WRITER Dr Isaac Curkpatrick

Isaac Curkpatrick, the new State Lead for Victoria, takes a moment to introduce himself and reveals projects underway in the southern state.

I completed my studies at the University of Melbourne and spent a number of rewarding years practising in regional Victoria before returning to Melbourne. I enjoy being an optometrist, and I’m passionate about advancing our profession.

Early in my career, I became involved with Optometry Victoria South Australia (OVSA), serving as an Associate Director and as a member of the continuing professional development (CPD) committee. With a commitment to lifelong learning, I completed a postgraduate certificate in primary care ophthalmology through the University of Edinburgh. This experience gave me a fresh perspective on the future of our profession and strengthened my desire to be part of shaping where we go next.

I was appointed to the State Lead role for Victoria in November last year. As Anne Webber shared in her mivision column last month, the State Lead role is a vital one, designed to connect with optometrists, listen to their experiences, and gather local insights to better support and represent our profession.

ADVOCACY WITHIN VICTORIA

There’s been a lot happening in advocacy, with much of it shared through Optometry Australia’s communications, alongside plenty of important ongoing work happening behind the scenes.

In Victoria specifically, I’ve recently been focussing on gathering insights into the current practices, challenges, and opportunities surrounding children’s vision. These insights will help inform our future policy and advocacy work, and we’re grateful to all our members who have reached out and contributed so far.

We’re also closely monitoring developments in public glaucoma services. The recent implementation of the Victorian State-Wide Referral Criteria has revealed potential inconsistencies with the current regulatory guidelines regarding glaucoma management. We’re actively assessing the impact of this and will issue recommendations as necessary.

If you wish to find out more details about any of our advocacy or policy initiatives, please contact our Optometry Advancement team via policy@optometry.org.au.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

This year, I’ve enjoyed connecting with enthusiastic students at events online and in person – whether at our office, Deakin University, or the University of Melbourne.

These events create a valuable opportunity to support the next generation of optometrists as they begin their professional journey. Transitioning from being a student to a practising optometrist can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. If you have questions, concerns, or just need a bit of guidance, don’t be afraid to reach out. We’re here to help you through it. But above all, make the most of this time learning, growing, and enjoying the journey alongside your peers.

REGIONAL SEMINAR SERIES

I am fortunate to have attended our Regional Series across Victoria alongside our brilliant speaker, Janelle Scully, who delivered her talk ‘Beyond the drop – oral medications in the treatment of ocular disease’.

Our first event was in Traralgon in March, and in May we visited Ballarat. It was a joy to connect with optometrists from these regions. It’s clear that accessible, quality interactive CPD in regional areas is highly valued by optometrists.

I’m looking forward to attending more events throughout the year, with upcoming sessions in South-East Melbourne and Warrnambool. Registration for these sessions is essential. Visit the Institute of Excellence portal on our website: optometry.org.au/institute-of-excellence.

EARLY CAREER OPTOMETRISTS

The Early Career Optometrists Victoria South Australia Tasmania (ECOVSAT) Committee hosted its first in-person event of the year in March in Melbourne – and it was a full house! Professor Lyndell Lim delivered an engaging and informative presentation on ‘What not to miss when managing patients with uveitis’. It was fantastic to see so many early career optometrists coming together for a night of education and spending time socialising with one another afterwards. Make sure you also keep an eye out for webinars hosted by the ECOVSAT committee across the year.

OPTOMETRY CLINICAL CONFERENCE

The new premier in-person conference, the Optometry Clinical Conference (OCC), is a collaborative initiative between Optometry Victoria South Australia, Optometry Queensland Northern Territory, and Optometry Tasmania.

This annual conference will rotate between major cities, and we’re proud to host the first one here in Victoria next month. It will be the largest optometry event of the year and an excellent chance to hear from quality speakers, catch up with friends, and make new connections. I can’t wait to see many of you there!

You can find out more at occ.optometry. org.au.

Dr Isaac Curkpatrick is the State Lead, Victoria, for Optometry Australia.