• About
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Newsletter
SUBSCRIBE
  • Latest News
  • All Sections
    • Ophthalmic insights
      • Policy & regulation
      • Company updates & acquisitions
      • Research
      • Clinical trials
      • Workforce
      • Product approvals
      • Conferences
      • Opinion
      • Indigenous eye health
      • Retail
    • Eye disease
      • Dry eye
      • Myopia
      • Cataract
      • Glaucoma
      • Macular disease – AMD
      • Diabetic eye disease
      • Inherited retinal disease
      • Corneal disease
      • Presbyopia
      • Eye infections
    • Ophthalmic Careers
      • New appointments
      • Industry profiles
      • Graduates
    • Ophthalmic organisations
      • Regulators
      • Optometry networks
      • Private ophthalmology clinics
      • Associations
      • Patient support bodies
      • Eye research institutions
      • Optometry schools
      • Optical Dispensing trainers
      • Medical schools
      • RANZCO
  • Features
    • Report
    • Soapbox
  • Ophthalmic education
    • CPD – Optometry
    • Optical Dispensing
    • Orthoptics Australia
    • Practice management
  • Products
    • Ophthalmic Treatments
      • Ophthalmic lenses
      • Lens treatments
      • Myopia interventions
      • Light-based therapy
      • Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
      • Gene therapy
      • Laser treatments
      • Supplements
      • Eyewear & frames
      • Behavioural optometry/vision training
      • Contact lenses
      • Anti-VEGF
      • Intraocular lenses (IOLs)
      • Pharmaceuticals & consumables
    • Ophthalmic equipment & diagnostics
      • Biometry – axial length
      • Perimetry & visual fields
      • OCT
      • Phoropter
      • Autorefractor
      • Tonometry
      • Topography
      • Multimodal imaging
      • Retinal imaging
      • Anterior segment imaging
      • Software & data management
      • Microscopes
      • Slit lamps
      • Lens edging
      • Stands, chairs and tables
      • Ultrasound
      • Dry eye diagnostics
      • Low vision aids
  • Research
  • Classifieds
No Results
View All Results
  • Latest News
  • All Sections
    • Ophthalmic insights
      • Policy & regulation
      • Company updates & acquisitions
      • Research
      • Clinical trials
      • Workforce
      • Product approvals
      • Conferences
      • Opinion
      • Indigenous eye health
      • Retail
    • Eye disease
      • Dry eye
      • Myopia
      • Cataract
      • Glaucoma
      • Macular disease – AMD
      • Diabetic eye disease
      • Inherited retinal disease
      • Corneal disease
      • Presbyopia
      • Eye infections
    • Ophthalmic Careers
      • New appointments
      • Industry profiles
      • Graduates
    • Ophthalmic organisations
      • Regulators
      • Optometry networks
      • Private ophthalmology clinics
      • Associations
      • Patient support bodies
      • Eye research institutions
      • Optometry schools
      • Optical Dispensing trainers
      • Medical schools
      • RANZCO
  • Features
    • Report
    • Soapbox
  • Ophthalmic education
    • CPD – Optometry
    • Optical Dispensing
    • Orthoptics Australia
    • Practice management
  • Products
    • Ophthalmic Treatments
      • Ophthalmic lenses
      • Lens treatments
      • Myopia interventions
      • Light-based therapy
      • Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
      • Gene therapy
      • Laser treatments
      • Supplements
      • Eyewear & frames
      • Behavioural optometry/vision training
      • Contact lenses
      • Anti-VEGF
      • Intraocular lenses (IOLs)
      • Pharmaceuticals & consumables
    • Ophthalmic equipment & diagnostics
      • Biometry – axial length
      • Perimetry & visual fields
      • OCT
      • Phoropter
      • Autorefractor
      • Tonometry
      • Topography
      • Multimodal imaging
      • Retinal imaging
      • Anterior segment imaging
      • Software & data management
      • Microscopes
      • Slit lamps
      • Lens edging
      • Stands, chairs and tables
      • Ultrasound
      • Dry eye diagnostics
      • Low vision aids
  • Research
  • Classifieds
No Results
View All Results
Home Local

World Congress of Optometry postponed till 2023, O=MEGA21 going ahead

by Myles Hume
September 10, 2020
in Events, Local, News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Melbourne will host the World Congress of Optometry and O=MEGA23 in 2023.

Melbourne will host the World Congress of Optometry and O=MEGA23 in 2023.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The 4th World Congress of Optometry (WCO4), scheduled to be held in Melbourne alongside O=MEGA21 next year, has been postponed until 2023.

O=MEGA21, however, will continue as planned for an Australian and regional audience between 2-4 September 2021 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The World Council of Optometry (WCO), Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association of Australia (ODMA) and Optometry Victoria South Australia (OV/SA) announced the postponement of WCO4 in a joint statement today due to uncertainty and the economic impact of COVID-19.

Combined, the world congress and O=MEGA21 were expected to generate as much as $12 million for the Victorian economy.

WCO4 will now take place from 8-10 September 2023 in Melbourne with O=MEGA23, without the need for organisers to retender for hosting rights of the global event.

OV/SA president Ms Elise Pocknee-Clem said it was a simple decision for all three boards to delay the WCO4 component of the 2021 program.

O=MEGA19 in Melbourne attracted more than 3,000 people, including 1,000 conference delegates, 600 masterclass delegates and 130 exhibitors.

