Optometry Virtually Connected & Product Showcase 2021 (OVC) 18-20 June is open for registration.  

Optometry Australia (OA) president Darrell Baker said OA is delighted to host the conference. “We created OVC in 2020 to support members in meeting their education needs at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst we understand that there is a keenness to return to in-person learning, we also know through our ongoing online continuing professional development programmes and our inaugural conference that there is strong demand from our members to access learning within a highly flexible virtual environment.” 

The programme, delivered via OVC’s new interactive digital platform, covers a wide range of topics including emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, gene therapy, dry-eye management and ocular therapeutics presented as live keynote lectures or on-demand webcasts.  

Live webcasts include: 

• The future of optometry, presented by A/Prof Lauren Ayton 
• Latest evidence-based research in myopia management, presented by Dr Kate Gifford 
• Medical and surgical therapies in anterior segment disease, presented by Dr Jim Thimons 
• Glaucoma: beyond IOP, VF and OCT, presented by Dr Jack Phu and Sophia Zhang 
• Presbyopia solutions and complex contact lens cases, presented by David Foresto 
• CXO presents, (highlights from recent paper on ocular therapeutics) presented by A/Prof Maria Markoulli, Dr Alex Hui and A/Prof Isabelle Jalbert 
• Clinical perspectives on neurotrophic corneal disease, presented by A/Prof Mark Roth 
• New treatment strategies for AMD, presented by Prof Robyn Guymer 
• Management of intermittent exotropia with spectacles, presented by Paul Croucher 
• Applied dry eye management in clinical practice, presented by Dr Nicholas Young 

This year’s conference will be opened by Professor Sohail Inayatullah, an Australian academic and one of the world’s leading future studies researchers.  

Abstract submissions 

OA is calling for submissions of research-focused abstracts from optometrists, and vision scientists who have a particular interest in translating their research for practitioners and who are keen to present their abstracts as e-posters at OVC 2021. Those who are OA members or registered to practice in New Zealand and Asia Pacific Council of Optometry member countries are welcome.  

The event is free to attend for OA members and NZAO and ODOB registered optometrists.  

For more, https://ovc.delegateconnect.co/