broken; how easy was it to regain

it, if at all?

Retaining ethical behaviour as our default position means we

have thought about and filtered out what is unethical, that we have

considered the effects of our words, our actions and our behaviour.

Your ethical autopilot will protect data and business information, won’t

gossip, will keep excellent records and provide the best optical solutions.

But, most importantly, your ethical autopilot will have integrity. That is

when our autopilot, our default behaviour, is truly ethical.

Alli Campbell is a dispensing optician and has been in optics

since 1987. She started out in Scotland with Dollond &

Aitchison, before moving to New Zealand in 2009 to work for

Matthews Eyecare.


NEWS

Hoya extends

Miyosmart range

NZOSS 2025: blink and

you’ll miss it!

By Joanna Cao

GREETINGS FROM THE New Zealand Optometry Student Society

(NZOSS) executive team! More than just a university club, NZOSS stands

as a community and professional platform connecting students with

the wider optical industry. As we step into our 13th year, we’re excited

to continue building on our mission: to empower optometry students

through professional development, meaningful educational experiences

and a strong sense of community.

The year begins with a lineup of social and sporting events, designed

to bring students from all cohorts together. From the much-anticipated

optometry camp and welcome BBQ to lively pub crawls, quiz nights and

the annual Sports Day and Eyeball, the calendar is filled with chances

for students to unwind and engage with one another. Adding to the

excitement, the opening of Hiwa – the University of Auckland’s state-ofthe-art

recreation centre – promises fresh opportunities for even more

dynamic sporting events. We also have brand new merchandise in store

for members, made possible thanks to our generous sponsors, so keep

an eye out!

NZOSS also organises numerous educational events to support

students in their studies and career paths. Student engagement and

interest in the profession continues to grow through our educational

seminars, where guest speakers from the optometry sector share

insights into the profession, bridging the gap between academic study,

real-world practice and advancements in patient care. In particular,

strengthening relationships with rural health programmes will be an

important focus, offering students useful perspectives on the rewards

and challenges of delivering eyecare in remote areas.

While the Bachelor of Optometry degree is a long one, five years can

fly by in the blink of an eye. NZOSS is committed to ensuring students

feel supported and have fun while studying for this challenging but

rewarding degree. If you have any questions or ideas or would like to

support NZOSS in our endeavours, please do not hesitate to reach out to

us at nzoss.uoa@gmail.com

With a dedicated committee and an ambitious calendar of events,

we’re excited and look forward to what 2025 will bring!

RESPONDING TO THE

growing global issue of high

myopia, Hoya Vision Care

Australia and New Zealand is

expanding its Miyosmart power

range, unlocking spectacle lenses

for patients with a broader range

of negative and cylinder powers.

This power range extension

accommodates both high myopia

and astigmatism, with a wider

span of prescriptions up to a

combined power of -13.00D,

Hoya said. “This action will

increase access to effective and

innovative solutions for more

myopic children, so they can

achieve better vision outcomes.”

With the extension, Miyosmart spectacle lenses are now

available in larger lens diameters and with optimised lens edge

thickness. “The increased lens diameters mean the lenses can

be housed in larger frames, accommodating older children and

teenagers with larger pupillary distances, in addition to those who

choose these frames for aesthetic reasons,” the company said.

NZOSS 2025 committee

President – Joanna Cao

Vice president – Shubham Gupta

Treasurer – Paris Shen

Secretary – Joshua Lobo

Part V social representative – Hana Shin

Part IV social representative – Angeli De Silva

Part III social representative – Petra Curd-McCullough

Educational representative – Ved Mishra

Public relations officer – Olivia Park

Sports representative – Ryan Yu

Media representative – Sarah Yang

NZAO representative – Aaron George

Grassroots representative – Mieke de Bruyn

dynamiceyewear.com

0800 566 574

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 49

STYLE NEWS

London’s calling

Imagine capturing the essence of your favourite London haunts right

there on your face in William Morris’ January eyewear collection. From

the east to the west, it has you covered: Barbican (pictured), inspired by

Bauhaus design, where form follows function and less is more; Hoxton,

vibrant home of indie galleries and cool bars, with two strong metal

styles; Putney, strong, clean and sophisticated; and Westway, bold,

striking and powerful.

