Essilor has donated the latest Visioffice 2.0 (VO2) digital dispensing towers to optometry clinics at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and Melbourne University.
From left: Dr. Kathleen Watt and Professor Lisa Keay (UNSW), with Pierre Longerna and Tim Thurn (Essilor)
Clinical dispensing and teaching staff have been trained on this advanced digital dispensing machine, to ensure they are familiar with all aspects of the technology so that their expert knowledge can be passed on to students.
Tim Thurn, Professional Services Director at Essilor Australia said, “Providing the Visioffice 2.0 to the three universities is of great importance for the industry. A smooth process for the patient is one thing, but it is equally important to bring the patient experience into today’s digital world. Ultimately this will expand the use of personalised lenses, a key differentiator for optometrists. That expansion starts with education,” he said.
The VO2 has significant improvements over the previous model. Lens centering is highresolution via a new high definition camera, there’s a new navigation and measurement workflow, plus it takes all the patient’s measurements in less than three minutes.
ENGAGING TECHNOLOGY
Both Professor Lisa Keay, Head of School at UNSW and Professor Sharon Bentley, Head of School at QUT commented on the VO2 technology.
“The Visioffice 2.0 will enhance both student learning and the patient experience at the QUT Optometry Clinic,” observed Professor Bentley. “Importantly it is engaging, with dynamic demonstrations and videos that mean students, supervisors and patients can make more informed choices about lens design. Everyone will benefit from the technology.”
Professor Keay said, “Technology is constantly evolving, both in the consulting room and dispensing area. One of our roles is to keep students up to date with these changes. The Visioffice 2.0 is simple to use, we can even use it for children, plus it integrates with our patient management system. All these things are vital in a busy teaching clinic.”
Just as the consulting room is now full of sophisticated equipment, the current generation of consumers expect practitioners to have the same level of technology in the dispensing area. Essilor’s latest applications, including Varilux X NVB (Near Vision Behaviour) are featured on the VO2. The patient is guided through a variety of processes from frame selection, to lens benefits and accurate lens measurements.
“Some optometrists and dispensers express concern that this technology reduces skills but in fact it takes us back to first principles when, in the past, much more data was taken into account when dispensing spectacles,” noted Associate Professor Daryl Guest, Head of University of Melbourne Eyecare.
The Visioffice 2.0 machines are installed and ready for students and staff to use at all three universities.
