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Public health case study

First Nations Australians over the age of 40 experience vision loss at three times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians, primarily due to preventable or treatable conditions such as refractive error, cataract, and diabetic retinopathy. Cataract surgery, a key intervention, highlights significant disparities in access to timely care (AIHW, 2024). 

In 2022–23, First Nations people faced a median wait time of 159 days for cataract surgery, compared to 118 days for non-Indigenous Australians. This delay exacerbates the vision impairment burden and contributes to poorer health outcomes. Over a two-year period (2021–23), 8,008 First Nations people underwent cataract surgery, far short of the estimated 17,000 who required it. 

New Myopia Management in Clinical Practice short course coming soon

The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) has announced the launch of a new short course in Myopia management, designed to support optometrists in responding to the growing number of myopic patients and evolving treatment approaches.

Delivered fully online over five weeks, the course offers a flexible, self-paced learning experience.

Myopia Management in Clinical Practice will feature insights from experienced paediatric clinicians, equipping optometrists with the knowledge and practical skills to confidently apply in their day-to-day practice.

Further details will be announced in June, with course commencement in October 2025. 

Early career optometrist take centre stage at Graduate Showcase

Optometry students and faculty, practising ACO Members and ACO staff gathered at ACO's Carlton headquarters on Tuesday 8th April to attend the 2025 Graduate Showcase event. 

Four ACO graduate optometrists presented a single standout case study from their first year of practice, providing insight into the diagnosis, management, challenges and public health perspectives of each case.

We are blown away by the breadth of cases tackled by these early career optometrists. The standard of care provided, and the depth of insight displayed were nothing short of impressive. It’s clear that the future of optometry is in incredibly capable hands!

A heartfelt thank you to the optometry students, ACO members and our ACO colleagues who joined us for this event. Your engagement made the event all the more enriching and impactful; we hope you walked away feeling as inspired as we did.

Australian College of Optometry (ACO) renames public health optometry services as 'ACO Eye Health'

The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) has unveiled ‘ACO Eye Health’ as the new brand representing its optometry services. The Victorian public health eye care provider has made the change as part of ongoing efforts to clarify its role as a community eye care service and become a more patient-centric organisation. 

The exciting new chapter comes eighty-five years after the ACO first launched as a training college. Today, the not-for-profit organisation attributes 90 per cent of its work to delivering publicly funded optometry care to vulnerable communities across Victoria. 

“Carving out an identity that better reflects our role as a public health eye care provider is an important step in ensuring our services are more visible and accessible to those who need them and helping us form deeper connections within the communities we serve,” explained Kylie Harris, ACO Director of Operations.  

As part of the development process, staff and patients contributed through surveys and idea submissions. In the coming weeks, ACO will launch a new website designed to better support patients and referrers seeking eye care services. 

Flying Doctor Mobile Eye Care Service

The Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria (RFDS Victoria) and ACO Eye Health have partnered for over ten years to deliver the Flying Doctor Mobile Eye Care service, a program which provides comprehensive optometry services to remote and rural communities throughout Victoria. Over the decade-long partnership, the mobile service is estimated to have saved patients 5,032 hours of travel time.  

For many living in remote communities without fixed services, the time and cost of travelling hundreds of kilometers for optometry care is challenging. Despite the fact that more than 90% of vision impairment is preventable or treatable, missing regular eye health checks or treatment is too often a reality of rural living, and risks more serious future health concerns. Established by RFDS Victoria, the Mobile Eye Care service is an integral element in their mission to deliver preventative care to rural communities. 

Visiting Disability Service with Scope

The Visiting Disability Service (VDS) is a crucial component of ACO Eye Health’s broader Outreach Services, providing eye care services to patients with physical and intellectual disabilities delivered in safe spaces, within community residential units or day facilities. First established in 1997, ACO Eye Health has developed great partnerships with support organisations such as Scope, DoAbility and Life Without Barriers, to deliver optometry care to people with disabilities. 

The demand for optometry services for people with disabilities has increased significantly over the last 10 years and we are committed to removing any barriers to accessing care. 

Meet the Raffoul Family

Dad of four, Leo Raffoul, attends the ACO’s Myopia Clinic with his sons Charles (16), Julian (15), Pierre (14), and Leon (12) for myopia control. The family first visited ACO 8 years ago for a routine eye test. 

“We thought we’d get their vision and hearing checked before starting primary school, that routine stuff. There were no obvious signs of eye issues at all until it was picked up here. I hadn’t heard much about myopia before [the boys were diagnosed] and the optometrists started to tell us about shortsightedness.”