Distributed by Eyes Right Optical’s NZ agent MSO.

Sophisticated, bold

and unconventional

Woodys’ latest collection

and accompanying

campaign, Anima, is

a celebration of bold

colours and unique

designs which offer

new, exciting structures,

temples and shapes in

a range of oversized

acetates and acetatemetal

combos. The

angular and bold

acetate-metal frame Massena 04 seen here features a triple lamination,

an iconic Woodys structure. The play with colour combinations gives

character and personality to this model, with an extra detail added in the

form of a wood inlay at the temple tips.

Distributed by Phoenix Eyewear.

Elevate the spirit

Esprit’s latest lineup is all about

standing out in frames that are

lightweight, high-quality and hit

all the style notes. With pops of

colour, patterns and distinctive

material blends, the newly released

Ecollection accessories are

designed to lift your spirit! Made

of plant-based bio-acetate and

natural biodegradable plasticisers,

rich colour accents and unique patterns distinguish these new looks.

Available in black, blue and Havana. Size: 52–17–140mm B: 42mm.

Distributed by Phoenix Eyewear.

Precision-engineered sunwear

Setting the standard for refined luxury, Range Rover Sunwear’s newseason

releases feature a selection of premium polarised lenses and,

where possible, the most luxurious sustainable materials available today.

Crafted in Mazzucchelli M49 bio-acetate, the RRS313 is available in black

or tortoiseshell.

Distributed by BTP International Designz.

Danish colour statements

Danish brand Inface

has been re-invented

to target the young

and young at

heart, with its latest

collections putting

colour front and

centre. Models such

as Toffee (shown here

in aqua dark matt)

feature strong contrasting colour temples to make a statement.

Another Dane, Design Eyewear Group’s Nifties range for small and

petite faces offers a new release with metal and acetate designs featuring

fresh, contrasting colours.

Distributed by Euro Optics – A division of VMD.

Sea it to believe it

The creators of 100%

recycled marine plastic

eyewear, Sea2see have

teamed up with awardwinning

photographer

Weston Fuller to create

a new campaign about

ocean contamination.

The campaign looks at

life today by juxtaposing

the beauty of fashion

and sport against

polluted beaches and

oceans. In this way,

Sea2see aims to inspire

consumers to create

a future where our

vision of beauty aligns

with sustainability and

authenticity. Sea2see

designs and produces

optical frames and

sunglasses in Italy and

watches in Switzerland,

made entirely with

recycled marine plastic

collected by fishermen

in Spain, France and

West Africa.


Colour fusion

French brand Face à Face’s latest collection takes colour blending to new

heights. Model Didot (featured here) is inspired by the strong contrast

between the thin and thick lines of the iconic font. Different strokes

interplay to create an optical effect, where solid and open spaces reverse

themselves. Below the endpiece, the illusion of extreme thinness is

achieved through crystal detailing.

Distributed by Eyes Right Optical’s NZ agent MSO.

Thoughtfully curated designs

Inspired by Lake

Como’s breathtaking

scenery and

sophisticated

atmosphere, Aspinal

of London’s latest

sun collection is

characterised by a

fusion of modern charm and heritage styling. Model Chelsea (pictured

above) brings a touch of elegance to every look and a sculpted top line

creates a flattering silhouette. A delicate temple embellishment enhances

the frame’s luxurious appeal.

Best-selling practice-favourite, Cocoa Mint Sunwear delivers its

signature approach to summer styling, with 20 pieces leaning into

effortless, relaxed glamour. Inspired by the latest trends and celebrities’

most coveted styles, the new collection will appeal to wearers looking

to make a style statement

through oversized shapes

and a bold, colourful palette.

Distributed by BTP

International Designz.

The place to see and be seen

Building on last year’s success,

Silmo 2025 preparations are well

underway, with organisers

promising a unique

edition with exclusive

content and interactive

experiences immersing

visitors in the world of

optical innovation.

Announcing Silmo’s new

tagline and visual identity,

‘The Place to See’, president

Amélie Morel said 2025 is

looking very promising. “Silmo

is more committed than ever to

supporting professionals by sharing

relevant content and meeting opportunities,

(including) Silmo Next, podcasts, CSR columns, talks, showrooms and Silmo

Academy, which will offer numerous opportunities to exchange ideas and

think about the present and the future of the sector.”

Silmo Paris takes place in Paris Nord Villepinte from 26–29 September

2025. For more, visit www.silmoparis.com

Hilco brings faster custom Rx

Hilco Vision New Zealand’s custom prescription Rx swim and sports

range is now available through its warehouse in Drury, Auckland,

ensuring better and faster service. This prescription programme change

includes the full range of Leader xRx custom swimming goggles, Leader

C2 custom sports glasses, Leader custom dive masks and Breitfeld &

Schliekert custom ski inserts.

“We are working closely with a local laboratory and lens supplier to

deliver significantly improved lead times and a more responsive service

to our New Zealand customers,” said Isabelle Froiland, Hilco Vision ANZ

regional director. “These changes will see our customers enjoy a 7–10-day

turnaround for custom Rx jobs and provide a more available local service

to New Zealand stores throughout the prescription process.”

For Hilco contact details, visit https://nzoptics.co.nz/searchable-oig

Vintage by Etnia

Etnia Barcelona’s new

Vintage collection is

sophisticated and elegant,

offering a range of timeless,

easy-to-wear shapes for him

and her. Model Pearl District

III, featured here, is available

as a medium (48) and large

(50) in eight different hues

inspired by the classics

from eras past. The temple

tips have a quirky quilt-like

pattern with the Etnia circle

engraved in gold.

Distributed by CMI Optical.

Timeless classics with a twist

ProDesign’s latest collection is tailored for everyone who

appreciates quality, showcasing craftsmanship, innovative

materials and bold aesthetics, the company said. Model Groove

(featured here) offers versatility, with its two-in-one design

allowing wearers to add or remove a plastic rim for personalised

style. Crafted from stainless steel, the design features a groove

securing

the thin

rim, blending

functionality

with an

understated

aesthetic.

Distributed

by Eyes Right

Optical’s NZ

agent MSO.

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 51

A wake-up call for

‘comfortable leaders’

By Chalkeyes

RECENTLY, I WAS sent

an internal communication

from a major corporate

optometry provider

that laid bare the

calculated devaluation

of our profession. The

document, written by

their recruitment team,

proudly announced their

success in “driving down

and maintaining” locum

rates across Australia,

celebrating how they had

managed more than 5,400

days of coverage while

reducing hourly rates by

$10 per hour.

What makes this

communication

particularly chilling is

not just its content, but its tone – the casual triumph in suppressing

professional wages was seemingly presented as a strategic victory,

complete with plans to “continually work to drive down” rates further

during peak periods.

Many might assume that deliberately attempting to suppress wages

could violate competition laws or constitute monopolistic behaviour.

The reality is more nuanced. In Australia, under the Competition and

Consumer Act 2010, anti-competitive behaviour and price fixing are

indeed prohibited – but only when multiple entities coordinate their

actions. Similarly, New Zealand’s Commerce Act 1986 defines anticompetitive

practices in nearly identical terms, focusing on collusion

between multiple parties rather than unilateral actions. When a single

company independently negotiates rates within market norms, even

if it’s actively working to reduce them, it’s operating within legal

boundaries in both countries.

The corporate imperative to maximise efficiency and profit is neither

surprising nor inherently malicious, it is simply the nature of the

beast. Yet understanding this reality doesn’t require us to accept its

consequences passively.

While the leaked internal communication is deeply troubling,

its revelation is merely a symptom of a deeper malaise affecting

our profession: the gradual erosion of professional advocacy.

That a major ‘healthcare’ provider could so openly discuss wage

suppression strategies – not in a confidential financial report, but in

a communication to partners – speaks volumes about how far the

corporatisation of optometry has advanced and how little resistance it

now expects.

The echoes of this wage suppression strategy resonate deeply

throughout labour history’s halls. For over a century, healthcare

workers have grappled with institutional employers’ relentless drive to

maximise efficiency at the expense of personal professional autonomy

and fair compensation. While corporations will inevitably pursue their

profit-maximising mandate, history has shown the benefits of collective

action. For example, the 1985 Victorian nurses’ strike was a watershed

moment in Australian healthcare, when thousands of nurses walked

out over pay and staff-to-patient ratios, ultimately securing significant

improvements in both. While in Aotearoa in 1993, the public health

sector strikes marked another crucial turning point, with nurses and

junior doctors uniting to protect professional standards and improve

working conditions.

The Australian Medical Association and the New Zealand Resident

Doctors’ Association have become powerful voices precisely because

they understand that protecting professional standards requires

collective advocacy. Even today, we see this dynamic at work. In

2024, nurses across New Zealand staged their largest-ever strike,

demonstrating that collective action remains vital for maintaining

professional standards and fair compensation in healthcare. These

movements succeed because healthcare professionals have recognised

time and again that individual action is insufficient against institutional

and corporate pressure.

Optometry’s advocacy issues

While other healthcare professions have built on this legacy, optometry’s

unique historical trajectory has created additional challenges for

professional advocacy. Unlike many healthcare professions that emerged

from medical traditions, optometry’s roots lie in skilled craftsmanship

and commerce. Early optometrists were respected professionals

precisely because they mastered the complex art of lens crafting – a

lucrative skill that combined technical expertise with retail acumen.

This commercial foundation was not a contradiction but a cornerstone

of the profession’s identity.

Yet over the past decades, optometry has undergone a remarkable

transformation. Through sustained advocacy and professional

development, the scope of practice has expanded dramatically.

Optometrists fought for and won the right to use diagnostics, prescribe

therapeutics, manage glaucoma and, in New Zealand, even perform

certain laser procedures, demonstrating a conscious choice to embrace

a more comprehensive healthcare role.

The success of this transformation is evident in our educational

institutions, which now produce graduates steeped in medical

knowledge and healthcare ethics. Young optometrists enter the

workforce viewing themselves primarily as healthcare professionals,

their training focused on clinical excellence and patient outcomes.

Yet upon graduation, they encounter a stark reality: a system still


fundamentally driven by commercial metrics and sales targets. This

creates a profound disconnect. While our education and scope of

practice have evolved toward healthcare, our professional practice

remains anchored in retail-driven models.

The publication by Optometry Victoria South Australia’s KPIs

and optometry document in 2020 perfectly illustrated this shift.

Rather than championing a healthcare-first model, the document

dedicated considerable space

to “conversion rates” and

“actual sales price (ASP) of

Medicare billings per patient.”

It did, however, attempt to

soften its corporate focus by

acknowledging that “financial

considerations… should not

influence your integrity and

regulatory compliance”. Yet this

very acknowledgment reveals

the fundamental tension: why are we, as healthcare professionals,

being asked to balance clinical decisions against retail metrics at all?

The inclusion of ‘conversion rates’ as a standard KPI suggests our

professional bodies have accepted, and now actively promote, the

commodification of eyecare.

