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Preliminary results from the Optometry Australia (OA)-commissioned workforce study reveal significant moral distress among optometrists at work, with factors such as KPI focus causing role conflicts.

The results suggest a need to redesign the optometry workplace, wrote authors led by Professor Nicola Anstice, Flinders University.

“Our findings suggest that optometrists continue to strive to provide the best possible patient care despite facing challenging situations and with limited professional autonomy. For many respondents, job demands far exceed job resources and urgent action needs to be taken to redesign workplaces,” they concluded.

A snapshot of the findings showed 77% of survey participants were dissatisfied with their career options and growth opportunities; 75% were dissatisfied with their income; and 34% felt professionally isolated.

OA said the initial findings confirm many anecdotal reports from members regarding workplace standards and systems. “Optometry Australia has shared the survey results and updated position statement with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and several of the nation’s largest optometry employers. We are calling on these stakeholders to collaborate with us in driving much-needed reform.”

The next stage of the research is to conduct focus groups to more deeply explore how job demands and resources influence optometrists’ job satisfaction to identify factors that foster positive working environments, OA said.

The survey included a total of 505 optometrists, with 375 complete responses. The sample was representative of the broader profession: aged 22 to 67 years, 62% female, 65% working in full-time roles, spanning corporate (67%), independent (24%), hospital, academic and other settings. It was organised in part by Phoropter Free Fridays, a Facebook forum formed in late 2024 by employee optometrists and independent owners advocating for workplace reform.