Noel’s life-saving eye test

Noel McPyke has been a long standing ACO Eye Health patient visiting the Frankston Clinic for many years. It was the clinic’s accessibility that first made him book an eye test with ACO Eye Health. In 2021 Noel attended a consultation, with staff optometrist Luke Burns, as he needed some intervention with his long-standing glaucoma. During the consult, Luke found a Hollenhorst plaque (cholesterol embolus) in an artery in Noel’s eye. He was advised that this was associated with a high risk of stroke and would need further investigation. 

When we subsequently met Noel he recalled, “Luke organised for me to go see my doctor who in turn suggested I go see a specialist.” Upon further testing, his carotid artery was found to be heavily blocked and Noel underwent a lifesaving procedure within a few months. Stressing on the impact this has had on him he said, “had I not had the eye consult done I probably would have died, simple as that.”

Governance Update

The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) and National Vision Research Institute (NVRI) held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 30th May at its Carlton headquarters. It welcomed Members and stakeholders to celebrate recent ACO achievements, share organisational updates and announce three election seats. 

Returning Council Members Sophie Koh (ACO President) and Darrell Baker were reappointed for a further two-year term. The ACO welcomes newly appointed Councillor Lien Trinh, a dedicated public health optometrist with experience in project roles in Indigenous Eye Health, the Fred Hollows Foundation, Rotary Australia and the Brien Holden Foundation. Lien joins a diverse team of optometrists and skill-based professionals who volunteer their expertise to provide strategic and governance oversight. 

The meeting acknowledged the significant contributions made by outgoing Council Members, Rodney Hodge (elected member 2018-2024) who served a term as President during challenging times from 2020 to 2022, and Denise Gronow (skill-based member 2015-2024), who served as Treasurer between 2015 -2023. 

During the evening Members voted to pass a Special Resolution proposing updates to the ACO Constitution. The changes recommended by the Constitution Review Committee reflect modern evidence based best practice governance, and include changes in terminology, replacing ‘Council’, ‘Councillor’ and ‘President’ with ‘Board’, Director’ and ‘Chair’. Other governing changes will affect Board structure and Director term length, among others. 

Sophie Koh, ACO Board Chair stated, “The ACO is a large not-for-profit organisation that is growing, and it was important to ensure our Constitution supports us as we strive towards our strategic goals.  Conducting a holistic review of our governing principles and adjusting to ensure these reflect modern best practices is essential to position us for the future success.” 

I would like to extend my thanks to the ACO Members Elisse Higginbotham and Ian Bluntish who joined Sayuri Grady, ACO Board Director and lawyer, and myself to form the Constitution Review Committee and worked diligently to determine a set of recommendations. ” 

She continued, “It continues to be an exciting time of change and growth at the ACO. I am honoured to serve its mission of accessible public health, innovative research and optometric education and training alongside a team of diverse, passionate Board Directors.” 

Several ACO Awards were presented at the AGM, including the induction of Dr Nellie Deen as an ACO Fellow. The ACO’s most prestigious award, ACO Honorary Life Membership is presented to those who have provided distinguished and meritorious service to the ACO and/or the optometry profession. This year the Honorary Life Membership was awarded to John Cronin and Jean Walters. Further awards are outlined in the list below. 

The ACO 2023’s Annual Report was also launched during the AGM and can be viewed online here.

Grad Showcase 2024

What an incredible evening of learning and sharing at our Graduate Showcase on Tuesday 12 March! We couldn’t be prouder of our second-year graduate program optometrists for sharing their experiences working on such fascinating cases and fostering a culture of continuous learning. 

We are blown away by the breadth of cases tackled by these early career optometrists. The standard of care provided, and the depth of insight displayed were nothing short of impressive. It’s clear that the future of optometry is in incredibly capable hands! 

A heartfelt thank you to the optometry students, ACO members and our ACO colleagues who joined us for this event. Your engagement made the event all the more enriching and impactful; we hope you walked away feeling as inspired as we did.

NVRI Lions funding agreement

The NVRI is delighted to announce it has secured a three-year funding agreement with the Victorian Lions Foundation. 

The pledge of support is the latest in a long history between our two organisations, which first began in 1974 before the Lions Vision Research Fund was officially established in 1979. With the benefit of Lions’ funding over the past five decades, the NVRI has been positioned to pursue valuable research and contribute findings to the broader vision research field in Australia and internationally. 

The new funding agreement follows a shift in our work towards translational, clinical research which aims to improve access and equity in eye care. This step in the NVRI’s research is closely aligned with the ethos and mission of the Australian College of Optometry (ACO), which the NVRI sits within. The ACO is focused on improving eye health outcomes through direct clinical services to underserved communities, as well as evidence-based professional development to optometrists across Australia and New Zealand.

