Academy of Advanced Ophthalmic Optics

20/08/2026

Are you heading to the ADONZ - Association of Dispensing Opticians of New Zealand conference? Check out Dr Grant Hannaford’s lecture and workshops generously sponsored by Independent Lens Specialists Ltd, MSO Limited and Little Peach. Register at https://adonz.co.nz/conference/adonz-2026-national-conference/

13/08/2026

Vinita Nand has been an optometrist for over two decades and is the owner of Mortdale Eyecare. She has completed her Masters course specialising in contact lenses and behavioural optometry. Her special interests lie in eye diseases, specialised tnts, and children’s vision.

Vinita is very passionate about giving her patients the best level of care she can. She has travelled to Nepal and Mongolia to help with eye camps at remote villages and orphanages which has been a very rewarding part of her career.

Vinita will be delivering her lecture on Therapeutic tints: Enhancing everyday vision on Sunday 25th October. To register, visit https://clearconference.com.au

11/08/2026

Are you coming to the O-SHOW?

08/08/2026

FREE WEBINAR ALERT!

From numbers to practice: Using AAOO’s online ophthalmic calculators. 18th September 1:00pm and 6:00pm Sydney time.

Discover how AAOO’s online calculators can simplify common ophthalmic calculations and support confident clinical and dispensing decisions. Through practical demonstrations, this webinar will show participants how to select the appropriate calculator, enter and interpret data accurately, and apply the results to real-world situations. In addition to the standard calculators, advanced ones includes power compensations and iseikonic lenses.

Learning outcomes:
1. Identify and use appropriate AAOO calculators for common ophthalmic and dispensing calculations.
2. Interpret calculator results and apply them to clinical decision-making, lens selection and troubleshooting.

This session will be led by Dr Grant Hannaford. Please register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fVrSaNo_QYik__660KlDfQ

04/08/2026

We are proud to welcome Opticare as a silver sponsor for CLEAR 2026. The first Clinical Lens Education and Research conference in Australia.

Our goal is to bring all lens laboratories together at our dedicated ophthalmic optics education and research conference.

Ideal for practice owners, optometrists, dispensing opticians, assistants and students. You can attend in person or live virtually. Visit https://clearconference.com.au to register.

02/08/2026

Dr Peter Wagner is a Research Associate based in the Sensory Processes Research Laboratory at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, the University of New South Wales. His research is concerned with eye-movement recording and the development of novel methods for artificial vestibular stimulation in humans. Dr Wagner’s current research aims to create immersive devices for improving ‘extreme’ virtual reality (VR) - where stimulation of visual, acoustic, proprioceptive and vestibular systems together is used to enhance user experiences in head-mounted display (HMD) VR.

Dr Wagner also has broad interdisciplinary skills in optometry, bioengineering, and software development for the creation of wearable devices to support myopia research. His PhD thesis undertaken at UNSW investigated how the 3D appearance of ecological environments affect the human eye e.g., how the exposure to distinct natural environments might lead to short-sightedness (myopia). This research was supported by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, and ongoing research in the space using the technology developed will help to understand why children become myopic.

Dr Wagner will be delivering his lecture on computer vision syndrome: virtual and augmented reality on Sunday 25th October. To register, visit https://clearconference.com.au

25/07/2026

Free webinar alert! Jul 28, 2026 12:00 and 18:00 Sydney time.

There’s still time to register.

Are You Self-sabotaging Your Own Practice?

Description
Many optometry practices continue to compete with others using traditional spectacle and eye examination models, often overlooking one of their greatest competitive advantages, advanced ophthalmic lens prescribing.

This webinar explores how practices may unintentionally limit their growth by treating ophthalmic lenses as commodities rather than as sophisticated visual devices capable of solving real patient problems.

Participants will discover how advanced lens technologies can create a powerful point of difference, enhance patient outcomes, and strengthen practice profitability.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Recognise how underutilising advanced ophthalmic lens technologies may be limiting patient outcomes, practice differentiation, and business growth.

2. Identify opportunities to create niche service offerings through specialised lens prescribing, including myopia management, occupational lenses, driving lenses, biometric lens designs, progressive lens optimisation, and complex visual needs.

3. Develop strategies to position advanced ophthalmic lenses as a core clinical service that enhances patient loyalty, reduces price-based competition, and differentiates the practice from other providers.

This webinar will be delivered by Dr Grant Hannaford and Thao Hannaford. Please register at
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZoLIlelqQOqw6nPAsGLECA

Many optometry practices continue to compete with others using traditional spectacle and eye examination models, often overlooking one of their greatest competitive advantages, advanced ophthalmic lens prescribing. This webinar explores how practices may unintentionally limit their growth by treatin...

23/07/2026

It was a beautiful day at UNSW on Wednesday. Grant is back at the UNSW Optometry and Vision Science School teaching ophthalmic optics and dispensing to optometry and vision science students. He was first invited to assist in the practical sessions as a demonstrator over a decade ago.

These days he is an adjunct lecturer to the school. UNSW remains at the forefront of ophthalmic optics and dispensing as Dr Hannaford along with the UNSW course academic staff continue to develop and improve the curriculum year on year incorporating research and innovations in optics as they develop.

21/07/2026

Registration for the ADONZ national conference is open. Dr Grant Hannaford will be delivering lectures and workshops over two days. Great excuse to visit New Zealand for some CPD!

📢 Registrations are now OPEN for the ADONZ 2026 National Conference!

Join us in Palmerston North for two days of education, connection and professional development with dispensing opticians, students and industry partners from across New Zealand.

📅 Friday 11 & Saturday 12 September 2026
📍 Distinction Palmerston North Hotel & Conference Centre

This year's conference features:
✨ CPD-accredited lectures
✨ Interactive workshops
✨ Industry Hub
✨ Networking opportunities
✨ Graduation ceremony
✨ Gala Dinner & After Party

Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, reconnect with colleagues or build new professional relationships, the ADONZ National Conference is an event not to be missed.

Turning connections into opportunities.

👉 Register now: https://adonz.co.nz/conference/adonz-2026-national-conference/

19/07/2026

Free webinar alert! Jul 28, 2026 12:00 and 18:00 Sydney time.

It is somewhat serendipitous that we had planned doing this webinar many months ago given the recent articles in the news this week. It is titled:

Are You Self-sabotaging Your Own Practice?

Description
Many optometry practices continue to compete with others using traditional spectacle and eye examination models, often overlooking one of their greatest competitive advantages, advanced ophthalmic lens prescribing.

This webinar explores how practices may unintentionally limit their growth by treating ophthalmic lenses as commodities rather than as sophisticated visual devices capable of solving real patient problems.

Participants will discover how advanced lens technologies can create a powerful point of difference, enhance patient outcomes, and strengthen practice profitability.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Recognise how underutilising advanced ophthalmic lens technologies may be limiting patient outcomes, practice differentiation, and business growth.

2. Identify opportunities to create niche service offerings through specialised lens prescribing, including myopia management, occupational lenses, driving lenses, biometric lens designs, progressive lens optimisation, and complex visual needs.

3. Develop strategies to position advanced ophthalmic lenses as a core clinical service that enhances patient loyalty, reduces price-based competition, and differentiates the practice from other providers.

This webinar will be delivered by Dr Grant Hannaford and Thao Hannaford. Please register at
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZoLIlelqQOqw6nPAsGLECA

Many optometry practices continue to compete with others using traditional spectacle and eye examination models, often overlooking one of their greatest competitive advantages, advanced ophthalmic lens prescribing. This webinar explores how practices may unintentionally limit their growth by treatin...