ADONZ 2023 – DOs get nautical but nice in Nelson

February 3, 2024 Vineet Chauhan

As the November sun set in Nelson, dispensing opticians (DOs) from all over Aotearoa began to descend onto its streets for for the 2023 Association of Dispensing Opticians New Zealand (ADONZ) annual conference. True to form, ‘sunny Nelson’ put on some stunning weather and the Rutherford Hotel was the perfect location in the heart of the city. The great turnout of 132 conference delegates included 105 registered practitioners plus a mix of students and recent graduates.

 

Kicking things off in a relaxed manner, delegates had a half day dedicated to interacting with colleagues, peers and industry wholesalers in the trade area. There was excellent support from exhibitors, with 16 booths and 51 sales representatives present. Popular stands included McCann Optical and Visual Optics, both of which were in tune with the nautical theme, while Shamir’s Formula 1 racing simulator was very much in demand.

 

The 2023 lecture topics included paediatric dispensing, optical marketing, safety advice from the police, discussions on modern progressives, cultural education and some myopia and dispensing workshops. New Zealand is a multicultural nation, so for those of us working in retail, accurately interpreting a customer’s responses is vital for optimal outcomes. The lecture on cross-cultural communication skills, presented by cultural education consultant Birte Becker-Steel, really hit the mark. It highlighted the importance of understanding verbal and non-verbal clues, finding common ground with customers and adapting our communication appropriately.

 

The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers’ Alicia Thompson, John Billings (with guide-dog-in-training Ziggy), Fiona & Eddie Anderson and Donald Crichton

 

For me, the stand-out speaker was Nicola Peaper, Rodenstock Australia’s professional services manager, who discussed how advancements in digital surfacing have led to compensated lenses. Her lecture highlighted the importance of the dispenser taking frame parameters such as pantoscopic tilt, face form angle and back vertex distance into account. Both her technical lectures were delivered in an easy to understand format and gave everyone a more comprehensive understanding of selecting the appropriate lens design, the impact on corridor width and length and problem solving to get the best overall wearer experience for our patients.

 

The introduction of breakout workshops on the Saturday afternoon was a welcome break from the monotony of sitting in one spot for a lecture. A mix of practical sessions and peer review workshops tested our competency, while the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD) challenged our dispensing knowledge and former International Opticians' Association (IOA) president Fiona Anderson trained us on low vision and myopia. Her peer review session had the latest updates on myopia management and how crucial the role of a DO is in the management process.

 

We then all made a little detour from lectures for a scheduled visit to the Nelson markets to enjoy the little food stalls and pick up a gift or two while enjoying a bit of local sightseeing.

 

Awards ahoy!

 

       

Sponge Bob’s pineapples Jacquie Ellis and Missy King-Turner with Nicole Semaine and Naomi Simpson and (right) ready for the beach: Roslyn Iongi, Anita Neill, Karen Francis, Emma Rattray, David Brenton-Rule and Katie Miller (front)

 

The nautical theme for the 2023 gala dinner was thoroughly embraced by attendees. Without a doubt, dispensers know how to party and the variety of costumes on display on Friday night was outstanding. Isobel Black as Ursula from The Little Mermaid and Stephen Caunter as Tom Hanks in Cast Away were the outfits that grabbed the costume judges’ attention. We paused the night’s celebrations to announce the directors’ award, which is given to an individual for their contribution to the advancement of dispensing opticians through service to education, improving awareness of the profession, representation in the optical industry and outstanding service to the association and its members. Hayley Bendall said she was stunned to have won it. “I’m very honoured that the executive committee and the original directors felt I was a deserving recipient. Thank you!”

 

       

Vanessa Cumming and (right) Jay Hurburn, Mackenzie White and Rachael Houghton

 

On the next night, there was an excellent turnout for the student graduation celebration. Families and colleagues flew in especially for the evening creating a fantastic atmosphere. ACOD teachers James Gibbins and Chedy Kalach said they were proud to introduce the room to 23 new Kiwi graduates. The top student prize went to Laura Thompson, who received an Eye Ruler 2 digital measuring device sponsored by EssilorLuxottica.

 

I had the honour of meeting a fellow Fijian, Sylvester Prasad, the first graduate from Fiji Islands in a very long time! His enrolment in the course was sponsored via a special arrangement between ACOD and an optometrist in Australia who met him during an aid trip to Fiji. Sylvester showed excellent commitment to his studies, despite Covid interruptions and having never travelled overseas prior to attending the workshops. He was sponsored to attend the graduation alongside his coursemates by Specsavers as well as some generous anonymous donors. His look of sheer joy and sense of accomplishment as he took the stage to collect his graduation certificate was a delight to witness!

 

Each president of ADONZ brings their own unique skillset to the association. We are grateful to outgoing president Angela Mitchell for her hard work for last two years and the two years prior as vice president. She was instrumental in updating the ADONZ constitution to a new and far simpler document and for making submissions to the Optometry and Dispensing Opticians Board on the pay disparity between optometrists and DOs in relation to the proposed registration fee increases. This was in addition to maintaining the momentum of the hard work of previous executive committees. We are also very proud of Angela’s achievement as a finalist for the 2023 Silmo IOA Award for the International Optician of the Year. For a New Zealand dispenser to be recognised on the world stage is no small feat. Having represented the country at the event in Paris, she shared her experiences at our AGM, especially the importance of networking with DO representatives from other countries and bringing learnings back home. At her practice in Orewa, on Auckland’s North Shore, Angela has also been heavily involved in the growth and development of the practice’s low vision clinic and offering comprehensive myopia management services.

 

Angela handed the baton to incoming president Courtney Chellew, who will be supported by newly appointed vice president Laura Thompson, treasurer Russell Woodland, secretary Missy King-Turner and executives Alastair Stewart and Genna Morrison. The new Optiblocks Education Committee team now includes Elise Paulin and Pene Fox. We wish them all the best for the year ahead and look forward to coming together again this year from 19-22 September in Wellington.

 

Vineet Chauhan (left) with fellow EssilorLuxottica lifeguards at ADONZ 2023, Kurt Tyson, Karl Timewell, Adam Norwood and Guy Parbury

 

Vineet Chauhan is Essilor’s New Zealand territory manager, an accredited dispensing optician and a former president of ADONZ.