EssilorLuxottica and Meta have expanded their artificial intelligence (AI) glasses portfolio, introducing Ray-Ban Meta’s new line of optical-first styles designed for prescription wearers, including Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics (Gen 2) and Scriber Optics (Gen 2).
The new frames are more comfortable and customisable with a slimmer design, interchangeable nose pads, overextension hinges with an additional 10° of rotation, and adjustable temple tips.
A new dedicated action button can activate Meta AI with a single press, allowing users to access personalised shortcuts and effortlessly capture content.
The Ray-Ban Meta portfolio can be paired with advanced single- vision lenses, progressive lenses or Transitions lenses, making them accessible to far more prescription wearers.
A research team led by the University of East London (UEL) has developed a multilingual, voice- enabled artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot designed to help people understand retinal detachment.
The system allows patients to ask questions in natural language and receive clear, clinically grounded answers drawn from trusted medical sources. The AI tool can speak its answers aloud in multiple languages.
The technology is designed as an alternative to traditional patient information leaflets, which can be difficult for many patients to read or interpret. “The goal is not to replace clinicians, but to augment clinical communication,” said UEL’s Dr Mohammad Hossein Amirhosseini.
The one-day Therapeutic Refresher Day CPD event will take place at ACO’s Carlton HQ on Sunday 17 May. The new six-month Certificate in Advanced Ocular Therapeutics, commencing in June, will combine in-depth theory with a clinical placement to consolidate learnings into practice. Focused on the top end of therapeutic scope, it will provide evidence-based pharmacological and clinical knowledge, readying professionals to confidently prescribe oral medicines for a range of ocular conditions as the scope of optometry continues to evolve.
A survey of optometrists conducted by the Australian College of Optometry (ACO) has revealed that 55% are seeking to develop therapeutic skills, either at the current-practice standard, or at an advanced level, exploring topics currently outside Australian optometry endorsement. same time, Optometry Board Australia (OBA) is reviewing current scheduled medicines available for prescription by optometrists.
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“There appears to be an accumulation of factors driving interest in therapeutic development, notably practitioners’ appetite to expand on existing therapeutic skills and sharpen their clinician offering, as well as a real need to support patients who struggle to access ophthalmology care,” explained Dr Tim Fricke, ACO Director of Research and Education.
ACO’s Therapeutic Refresher for Optometrists will commence in July. This fully self-paced short course will be delivered by optometrists and ophthalmologists. Case-based and grounded in current best practice and emerging evidence, it will focus on real-world clinical decision making, therapeutic prescribing, and collaborative care. To support new clinician knowledge and strengthen referral pathways, a local clinical placement is included.
“Feedback from clinicians who have completed additional therapeutic CPD (continued professional development) shows us that benefits are not limited to just therapeutic management. Exploration of therapeutic practice also deepens understanding of ocular conditions, enhancing clinical knowledge, problem solving, and strengthening optometric practice overall.”
For experienced professionals seeking to gain therapeutic endorsement or overseas practitioners relocating to Australia, ACO’s Certificate in Ocular Therapeutic will return in April 2027.
BUILDING SKILLSET To support this growing demand, ACO has developed three programs to build on optometrists’ skillset: a one-day CPD event, a six-week online short course, and a six-month certificate.
does not reflect the expanding knowledge and skills demanded of the profession. The underutilisation of optometrists’ skills, the urgent need for scope of practice expansion, and the increasing complexity of the healthcare system – including uncertainty around Medicare funding – are also areas of concern.
Thomas Ford, an early career rural optometrist, has been appointed President of Optometry NSW/ ACT, taking on the role at what he describes as a pivotal moment in the profession’s history.
Mr Ford, from Griffith in New South Wales, brings a grassroots perspective to the position, having witnessed first-hand the impact optometrists have on patients’ lives as a primary healthcare provider in a rural setting. He said the role represents an opportunity to lead colleagues collaboratively while securing a stronger position for future generations of the profession.
He said the profession is simultaneously navigating significant industry transformation, with artificial intelligence, digital health, and emerging models of care reshaping the way optometrists practise. He believes these challenges are not insurmountable but require a coordinated, strategic response.
Central to Mr Ford’s agenda is the member vote on unification, which was due to take place as mivision went to print. He characterised this as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the peak body into one that is fit-for-purpose for the challenges of the 21st century”.
During his presidency, Mr Ford intends to reengage with optometrists who may feel disengaged or disillusioned, prioritising trust-building and ensuring members have a direct say in governance and leadership. He is also focused on reducing duplication within the profession’s infrastructure, delivering greater value for members, and advancing advocacy on Medicare, private health insurance, and workforce sustainability.
“We are reimagining a peak body which is more relevant and representative of our members, while being unashamedly member-centric and grassroots in approach,” he said.
Mr Ford was candid about the challenges currently facing optometrists in NSW and the ACT. He said workforce pressures are contributing to oversupply in some regions while creating shortages in others, alongside practitioner burnout and remuneration that
Mr Ford called on colleagues across NSW and the ACT to become ambassadors for the profession in their communities.