DIABETIC DRY EYE AND THE ROLE OF IPL

Melanie Kell is usually the one writing this editorial. This month, she’s left it to me while she reports from SILMO in Paris – a dream assignment, as she would be the first to tell you.

Dr Jay Yohendran is a Sydney ophthalmologist specialising in refractive cataract surgery. He writes for mivision on current issues in cataract care.

“There is an apparent need to better educate Australians in general on the risks, conditions, and treatments around healthy vision”

A global study of corneal transplant and eye banking activities has found the supply-demand gap “remains severe, and inequity has not narrowed” over a 10-year period.

Health practitioners have been put on official notice about the need to identify and manage any conflicts of interest, to ensure they always act in the best interests of patients.

A once-nightly eye drop significantly improved both measured vision and symptoms of glare, haloes, and starbursts for participants in a Phase 3 study.

The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) has welcomed legislation targeting private health insurance ‘product phoenixing’, while calling for care in how specialists’ fees are presented to patients.

When Elizabeth* developed worrying symptoms on a weekend, she called her ophthalmologist, Dr Stephen Ong. He returned her calls, stayed in contact through the evening, and followed up the next day. That support prompted her to nominate him for the inaugural Eye Connect Healthcare Award – which he has now won.

Johnson & Johnson has announced its Tecnis PureSee intraocular lens (IOL) has been implanted in 100,000 eyes across Australia and New Zealand since its regional introduction in mid 2024.

EssilorLuxottica has reported what it describes as the “best six-month treatment effects ever reported” in clinical studies of Stellest lenses.

Signs of atrial fibrillation can be seen in retinal scans four years before diagnosis, a new study has found.

Bausch + Lomb has launched EyeGility – a preloaded intraocular lens (IOL) delivery system – in Australia.

Susvimo (ranibizumab 100mg/mL, Roche)1 has been registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for use with the already approved Contivue ocular implant.2 The registration enables the clinical application of Roche’s Port Delivery Platform (known as Contivue with Susvimo in Australia), introducing the nation’s first continuous drug-delivery system for neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).1,2,3

Following more than 200,000 implantations across 75 countries since its international launch in 2024, Rayner has announced the spiral intraocular lens (IOL) platform has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a resolution supporting classification of myopia as a disease. Growing concern about the long-term ocular risks associated with high myopia is driving calls for greater public education, childhood screening, and access to early intervention.

Four researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) School of Optometry and Vision Science have been awarded 2026 Ezell Fellowships by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation.

Eye care professionals may need to ask patients complaining about digital eye strain for specifics on screen time, with a new study finding that gaming suppresses blink reflexes far more than passive video watching.

Emeritus Professor Graham Barrett AM

Hunter Valley optometrist Julie Purdie has found an unexpected harmony between clinical practice and creative expression, fusing her lifelong love of art with her career in vision science. mivision Editor Melanie Kell sat down with Ms Purdie to talk about the intersection of vision science and art, and how almost three decades in clinical optometry have shaped the way she sees – and paints – the Australian landscape, while also inspiring a growing practice in conceptual photo

Where are we with cataract surgery now? Dr Jay Yohendran reviews some of the developments most relevant to optometrists, as well as several technologies that may influence how cataract patients are managed in the years ahead.

Dr Diana Conrad steps into the role of President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) this month, only the second woman to ever do so.

There are unmistakeable parallels in a retina and a coral reef. Both comprise complex, highly sensitive ecosystems that rely on light as their primary source of energy. And both can be damaged by chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and the collapse of delicate mutualistic or cellular networks. It was, therefore, appropriate that this year’s Asia-Pacific Vitreoretina Society (APVRS) congress, held on the spectacular Gold Coast, was themed ‘Where Retina Meets the Reef’.

Dry eye disease (DED) is now understood as a common, chronic and frequently under-recognised complication of diabetes mellitus, rather than an incidental comorbidity. As the global diabetic population continues to expand, clinicians are increasingly required to look beyond retinal screening to consider the ocular surface as a legitimate, and often silent, site of diabetic end-organ change. Dr Amira Howari examines why the diabetic ocular surface is uniquely vulnerable to evap

Bridging Demand and Delivery

When it comes to cataract surgery, some patients find themselves caught between long public waits and private surgery that feels financially out of reach. Dr Margaret Lam spoke to Sydney ophthalmologist Dr Jason Cheng about cataract access, transparency, choice, and collaborative models of care.

Beyond the Driving Decision

Outcomes with a full-range-of-vision intraocular lens (IOL) depend on far more than the lens. South African ophthalmologist Dr Dylan Joseph describes the diagnostic, binocular, and psychological pathway behind his satisfied RayOne Galaxy patients.

Examining a frightened toddler’s retinal periphery can test the patience of even the most experienced clinician. Sydney paediatric ophthalmologist Dr Caroline Catt explains how Optos ultra-widefield (UWF) imaging is changing what she can see, and what she can do about it.

2026 marks 15 years since Kevin Choi first stepped into the optometry industry. His journey didn’t begin in a consulting room as an optometrist. Instead, it started on the practice floor as a dispenser while he was studying optometry.

Recent media coverage and the discussion that followed have brought workplace pressure, commercial expectations, and clinical autonomy firmly into the spotlight. While at times the conversation has been uncomfortable, it has also been important.

Leadership and management may not come naturally to eye health professionals, but are essential to a well-run practice. Mark Overton outlines some practical strategies to help you become more effective in this role.

Drawing on lessons from hospitality, Dee Makadia discusses how intentionally designing every stage of the patient experience can support better clinical outcomes.

Driving can place significant demands on the visual system. To drive safely, we need to have clear central vision, good peripheral awareness, and the ability to detect hazards in a variety of lighting conditions. Driving-specific frames and lenses can help optimise visual comfort and performance during both daytime and nighttime driving.

John Nicola is no stranger to eyewear. The founder of Optique Line, he’s been designing frames for well over three decades and supplying them exclusively to independent optometry practices.

As Australian optometrist Lauren Kimmel, who travelled from Newcastle, New South Wales, to visit SILMO said, in the current economic climate, “to come in and see everybody being so creative and excited, and passionate about what we do and what we’ve got to offer to people… it makes me feel really passionate about what we do again”.

Since the creation of the couture house in 1987, Christian Lacroix’s style has been unique, exuberant, colourful, and baroque. From the very beginning, Christian Lacroix’s creations have been coveted and embraced by great international fashion editors and stars alike. Today, the House of Christian Lacroix continues his work of unparalleled richness, creating unique collections that are destined to be future collectables.

November 4–5, Women In Vision Aotearoa Conference, Waiheke Island Resort, Waiheke, New Zealand. Info: womeninvisionnz.com