“Many private optometrists from overseas have experienced shutdowns, as we have in Australia, and the economic impact of closures may have a flow on effect limiting practitioners’ ability to travel abroad for CPD next year,” she said.

“Also, significant periods of lockdown and inconsistent ‘opening up’ protocols could impact the capacity of attendees to commit to international travel in the short term. This, and the impact on the university and not-for-profit sectors, and the difficulty in predicting the timing for the ‘end’ of the pandemic meant that we needed to act decisively.”

Industry ‘eager’ for events

WCO president Mr Paul Folkesson said the decision was in the best interests of stakeholders.

“Because of the strength of our relationship with ODMA and OV/SA we remain certain that Melbourne is the best place to hold WCO4, and as such there will be no need to retender for the congress,” he said.

“The original Melbourne bid was excellent and all parties have been working together very well in planning for 2021. That momentum will carry us forward to 2023, and we are all very excited to be bringing the WCO Down Under.”

OV/SA CEO Mr Pete Haydon said WCO4 was a hard-won piece of business for Australia, so he was happy it would return in 2023.

“It was a huge undertaking, so I’m pleased we didn’t have to retender. The Melbourne Convention Bureau, who supported the original bid, has agreed to continue funding the event in 2023,” he said.

ODMA chairman Mr Robert Sparkes said optometrists and the ophthalmic optics community had told him they are eager to resume face-to-face buying and learning opportunities.

Given O=MEGA21 is a year away, he said ODMA wanted to provide certainty about the event proceeding, with the welfare of attendees in mind. The event is the largest eyecare and eyewear trade show and conference in the Southern Hemisphere.

“We’re already working with the venue to ensure a really wonderful second iteration of O=MEGA. It has always been our intention to develop the O=MEGA product into a truly regional event for Australia and our near neighbours,” he said.

“Now we have one more opportunity to do that in September 2021 before we open up for the whole world to come and enjoy Australia in 2023.”

More reading

Australia wins bid for 2021 World Congress of Optometry

Tags: 4th World Congress of OptometryCOVID-19MelbourneMelbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreMr Paul FolkessonO=MEGA21O=MEGA23ODMAOptical Distributors and Manufacturers Association of AustraliaOptometry Victoria South AustraliaOV/SAWCO4World Council of Optometry

Related Posts

CIRRUS PathFinder uses deep learning algorithms, trained on more than 75,000 OCT B-scan images, to automatically flag abnormalities in macular scans. Image: ZEISS.

Australasian debut for ZEISS CIRRUS PathFinder

by Staff Writer
July 17, 2025

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

SCC 2025

SCC 2025 featuring hands-on binocular vision workshop with Dr Kate Gifford

by Staff Writer
July 17, 2025

In a move to elevate clinical excellence, the 2025 Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC 2025) program will include a new practical...

The optometry school is proposed for James Cook University. Image: EQRoy/Shutterstock.com.

New Queensland optometry school under consideration despite opposition

by Myles Hume
July 16, 2025

A new optometry school – which would be Australia’s eighth – is being proposed in North Queensland, as debate about...

Join our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.

Insight has been the leading industry publication in Australia for more than 40 years. This longevity is largely due to our ability to consistently deliver accurate and independent news relevant to all ophthalmic professionals and their supporting industry.

Subscribe to our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.

About Insight

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Collection Notice
  • Privacy Policy

Popular Topics

  • Business
  • Feature
  • Research
  • Technology
  • Therapies
  • Classifieds

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited

No Results
View All Results
NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE
  • Latest News
  • All Sections
    • Ophthalmic insights
      • Policy & regulation
      • Company updates & acquisitions
      • Research
      • Clinical trials
      • Workforce
      • Product approvals
      • Conferences
      • Opinion
      • Indigenous eye health
      • Retail
    • Eye disease
      • Dry eye
      • Myopia
      • Cataract
      • Glaucoma
      • Macular disease – AMD
      • Diabetic eye disease
      • Inherited retinal disease
      • Corneal disease
      • Presbyopia
      • Eye infections
    • Ophthalmic Careers
      • New appointments
      • Industry profiles
      • Graduates
    • Ophthalmic organisations
      • Regulators
      • Optometry networks
      • Private ophthalmology clinics
      • Associations
      • Patient support bodies
      • Eye research institutions
      • Optometry schools
      • Optical Dispensing trainers
      • Medical schools
      • RANZCO
  • Features
    • Report
    • Soapbox
  • Ophthalmic education
    • CPD – Optometry
    • Optical Dispensing
    • Orthoptics Australia
    • Practice management
  • Products
    • Ophthalmic Treatments
      • Ophthalmic lenses
      • Lens treatments
      • Myopia interventions
      • Light-based therapy
      • Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
      • Gene therapy
      • Laser treatments
      • Supplements
      • Eyewear & frames
      • Behavioural optometry/vision training
      • Contact lenses
      • Anti-VEGF
      • Intraocular lenses (IOLs)
      • Pharmaceuticals & consumables
    • Ophthalmic equipment & diagnostics
      • Biometry – axial length
      • Perimetry & visual fields
      • OCT
      • Phoropter
      • Autorefractor
      • Tonometry
      • Topography
      • Multimodal imaging
      • Retinal imaging
      • Anterior segment imaging
      • Software & data management
      • Microscopes
      • Slit lamps
      • Lens edging
      • Stands, chairs and tables
      • Ultrasound
      • Dry eye diagnostics
      • Low vision aids
  • Research
  • Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Advertise with Insight
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Insight

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited