ISSUE 220 MAR 2026

Glaucoma Awareness Week takes place this year from 8–14 March, presenting an opportunity to reach deep into the community to identify the 50–60% of glaucoma cases that remain undetected.

Dr Nathan Kerr is a leading ophthalmologist specialising in glaucoma and cataract surgery. As an investigator for numerous clinical trials, Dr Kerr is at the forefront of innovative treatments for glaucoma.

A new collaboration between Glaucoma Australia and Medadvisor – a medication management app that connects patients with their preferred pharmacy – aims to overcome poor medication adherence that continues to undermine glaucoma control.

Eyeonic, an Australian-owned cloud-based artificial intelligence-powered platform to detect glaucoma, continues to build its international presence, with more than 40,000 tests performed since its commercialisation in 2023.

People with bladder cancer who are also colour blind have a 52% higher mortality rate than people with bladder cancer and normal vision because they have difficulty recognising the first signs – red blood in urine.

Positive results have been reported from a study using both optical coherence tomography (OCT) and full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) testing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy for controlling myopia progression over three years among Chinese myopic children and adolescents.

A United States research team is studying how to restore vision in people who develop a form of inherited blindness, by delivering functional genetic material via a harmless viral vector injected into the back of the eye.

More than 400 community members have written to Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) supporting its call for the Government to delay planned changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), that would prevent the use of private health insurance to cover the cost of eye injections in private day hospitals and surgeries.

TheiaNova has dosed the first patient in a proof-of-concept clinical study evaluating its investigational eye drop therapy for keratoconus.1

Regenerative Patch Technologies (RPT) has treated the first two participants in a clinical trial assessing its allogeneic bioengineered retinal pigment epithelium cell implant for advanced dry age-related macular degeneration.

Strong, clinically relevant evidence supports the use of Rohto Dry Aid in the management of mild to moderate dry eye disease (DED), according to a recent study.

Eye growth and development in offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) warrants closer attention, according to the authors of a population-based cross-sectional study based on the Nanjing Eye Study.

Two leading Australian eyewear brands – AM Eyewear and The Elusive Miss Lou – are spearheading a campaign to drive the sale of locally designed eyewear. In partnership, the two brands have created a sticker, featuring the Southern Cross constellation, that can be affixed to the lenses of eyewear designed in Australia.

Groundbreaking research into the eyes of the world’s longest-living vertebrate could pave the way for new therapies to combat glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, according to a study published in Nature Communications.1

GenEye 2026 – the disrupting force in ophthalmic education – returns to the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital from 20–22 May 2026, offering a hands-on alternative to traditional conference formats.

Children aged 8–12 treated for over two years with NaturalVue Multifocal contact lenses (Visioneering Technologies, Inc), had significantly lower myopia progression versus single-vision contact lenses, according to new analyses from the ongoing PROTECT randomised clinical trial.

A 16-year-old Indian boy has had a mature canine tooth removed – from the superior orbit of his left eye.

A New Zealand optometrist had a dramatic end to a volunteer eye clinic mission to Nepal, when she was helicoptered from the remote Annapurma mountain range after a viral infection caused an acute liver injury.

The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) will sell its ageing headquarters in Carlton, Melbourne, and relocate to be closer to the patients it cares for and its partners.

Glaucoma Australia was founded at a time when glaucoma was not well understood, detected far too late, with many affected people cared for after irreversible damage had occurred. Today, as Glaucoma Australia proudly marks its 40th anniversary, we stand at a genuine turning point in how this disease is detected, treated, and supported.

People Behind the Diagnosis

Glaucoma Australia’s Plan to Arrest Glaucoma

A groundbreaking partnership between the University of Sydney and the Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) aims to transform the treatment of glaucoma, and related diseases of the optic nerve. Via an integrated research and innovation program, The Snow Vision Accelerator will develop new therapies that increase optic nerve resilience to prevent nerve and vision loss caused by glaucoma. This represents the largest coordinated, product-focused initiative ever underta

In this comprehensive CPD-accredited review, Dr Nathan Kerr examines the latest diagnostic technologies, medical and surgical therapies, and emerging treatments that will define glaucoma care over the coming decade.

Glaukos Celebrates a Decade of Innovation

Eye care professionals worldwide are managing patients who present with acute or sub-acute elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in the context of past, present, or continued use of commonly prescribed corticosteroids.

One of the most common things I hear from patients living with glaucoma is not that their vision is deteriorating, nor that their pressures are too high – but that their eyes are sore. Tired, red, gritty, uncomfortable eyes are part of the daily lived experience for many people on long-term topical therapy. For some, this discomfort has become so normalised that they no longer attribute it to their treatment. Yet as clinicians, we notice the keratopathy, lid margin keratinisa

www.anatomyoftheeye.com

Glaucoma in the eye and cognitive neurodegeneration in the brain have many shared features from epidemiological, pathophysiological, and clinical perspectives. Yet, they remain intersecting but distinct, due to the breadth of heterogenous presentations of both in clinical practice.

Glaucoma in Aotearoa New Zealand

Vision has an important role in driving, with vision impairment resulting from eye diseases having a negative impact on driving outcomes, including performance and safety. In this review, Professor Joanne Wood and Associate Professor Alex Black discuss the impact of glaucoma, one of the most common causes of irreversible vision impairment, on these driving outcomes. They explore studies that report driving performance and safety outcomes in drivers with glaucoma, compared to

Community-Based Glaucoma Detection

Despite advances in diagnostic imaging and treatment, up to half of glaucoma cases go undiagnosed, mainly due to limited access to reliable visual field testing, inadequate community screening, and a lack of convenient platforms for routine checks of visual function.

Glaucoma care increasingly involves collaboration between ophthalmology and optometry. In this article, Dr Margaret Lam explores the opportunities to improve outcomes with Sydney ophthalmologist, Dr Colin Clement.

CASA-credentialled, and a lecturer and practitioner at Deakin University, Daniel Thomson was looking for more. And so he jumped into Optometry Australia’s new Advanced Practice Recognition program.

The coming years present an opportunity for optometrists to move forward together, nationally aligned and locally responsive, united by a shared commitment to high quality eye care and a strong future for our profession in Australia.

Virtual care has become a cornerstone of modern healthcare, offering convenience and accessibility for both patients and practitioners. In eye health, virtual care is particularly valuable for managing chronic conditions like glaucoma, where regular monitoring and timely intervention are critical. Virtual care delivery methods, like telehealth (which includes telephone and video conferencing), enable this care to be provided beyond the clinic walls and, at times, without eye

Optometry has always been a balance of technology and people. But in today’s world of advanced eye care, endless data, and full appointment books, many practitioners find themselves struggling to keep up. Between managing reports, complex cases, and patient expectations, it’s easy to forget that resilience isn’t just about getting through the day – it’s about pacing ourselves, supporting each other, and creating systems that allow us to show up at our best.

When it comes to lens supply, practices in Australia and New Zealand are spoilt for choice. And as James Gibbins writes, whether you’re working with an independent Australian or New Zealand owned lens lab, an international company with a local edging and fitting service, or a boutique manufacturer of lenses, to optimise outcomes, the key is to get to know them – and their processes – well.

Established in 2003, AM Eyewear is globally recognised for its quality and precision craftsmanship. Designed in Australia and stocked in more than 800 stores worldwide, each pair of sunglasses combines superior materials, meticulous design, and durability, cementing the brand’s reputation as a leader in premium eyewear.

The Elusive Miss Lou is a uniquely Australian brand with inspiration for its colourful frame designs largely drawn from our local environment. The family behind this boutique eyewear label has incredible pedigree. Louise Sceats is married to, and has worked in partnership with, eyewear designer Jonathan Hennessy Sceats for two decades. Louise’s mother was an interior designer; Jono’s father an optometrist.

Linda Farrow Luxe’s new sunglass collection is a masterclass in refined elegance – blending 22-carat gold-plated titanium, Italian acetate, and premium stainless steel. With styles ranging from bold oversized to sleek aviators, each frame is handcrafted in Japan to exude sophistication and enduring craftsmanship.

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