Bulk billing extended to all children

ACO Eye Health is proud to announce it has extended bulk billing to all eye examinations for children under the age of 18, with immediate effect from October 30 2023. The public health eye care provider hopes that the extension will remove any financial barrier to paediatric eye care. 

The change to billing includes all paediatric services including its Children’s Clinic and advanced Myopia and Binocular Vision clinics in Carlton, as well as services provided at the ACO Eye Health’s seven satellite clinics throughout Melbourne. Established in response to the increasing rate of myopia, ACO Eye Health’s Myopia Clinic is the only public health clinic of its kind in Victoria. 

ACO Eye Health has always been, and continues to be, at the forefront of excellence in paediatric eyecare. Led by optometrists with expert training in their field, the Children’s Clinic employs state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to assess each case. Treatment plans are always tailored to individuals based on the best evidence practice to achieve the optimal health outcome. 

This dedication to clinical excellence is matched only by its commitment to public health optometry. The not-for-profit organisation feels strongly that cost should not deter families accessing the eyecare a child requires, including access to advanced care such as axial measurement available through its Myopia Clinic. Many of ACO Eye Health’s services are heavily subsidised and provided at a lower cost, including myopia control options. 

Zeinab Fakih, Manager of Paediatric and Rehabilitation Services, played a significant role in securing the extension of bulk billing for all children aged under eighteen years. 

She commented, “We are thrilled to be extending bulk billing to include all paediatric examinations at ACO Eye Health. We are very aware that risks to children’s eye health are increasing, particularly with the rising prevalence of myopia. Early intervention is essential to offer the best outcome for a child’s long-term eye health. Cost simply should not be a factor in whether a child can access eye care.” 

Kylie Harris, Director of Operations, said, “The decision to take this next step in removing financial concerns reflects the ethos of ACO Eye Health. We are committed to ensuring high quality, equitable eye care for everyone who needs it and as an organisation, we’ll always explore how to improve accessibility to our services.” 

In addition to removing financial barriers, the ACO Eye Health’s Children’s Clinic welcomes children with complex needs who may otherwise struggle to access care in other optometry settings. Equipped with highly trained optometrists, the public health paediatric clinic supports children with developmental or health conditions and special needs to access the care that they need. 

Eye care professionals are reminded that referrals are not required to attend ACO Eye Health but are always welcome. 

*For Medicare eligible consultations only*.

25 years at VAHS

As true with many things, great public health work is achieved in no small part through collaboration and partnership with organisations that care deeply about the communities they support. One such partnership is the Australian College of Optometry (ACO) clinic embedded in the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) in Fitzroy, which is celebrating 25 years of operation. 

Read about our 25 years of optometry care at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in Fitzroy here

Dementia-friendly eye care

Dementia Awareness Week is a timely reminder of the obstacles those living with dementia experience when accessing healthcare, including optometry services, and the steps we must take to create a dementia-friendly future. 

Dr Marianne Coleman, Clinical Vision Research Fellow with the ACO’s National Vision Research Institute and the University of Melbourne’s Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, has collaborated with Dementia Australia Research Foundation to examine how we can improve the experience of receiving eye care for people with dementia and family caregivers supporting them. 

Throughout this research, Marianne has worked closely with people living with dementia, family caregivers (both supported by a social worker) and eyecare professionals to identify and remove barriers to eyecare. Improving access to eyecare and thereby promoting better eye health helps people with dementia maintain their independence and live at home for longer. 

From this work, Marianne has produced information booklet about dementia-friendly eye tests and eyecare. Designed in consult with Dementia Advocates, the booklet responds to the concern that people with dementia and carers were unsure whether the dementia diagnosis was relevant to their eye examination, or what would change about their experience if they notified the optometrist in advance.  The  new resource enables them to communicate the type of dementia they have and any difficulties they might face during the examination, such as spatial navigation issues, concentration problems or decreased energy levels.

ASRC outreach eye clinic

Asylum seeker and refugee communities experience significant barriers in accessing eye health services due to cost, Medicare ineligibility, low health literacy, language barriers and limited knowledge of Australian health service systems. Providing care in ‘standard’ setting is unlikely to reach those most in need or produce the best results.  

In 2022, ACO Eye Health, in partnership with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), set up an outreach eye care clinic at ASRC’s Health Centre in Footscray to deliver culturally appropriate eye care services to asylum seekers and refugees. Supported through the Perpetual IMPACT Philanthropy Program, the clinic has been established based on ACO Eye Health’s expertise and knowledge from running an embedded clinic at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service for the past 25 years.