With public cataract surgery wait times expected to blow out by up to two years, RANZCO and The Fred Hollows Foundation are jointly encouraging private hospitals to offer capacity to their public counterparts to address a backlog of Indigenous patients awaiting the procedure. Read more
Efforts to extend Medicare coverage for optometry telehealth services during COVID-19 have taken a blow after the Department of Health advised Optometry Australia (OA) it was unlikely to proceed with the proposal. Read more
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Vision has appointed accomplished ophthalmologist Dr Rajesh Rajpal as its new chief medical officer and global head of clinical and medical affairs. Read more
New research suggests repeated use of intravitreal injections could have cumulative long-term effects such as an increased likelihood of glaucoma surgery, in findings that may influence the way eye conditions are treated. Read more
Orthoptics Awareness Week is taking place between 1-5 June with the theme ‘Seeing the future’. In the fourth article of a five-part series, Western Australian orthoptist HOLLY BROWN discusses a unique intervention to ensure children keep patching during COVID-19. Read more
A review of 13 medicines mentioning macular degeneration in Australia found all had inappropriately referenced the disease, prompting the health regulator to urge suppliers of listed medicines with eye health indications to reassess their compliance. Read more
Delays and knock on effects as a result of the pandemic-induced suspension on non-urgent surgery could be eased in the public system, according to RANZCO, following a record $131 billion funding agreement for state-run hospitals. Read more
A Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) PhD graduate has been awarded the University of Melbourne’s 2019 Chancellor’s Prize for his role in the National Eye Health Survey, the country’s first nationally representative survey of eye health. Read more
Hobart optometrist Mr Ben Armitage can now add “inventor” to his resume with the creation of Acuidrive, a hand-held device to test driver vision by the roadside. Read more
Emerging talent Ms Rabia Mobeen, a post-doctoral research student at the University of NSW School of Optometry and Vision Science, has received a prestigious fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry Foundation. Read more