A collaborative contact lens education event hosted by Richard Lindsay and Associates (RLA) and supported by Eyespace drew 26 optometrists to Melbourne on 26 July 2025, highlighting the growing demand for specialised contact lens expertise across Australia. The event was at capacity within three days of advertising with a waitlist for many more.
The full-day event, held at RLA’s Balwyn North clinic, combined theoretical presentations with practical workshops, addressing the increasing number of enquiries the practice receives from optometrists nationwide seeking guidance on complex contact lens fittings.
The highlight was seeing passionate contact lens practitioners learning, exchanging tips, and stories in one space
“Contact lenses represent 87% of our clinical work, spanning corneal rigid lenses to sclerals, including ‘aberration cancelling’ and orthokeratology,” said Jillian Campbell, Director of Richard Lindsay and Associates. “We regularly receive calls from practitioners around the country working through challenging fits, so bringing these conversations to life seemed like a natural progression.”
Practical Applications Highlighted
The morning session featured seven targeted presentations covering the evolution of contact lens fitting philosophies, emerging lens technologies, and complex case studies. Key topics included the role of contrast sensitivity and spatial frequency in myopia control applications of orthokeratology, presented by senior optometrist Jacinda Van.
Eyespace’s Millie Meegan delivered a practical tutorial on scleral lens fitting, generating significant audience engagement, while Dan Moriarty covered higher-order aberration principles and their impact on visual quality outcomes.
Michaela Rossi from RLA showcased how she uses spherical aberration to improve the vision of her patients with keratoconus through compelling case studies demonstrating enhanced visual outcomes.
The presentation series concluded with Lachie Hoy from Eyespace talking about manufacturing updates, new software updates, and how Eyespace’s ethos is simply to make challenging contact lenses easy to fit.
Hands-On Workshops Drive Engagement
Following lunch, attendees rotated through practical stations, including scleral and orthokeratology fitting demonstrations, with live troubleshooting opportunities. The programme also featured the latest imaging and topography technology, including demonstrations of the Pentacam and Medmont’s new corneoscleral topographer.
“The highlight was seeing passionate contact lens practitioners learning, and exchanging tips and stories in one space,” Ms Campbell noted. “The practical workshops allowed attendees to handle lenses and work through fitting challenges in real-time.”
The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring Ms Campbell, Richard Lindsay, and Eyespace developer Lachie Hoy, with attendees presenting clinically relevant questions that fostered the open dialogue the organisers aimed to create.
Building On Collaborative Foundations
The partnership reflects RLA’s commitment to supporting the broader optometric community through knowledge sharing and professional development. The practice’s specialisation in contact lens work positions it as a resource for practitioners navigating complex fitting scenarios.
It’s success has prompted planning for future collaborative education opportunities, building on the momentum established at Eyespace’s Adelaide Summit in April 2025.
“Events like this remind us why we love what we do,” Ms Campbell said. “The energy, experience, and curiosity attendees brought exceeded our expectations.”
