As Queensland State Lead at Optometry Australia, Prajna Vidaysagar finds she does a lot of listening.

Queensland is a state of scale and contrast, stretching from dense metropolitan corridors to some of the most remote communities in the country. Across that landscape, optometrists are often the most accessible eye health providers. Being entrusted to represent and advocate for this profession in Queensland is something I carry with both pride and a deep sense of responsibility.

What has grounded me most in these early months has been listening. Listening to regional practitioners managing complex presentations with limited local referral options. Listening to metropolitan optometrists navigating growing demand and increasingly intricate shared care arrangements. Listening to early career members who are eager to see their full scope recognised and supported. These conversations shape our advocacy priorities and ensure our work remains practical, relevant, and patient focused.

A major priority continues to be scope of practice reform, particularly the Optometry Board of Australia’s public consultation on oral prescribing, which closed in December. The level of engagement from Queensland members was remarkable, with many taking the time to prepare detailed submissions, sharing real-world examples where access to oral medicines would have changed the course of care for their patients. We are grateful for this strong engagement.

Throughout the consultation period, Optometry Australia actively engaged across state and territory governments, as well as federally, to ensure decision makers understood both the clinical and community impact of this reform. While we have received encouraging feedback, our advocacy hasn’t paused, and we continue to maintain strong government relationships, so Queensland optometry is well positioned.

LICENSING POLICY

Closer to home, driver licensing policy has been another significant focus. Optometry Queensland Northern Territory (OQNT) advocated strongly on the basis that the eyesight section from the previous medical forms had not been properly carried across into the updated documentation. For our profession, this detail matters. Clear frameworks for recording visual acuity, visual fields including confrontation and binocular Esterman, and relevant eye health findings protect both public safety and professional clarity. The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has now committed to reinstating and improving the eyesight section in Form F319 – a meaningful advocacy outcome.

We have also raised concerns regarding the medical certificate form used by general practitioners, which does not currently provide space to record basic visual acuity or confrontation fields. Our focus has been constructive: advocating either for reinstatement of visual acuity or for stronger prompts encouraging referral to an optometrist where vision or eye health is uncertain, particularly for older drivers. Importantly, OQNT has been formally invited to join the Medical Condition Reporting Working Group, ensuring optometry has a direct voice in future policy and form design. At a national level, Optometry Australia is preparing a submission to the forthcoming Assessing Fitness to Drive Guidelines review, including advocating for mandatory eye testing with an eye care practitioner for drivers over 75. Queensland has indicated its protocols will align with national changes, reinforcing the importance of this work.

HEALTHCARE COLLABORATION

While policy advocacy is essential, relationships are equally powerful. One of the most encouraging developments this year was our first dedicated GP collaboration event in Townsville.

It was intentionally designed as a listening exercise; we wanted to understand what GPs want and need from optometrists. The session was warm, open, and highly engaged. Many GPs found it educational to learn about the current scope of practice of optometrists, particularly our therapeutic authority and shared care capabilities. There was a clear appetite to strengthen collaboration and streamline referral pathways, with open and practical discussions about communication, referral clarity, and co-management. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and it reinforced that there is real opportunity when we step outside our usual professional silos. Reflecting on the discussions, we are considering how best to support optometrists who want to build stronger local GP relationships, whether through clearer messaging, practical conversation guides, or shared information resources. The aim is simple: to equip our members with tools that make collaboration easier and more confident at a local level.

Looking ahead, I am genuinely excited about the 2026 Optometry Clinical Conference (OCC), which will be held in Brisbane on 9–10 August. OCC 2026 is an opportunity to reconnect, learn, and return to practice energised. Hosting it in Queensland feels especially meaningful. It allows us to showcase not only our clinical excellence, but also the strength and warmth of our professional community. I hope to see a strong Queensland presence across all career stages, demonstrating the leadership and momentum building in our state.

At its core, my role is about ensuring Queensland optometry has a clear, confident voice in policy and in practice. Every submission, every stakeholder meeting, and every member conversation comes back to one goal: improving access to high quality eye care for Queenslanders, wherever they live. The work is steady, strategic, and often incremental, but the momentum is real.

Queensland optometry’s voice is strongest when it is collective, so I encourage you to share your insights or priorities with me at p.vidyasagar@optometry.org.au as we continue shaping the road ahead together.

Prajna Vidyasagar is the Queensland State Lead at Optometry Australia.