This approach stands in stark contrast to how other healthcare

professions approach patient care. Consider general practitioners

who, despite commanding higher salaries in both Australia and New

Zealand in comparison to optometrists, operate under a purely clinical

model. Their professional bodies focus on medical outcomes rather

than sales metrics.

Even more telling is the approach to optometry taken in certain

American states, where legislators have explicitly separated the

prescribing and dispensing of glasses to avoid the perverse incentives

that arise when clinical care becomes entangled with retail targets.

Notably, optometrists in these states – such as Massachusetts and

Rhode Island – maintain comparable salary levels to their counterparts

in states without such separation. This demolishes the argument that

retail targets and sales metrics are necessary for professional viability;

rather, it suggests that when freed from retail pressures and protected

by robust professional legislation, optometrists can focus on clinical

excellence while maintaining professional income through appropriate

fee structures for their medical services.

exemplifies this disconnect. That a major corporation could brazenly

celebrate the suppression of locum rates without fear of professional

consequences speaks volumes. It demonstrates not just corporate

overreach, but a profound failure of our professional bodies to protect

their members.

The corporatisation of optometry may have been inevitable in our

modern healthcare landscape; however, the abdication of genuine

professional advocacy by our

representative bodies was

Yet upon graduation, they encounter

a stark reality: a system still

fundamentally driven by commercial

metrics and sales targets

far from inevitable, though

its consequences have left

the majority of practising

optometrists without an

effective voice.

The time has come for

transformative change in how

our profession organises and

advocates. The solution lies

not in reforming existing institutions, but in establishing a true

optometry union – one that prioritises the interests of working

optometrists and understands that professional standards cannot be

measured by retail metrics.

Our future depends on our collective willingness to stand together

and demand the professional autonomy and respect our education and

expertise deserve.

The views expressed by Chalkeyes are theirs alone and not necessarily

the views of NZ Optics Ltd. If you wish to comment on Chalkeyes’ views, please

email a brief letter to the editor at info@nzoptics.co.nz for consideration.

Letters can be edited for space, style, grammar and clarity.

A leadership and advocacy imbalance?

More troubling still is the composition of our professional leadership.

The boards of both Optometry Australia and the New Zealand

Association of Optometrists are predominantly populated by

established practice owners – professionals who have built successful

businesses under the retail-focused model and who directly benefit

from KPI-driven optometry. While their business acumen and

experience are valuable, this raises a crucial question: can leadership

drawn primarily from practice owners effectively represent the

interests of the entire profession, particularly the growing workforce of

employed optometrists?

This is not to diminish the achievements of successful practice owners

or suggest malice in their leadership, rather it highlights a structural

misalignment between leadership and membership. When those setting

professional standards and advocacy priorities have fundamentally

different economic interests from the majority of practising

optometrists, whose interests are truly being served?

The Facebook group ‘Phoropter Free Fridays’ (set up and populated

by many disillusioned members of our profession) and other instances

of grassroots resistance to corporate metrics aren’t just reactions to

corporatisation – they’re symptoms of this representational disconnect.

When our own professional bodies promote retail metrics alongside

clinical standards, they reflect the interests of practice ownership rather

than the broader profession.

The leaked corporate communication about locum-wage suppression

FRI 27 -

SUN 29

JUNE

ICC

SYDNEY

ODMAFAIR.COM.AU

2

5

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 53

NEWS

Performance meets aesthetics

ZEISS VISION CARE is launching a new golden anti-reflective coating,

Zeiss DuraVision Gold UV, designed for improved clear and hassle-free

vision, it said.

In a global survey, Zeiss found maintaining clear vision at all times was

the top priority for wearers. Zeiss’ new coating better protects spectacle

lenses from all kinds of external factors that compromise clear vision:

water drops, grease, dust and dirt, said Volker Gahr, Zeiss senior product

manager. “The broad-band, anti-reflective coating system was designed

to have a very low reflectance in the blue-light spectrum. This leads

to a reduced lens yellowness and excellent clarity, especially in nighttime

conditions.”

