The Alan Styles Memorial Debate sparked intense discussion asking if myopia control is more important than dry eye because children matter more than old people

They say you can’t beat Wellington on a good day and we had two of them at the New Zealand Association of Optometrists’ (NZAO) 94th conference, held at the splendid InterContinental Wellington.

The NZAO conference is always a great place to reconnect with your profession, see where it's heading, reflect on its successes and discuss its challenges. It's also a great opportunity for world-class continuing education across a diverse range of eyecare needs and a brilliant time to reconnect with friends. For the 160-plus delegates attending, this year was no different.

We were fortunate to have keynote speaker Associate Clinical Professor Matthew Bovenzi, SUNY College of Optometry, New York, who delivered three fantastic presentations on retinal pathology, including: pachychoroid manifestations and central serous retinopathy; updates on macular degeneration, including the exciting new horizons for management of geographic atrophy and diabetic retinopathy; and a refresher on classification and appropriate and timely referral indicators. It was a great reminder as to who, when and where treatment needs to be applied. This was A/Prof Bovenzi’s second visit to New Zealand, having presented previously at Snowvision. I get the feeling it wouldn't be too hard to persuade him back – look out for his name on future programmes!

Returning home to our shores from Adelaide was keynote speaker Professor Nicola Anstice, Flinders University. Her current focus is effective paediatric school screening and leading the Indigenous Optometry Education Network. Prof Anstice’s work places an emphasis on assisting improved learning via improved vision services and promoting equitable outcomes. We had two lectures on paediatric care, including evidence-based care for the diagnosis and management of paediatric refractive error, always keeping in mind acuity, ocular posture and the process of emmetropisation and consideration of age and symptoms. She also recommended cycloplegia for all first-time paediatric presentations under the age of seven, in order not to miss any latent hyperopia or myopic overcorrection and to fully understand the likely trajectory of the child's refractive condition.

Eyecare over the rainbow

I am always amazed at how much I get out of the culture and ethics presentations. We are all on a journey to decolonise our minds, individually and collectively, and just when you think you have your cultural competency sorted, Renata Watene is ready to make us think a bit deeper (with much aroha). As healthcare practitioners and leaders in our workplaces we are in a responsible position to act with cultural awareness and responsiveness, which is absolutely going to help us to deliver better, more equitable outcomes for our patients and communities. Rosie Leadbitter, from national charity InsideOUT Kōaro, gave a fantastic talk on rainbow-inclusive practice. She raised some really great points on being patient-centric and being led by how they want you to show up for them to ensure they feel safe and cared for in your practice. By now many of us will have met a transitioning patient and it’s important to ensure we are asking them how they wish to be addressed in the consult room, on their patient record and in public areas, such as the frame room – it may be different in each environment. Viewing New Zealand’s mental health and poverty statistics, including racial intersectionality, really brings home the intense challenges these individuals may be facing. Being a caring and understanding practitioner will help make that journey just a little easier.

It was great to have the return of the Alan Styles Memorial Debate. This year the moot was: ‘Myopia control is more important than dry eye because children matter more than old people’. The discourse, as expected, was lively and entertaining and, despite valid reasons why we should all be practising myopia control, the negative team took the title and the ‘oldies’ won again, to ensure we keep giving our love to the dry eyes out there.

Special acknowledgement was made to Wellington’s Andrew Sangster and erstwhile NZAO council member Geoff Sargent, who were both awarded the HS Gilberd Medal for outstanding services to optometry. It was a well-deserved recognition of their years of dedication to our profession, helping shape what it is today.

Hats off, too, to the University of Auckland teaching fellows, Germaine Joblin and Sachi Rathod, who held our attention to the very last minute of the conference with tales of the Vision Bus Aotearoa (optometry's version of the Magic School Bus). The bus has been visiting lower decile schools in the Auckland region, with final-year optometry students in tow. This wonderful initiative is unearthing a significant amount of vision challenges in our school-aged children and bringing glasses and vision care to some of our most underprivileged kids. I for one would love to see these buses in each of our main centres and possibly even touring the country.

The NZAO conference is always a wonderful time to catch up with friends and former colleagues, including during the Friday night drinks and a fantastic dinner and dance on the Saturday evening. This year was no exception and I was delighted to see no fewer than seven of my classmates (shout out to class of 2004!). I’m not sure if I’m getting sentimental in my older age, but it does make me think how incredibly fortunate we are to be part of a really special profession, doing really great work, with really great people. Keep it up!

Farewell Rochelle, welcome Sandhya

The NZAO AGM saw the election of Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau optometrist Sandhya Mathew to the council, replacing longstanding council member and past president Rochelle van Eysden.

President Hadyn Treanor said NZAO expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Rochelle for her service over the years. “Rochelle’s leadership and commitment were particularly invaluable during the challenging Covid-19 period. Her efforts in organising and enhancing our conferences have significantly contributed to the success and growth of NZAO. Thank you, Rochelle, for your unwavering dedication and hard work.”

The next NZAO conference will be held in Rotorua from 17–19 October 2025.

Roberta McIlraith is a locum optometrist based in Christchurch, currently enjoying a little time out from full-time practice.