CPD in Dunedin: Accessible eyecare and technology with Dr Hong Sheng Chiong

‘Beneficial’ and ‘Collaborative’ were two words used to describe the CPD Evening attended by more than half of Dunedin’s optometric workforce last week.

The event, which was organised and hosted by the team at Specsavers Dunedin, saw local ophthalmologist Dr Hong Sheng Chiong from oDoc Eyecare sharing insights and leading discussions on the accessibility of eyecare and technology.

Event organiser and Specsavers Dunedin Optometry Director, Tianyuan Qu said the topic showcased an area that oDoc is known as a leader in.

“Dr Hong’s beliefs are shared with Specsavers’ in that access to eyecare should be universal. We are both on a mission to improve the health outcomes of all patients by adopting evidence-based technology,” said Tianyuan.

The event also featured a discussion around different case studies, led by graduate optometrists from the area.

“Our CPD event aimed to provide a learning platform for graduate and senior optometrists, to strengthen relationships with local ophthalmologists and create a better connected eyecare ecosystem in Dunedin,” said Tianyuan.

While the event’s attendance was limited to the COVID-19 restrictions of private gatherings at the time, it was designed to be inclusive and invited all Dunedin-based optometrists.

“The COVID-19 climate resulted in a lack of quality in-person events nationwide and while the various restrictions created several challenges, we wanted to spearhead an opportunity to increase collaborative eyecare within our local industry. It was important that everyone in our local industry was invited and that the event wasn’t a ‘Specsavers’ event,” said Tianyuan.

Specsavers Dunedin plans to host similar evenings several times a year in the future to complement other development and CPD offerings and further engage the optometrists and ophthalmologists in Otago.