Opinion Archives

Accessing donor eyes for eye research in Australia – Heather Machin

For many researchers in Australia who are investigating the eye, access to end-of-life (deceased) donor eyes is paramount. Despite this, researchers who seek deceased human eye donations for their projects may not be prepared for the barriers they may face.
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Myles HumeOctober 3, 2023, 9:04 amOctober 10, 2023

Registries and real world findings – A/Prof Mitchell Lawlor

Surgical glaucoma as a subspeciality is undergoing significant change. Most of this has been driven by new devices introduced to market with the hope of trying to improve patient safety while still achieving adequate intraocular pressure (IOP) reductions.
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rhiannon bowmanAugust 15, 2023, 2:09 pmAugust 15, 2023

Finding suitable front-of-house staff for optometry practices – Ilsa Hampton

Practice managers, receptionists, optical assistants and qualified optical dispensers all play critical roles in viable optometry practices in 2023. But for many practice owners, finding suitable people to fill these front-of-house positions has become increasingly difficult.
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rhiannon bowmanJuly 18, 2023, 10:44 amJuly 18, 2023

Ethical commercialisation of modern healthcare businesses – Prof Alexander Holden

How is it that in the industry of used cars it’s OK to openly talk about money and sales, but when it comes to the business of providing healthcare, such discussions can feel dirty?
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pcm_adminJune 20, 2023, 10:38 amAugust 9, 2023

Optogenetics in ophthalmology – Prof Matthew Simunovic

At its core, optogenetics uses light to control the activity of neurons. In the context of vision restoration, optogenetics works by inserting the sequence for a light sensitive protein (opsin) into target cells, most commonly via a viral vector.
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rhiannon bowmanMay 16, 2023, 7:38 pmAugust 9, 2023

What to do about Medicare – Skye Cappuccio

Optometry services have been subsidised by the Australian Government since Medicare (then Medibank) was first introduced in 1975. This has long been considered a significant win for the profession, and for population eye health, given the limited number of non-medical professions able to access subsidies for patient care without a referral from a medical practitioner.
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rhiannon bowmanApril 11, 2023, 3:23 pmJuly 20, 2023

A proactive approach for glaucoma suspects – Dr Brian Ang

Glaucoma is estimated to cost Australia $4.3 billion every year by 2025,¹ as a result of an ageing population. Approximately 10% of Australians over the age of 40 are considered to be at risk of glaucoma, or ‘glaucoma suspects’.² Of these, around 12.5% will go on to develop glaucoma within the standard two-year interval for routine eye examinations.³
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rhiannon bowmanFebruary 7, 2023, 10:47 amAugust 9, 2023

Port delivery system for neovascular AMD – A/Prof Anthony Kwan

A lower anti-VEGF treatment frequency for neovascular age related macular degeneration (nAMD) could prove a significant breakthrough in adherence – one of the leading causes of treatment “failure”.
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pcm_adminDecember 12, 2022, 2:20 pmAugust 9, 2023

Optometry Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report

Tips to avoid Medicare compliance issues

A case study involving an optometrist who repaid $80,000 to Medicare illustrates some common errors that can catch practitioners out. RUANNE BRELL offers her top tips to manage Medicare billings and avoid compliance issues.
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pcm_adminNovember 22, 2022, 7:04 amJuly 20, 2023

Eye injuries and why sporting eyewear matters – Dr Gizem Ashraf

When I was a medical student working at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (Eye and Ear) Emergency Department (ED) with Dr Rahul Chakrabarti and A/Prof Carmel Crock, we were shocked by the large number of patients who were presenting with sports-related eye injuries. However, when we searched the literature, we found that there were no recent large-scale studies in Australia assessing the characteristics of these injuries. To better understand the mechanism and pattern of eye injuries that occur during sporting activities, we performed our own sports-related eye trauma study. Read More

pcm_adminNovember 4, 2022, 10:04 amAugust 9, 2023

Opinion