Specsavers rolls out new dry eye treatments in Australia and New Zealand

This is a significant development in the Australian #optometry landscape. Advanced dry eye care was once considered the domain of independents, but we are seeing more corporate networks figure out how to scale-up, and rollout what's considered a 'chair-heavy' condition.

Johnson & Johnson announced new clinical data demonstrating significantly higher end-of-day comfort and stronger overall patient preference for the Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day for Astigmatism contact lenses compared to Dailies Total1 for Astigmatism. The findings will be presented this week at the American Academy of Optometry’s annual meeting in Boston: https://ow.ly/inqY50X7KtA

✍ Some recent thoughts from my October Editor's Letter: It feels like dry eye care in Australia has entered a whole new realm in 2025. What was once a poorly understood condition, frustrating for both patients and clinicians, has become a hotbed of innovation, business opportunity, and clinical expertise. The turning point can be traced back to the landmark Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) DEWS II report in 2017, which provided legitimacy for the condition, and a framework for diagnosis and management. Since then, we’ve seen an explosion of dry eye products, technologies and, crucially, dedicated clinics. Now, with DEWS III released this year, practitioners have an even richer resource to guide evidence-based care. The momentum is clear in the 2025 Insight Dry Eye Directory – to be released this month. When it launched in 2021, the listings reflected a small but growing niche. This year, it has eclipsed all previous records, with almost 200 clinics across Australia listing their dry eye services – a milestone that underlines just how far the profession has come. The movement isn’t confined to independents either. EssilorLuxottica's OPSM now has more than 20 practices offering IPL and other advanced services, while Specsavers is executing one of the most ambitious dry eye rollouts the industry has seen. After piloting intense pulsed light (IPL) in select locations, the network is now adding low-level light therapy (LLLT) to create a combined offering, and is on track to reach 100 stores in 100 days in Australia. Liz Barrett's Dry Eye Solution is also proving the model’s scalability, expanding from its NSW base into Melbourne, and now even into London and Dublin. It’ll have 12 locations by the end of 2026. How she has made a living form standalone dry eye clinics is revealed in the link below, which also includes insights from Jennifer Rayner's Alleve Eye Clinic- Dry Eye Clinic Adelaide SA and Jason Holland's Oculuxe Clinic by The Eye Health Centre clinic. What’s driving this growth is the realisation that dry eye can be both life-changing for patients and commercially sustainable for practices if executed well. And perhaps it signals something larger: optometry’s trajectory towards becoming more clinically focused, with subspecialisation – or niche expertise – beginning to mirror the pathways long established in ophthalmology. https://lnkd.in/g7HiDyYQ

Optometry Scotland has published a new report calling for the full integration of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in primary eyecare across Scotland.

Advancing science in eye care is critical, and #NationalVisionAwarenessMonth is the perfect time to discuss why prioritizing eye health is so important.   I’m looking forward to joining my colleagues at the @American Academy Of Optometry and the @American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meetings this month to do just that. These conferences are vital opportunities to share data that equips eye doctors with the best information to guide patient care.   At #Academy25, we’ll be sharing information related to early response to treatment with MIEBO® (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) and early symptom relief with XIIDRA® (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5% in patients with #dryeyedisease (DED). Beyond pivotal registration trials, we’re committed to further evaluating the real-world benefits of our products through Phase 4 and post-marketing studies.   Learn more about our data presentations and events: https://lnkd.in/gsvJxnFH    #AAO2025 #MIEBO #XIIDRA #Innovation #Leadership #Ophthalmology #Optometry   MIEBO is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. MIEBO should not be administered while wearing contact lenses. Contact lenses should be removed before use and for at least 30 minutes after administration of MIEBO. The most common side effect of MIEBO is blurred vision. See additional Safety Information (https://www.miebo.com/#isi) and full Prescribing Information (https://lnkd.in/d3JPNZm2) at MIEBO.com.   Xiidra is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Do not use Xiidra if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Seek medical care immediately if you get any symptoms of an allergic reaction. The most common side effects of XIIDRA include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when the drops are applied to the eyes, and an unusual taste sensation. See additional Safety Information (https://lnkd.in/drgjZaGb) and full Prescribing Information (https://lnkd.in/gevp3P8w) at XIIDRA.com.

Ophthopedia Update:FDA authorizes Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses for myopia control: The FDA has authorized marketing of Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses by EssilorLuxottica, allowing the first eyeglass lenses capable of slowing pediatric myopia progression to be sold in the U.S. The lenses were approved through the FDA’s de novo premarket review pathway after being granted breakthrough device designation in April 2021. “The ability to control, and in some cases even reverse, myopia has been mission critical for eye doctors for many decades,” Dominick M. Maino, OD, Med, FAAO, FCOVD-A, emeritus professor at the Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute, told Healio. #ophthalmology #eye #eyenews

Ophthopedia Update:FDA authorizes Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses for myopia control: The FDA has authorized marketing of Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses by EssilorLuxottica, allowing the first eyeglass lenses capable of slowing pediatric myopia progression to be sold in the U.S. The lenses were approved through the FDA’s de novo premarket review pathway after being granted breakthrough device designation in April 2021. “The ability to control, and in some cases even reverse, myopia has been mission critical for eye doctors for many decades,” Dominick M. Maino, OD, Med, FAAO, FCOVD-A, emeritus professor at the Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute, told Healio.