The company is

also introducing

Zeiss CleanGuard,

a new technology Zeiss DuraVision Gold UV is available from 1 April 2025

with superior oil

and water repellence. CleanGuard allows lenses to be cleaned three times

as fast as previous Zeiss coatings, said Gahr. “The science behind this is

a new molecular formula on the lens surface that significantly increases

contact angles of water drops and oil-like substances. Additionally, a

patented anti-static layer repels dust and dirt. The benefit: smears and

smudges on the lenses can be removed much faster and easier.”

CLASSIFIEDS

For sale / vacancies

To advertise in

NZ Optics classified

section contact

Susanne Bradley

susanne@nzoptics.co.nz

OPTOMETRIST WANTED

Stewart Caithness Gray Optometrists, Dunedin

Keen and enthusiastic optometrist sought for leading Dunedin

independent practice.

We see a wide range of patients and therefore, communication and

interpersonal skills must be excellent. You need to have a passion for

independent optometry and ideally, an interest in fitting speciality

contact lenses. You should be TPA endorsed and ideally have 2-4 years’

experience although new graduates are also welcome to apply. Salary

will be reflective on your experience.

Our well-equipped practice has a fantastic support team and an onsite

lab for glazing. Come and join us in Dunedin and enjoy the professional

freedom of independent optometry.

Please email Paul Gray in confidence, paul@scgeyes.nz

OPTOMETRIST/PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Fitzroy Optometrists, New Plymouth, Taranaki

Mountain, surf and an outstanding cultural environment.

We are looking for an experienced Optometrist to join our long

established independent family practice of sixty years plus. This is a

partnership opportunity for the right candidate.

Our well-equipped practice has an exceptional reputation for service,

an awesome Dispensing Optician with over 30 years experience and an

ancillary staff like no other!

Weekends are a no no and our hours are flexible for the right applicant.

Full-time or part-time considered.

Our ethos - ‘Service Matters - People Matter ‘. Sounds like you? Apply

to Michael in the first instance, fitzroyopticians@gmail.com.

For more, ring 06 7584974.

DISPENSING OPTICIAN

Frankton, Hamilton

At Rose Optometry, our most valuable resource

is people. We work with passionate, innovative,

fun colleagues who love learning and embrace

challenge. Offering more than your conventional

practice we specialise in Keratoconus, Orthokeratology,

Myopia-Control, Dry-Eye and Paediatrics.

We are seeking a qualified Dispensing Optician, who can work with a

wide range of patients, with flair and passion.

This is a full-time role.

If you have great people skills and thrive in an energetic

environment apply by attaching your CV and cover letter to Jo

(ops@roseoptom.co.nz) or phone Jo on (07) 847 3195.

NEW ZEALAND

FOR SALE: WINK OPTOMETRISTS

Palmerston North

Wink is looking for a new set of hands to take over the reins in 2025.

This is your chance to step into a well-established, easily run and

profitable practice.

If you are an optometrist or dispenser and ownership appeals please

email winkoptometristsnz@gmail.com

No phone calls please.

Check it out at nzoptics.co.nz/searchable-oig


See you

in 2025

to

discover

the future

of optics

26-29

SEPT

2025

NZOPTICS.CO.NZ | 55

Elevate your

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Carl ZEISS (NZ) Ltd, AUCKLAND 1026 NZ ©Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. All rights reserved.

ZEISS ARTEVO 750

NEW

ZEISS ARTEVO 750 is the latest addition to the

portfolio of ophthalmic microscopes, combining

advanced technology with established optical expertise.

Discover the benefits:

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NZ: 0800 334 353

med.au@zeiss.com

• Finetune your surgical view - Adjustable light color

temperature for your illumination preferences.

• Excellent usability - One centralised point of control.

• End-to-end workflow integration - Following your

efficiency demands.

zeiss.com/artevo750

March 2025

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