Unit 1, 38B Albert Avenue, Chatswood NSW 2067

PresMed Annual Optometrist Conference – Sunday 10 March 2013

Our Sydney facilities, Ophthalmic Surgery Centre and Epping Surgery Centre recently held an extremely successful Optometrist Conference. 132 Optometrists attended and heard from 26 industry-leading Ophthalmologists on their very latest ophthalmic knowledge and surgery techniques conducted at both of these centres of excellence. Aside from the unique educational aspects, the Conference provided Optometrists with opportunities to strengthen referral relationships and to network with colleagues, specialists and suppliers. The Conference was awarded 12T OAA CPD points.

The Conference feedback has been excellent confirming the value Optometrists place in attending:

  •  97% of attendees felt that they learnt something from the presentations.
  • The length of time of presentations (91%) and venue (91%) were both positive.
  • 75% of attendees preferred the 2 speaker stream program vs a single stream Conference.
  • 99% of attendees said that they would attend next year’s Conference. Optometrists requested more case studies of clinical conditions/specialties presented at future Conferences

CONFERENCE FEMTOCATARACT SURVEY
The results of the Conference Survey are in concerning Optometrists’ experiences with this new technology:
• At present, there are small numbers of patients requesting referral from their Optometrist for Femtocataract Laser Surgery (FLS). (95% of Optometrists seeing nil or less than 1 in 10 patients requesting referral)
• Optometrists report that their patients who have had FLS are satisfied with the outcome (100%).
• The great majority of Optometrists (83%) whose patients have had FSL have not seen the clinical advantages of the FLS approach over traditional surgical approaches.
• 21% of Optometrist respondents advise that they have changed their referral patterns to favour those Ophthalmologists who perform FLS.
• Barriers to the acceptance of this technology by Optometrists included the high cost and the clinically proven benefits versus marketing emphasis.

Our Centres are actively engaging with surgeons, optometrists, GP’s, patients, suppliers and the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists to ensure that its adoption across our group is consistent with best practice patient outcomes.