⚠️ TL;DR: Do not rub your eyes. 👀 Since I was little, I had this bad habit of rubbing my eyes. And I never thought anything of it. For the past several years, I knew my vision in one eye was worse than the other but glasses always made it better, so it was not a big deal. Each year, my optometrist would ask me if I ever had any eye trauma as a child. (None that I was aware of!) At my last optometrist appointment, we found out the reason my right eye was worse: keratoconus. [Insert existential crisis and subsequent meltdown, and me immediately trying to figure out how to spell and pronounce keratoconus and consulting with "Dr. Google" on how my life is over.] Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that causes the cornea, the clear front window to the eye, to bulge into a cone shape. This distortion can lead to blurred and distorted vision. Symptoms of keratoconus include: - blurred vision, especially at night or in bright light - distorted vision, such as seeing halos or rings around lights - double vision in one eye - sensitivity to light - frequent changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses prescriptions - eye pain or discomfort There is no cure for keratoconus, but treatment can help manage the symptoms and help prevent further progression. Keratoconus can be caused by either a family history of keratoconus, certain connective tissue disorders, Down syndrome, or eye rubbing. It affects 1 in 2,000 people. I scheduled an appointment at Mass Eye & Ear, where I got special scans done of my "special needs" eye. I was set up with Dr. Joseph Ciolino, who specializes in this kind of thing. He's on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, collaborates with Boston Children's Hospital and MIT, trains residents and fellows, and apparently has a patent for a contact lens drug delivery device. Dr. Ciolino monitored me for a few months, and then recommended I get cross-linking done to prevent my keratoconus from getting worse. Cross-linking is a medical procedure which uses ultraviolet light to strengthen collagen fibers in the cornea to reduce bulging. The procedure itself wasn't fun, but recovery was quicker than I expected. I took some selfies during the procedure, but nobody on LinkedIn needs to see those much less-than-flattering pictures. So my vision is fine now, though I'll never be a candidate for LASIK. Looking ahead, there are also special contact lenses that can be worn to help. As someone who has post-traumatic stress disorder from the "eye puffer" machine when I was little, I don't know if I am strong enough to wear contacts. There may be other procedures that make my vision better as well. On the bright side, now I can say I have something else in common with future hall-of-famer Stephen Curry. He has publicly stated he has it and wears contact lenses to correct his vision. 🏀 If you're someone who rubs your eyes frequently, consider getting them checked. And STOP RUBBING YOUR EYES. #Keratoconus #DontRubYourEyes #WorldKCDay

👁️ J&J Vision to Present New Data on ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day for Astigmatism at AAOpt Johnson & Johnson Vision is set to present new clinical data at the American Academy of Optometry's annual meeting, highlighting the performance of ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day for Astigmatism. The company will also spotlight ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism, the first and only daily disposable lens for patients with both presbyopia and astigmatism. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gne4yg6n #ContactLens #Presbyopia #NewProduct #EyeHealth #Congress #Optometry

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 (𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝟮𝟵 – 𝗢𝗰𝘁 𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱) Each week in optometry reminds us that innovation moves fast, and patient care is evolving even faster. From new therapies to tech-enabled solutions, it’s not just about what’s possible; it’s about how practices turn that progress into better outcomes and experiences for patients. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ✅ Patient QoL matters: New assessments for vision-degrading floaters highlight that understanding how eye conditions impact daily life is just as vital as clinical outcomes. ✅ Toric lens innovation: EyeCon 2025 showcased how new toric lenses help patients regain independence and confidence, closing gaps standard options can’t. ✅ Collaborative care counts: Integrated care between optometrists, ophthalmologists, and patients is improving results in areas like DME management and post-LASIK care. ✅ The horizon looks bold: Trials into post-LASIK night vision issues, glaucoma surgery, and nAMD therapies show a profession continually pushing boundaries. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝘁𝘀 Optometry isn’t just about lenses or procedures, it’s about conversations, choices, and trust. Staying aware of innovation ensures practices don’t just keep up, they lead in patient-centred care. At Verovian, we’ll keep sharing weekly insights to help practices turn knowledge into meaningful action, because the story of optometry is written in how care evolves, patient by patient. Stay tuned for more weekly insights. #OptometryUpdates #EyeCareInnovation #PatientExperience #VisionHealth #DryEye #ContactLenses #MyopiaManagement #OptometryPractice #VerovianCares