The debate over commercial pressures in corporate optometry has entered the mainstream media, with a newspaper investigation alleging optometrists at Australia’s largest optical chains have been pressured to prioritise sales over clinical decision making.
Reports by The Sydney Morning Herald and its sister masthead The Age claim “optometrists are being pressured to hit sales targets, rush consults and turn away clinical appointments during peak spending periods”.
The article, by the Herald’s health reporter Rachel Rasker, alleges that:
- Internal communications at Specsavers referred to wages being cut if conversion rates did not improve,
- An OPSM locum optometrist was warned that failure to improve KPIs could lead to a reduction or discontinuation of future bookings,
- Conversions – the number of appointments that resulted in same-day sales of glasses – were reported to be a KPI at OPSM, Specsavers, and Bailey Nelson.
- Optometrists at OPSM were pressured to treat “close to one in three patients with red light therapy for dry eyes at a cost of $200 per session out of pocket”, with one patient receiving burns,
- A directive from senior staff at Bailey Nelson included conversion tips for when a patient didn’t need a prescription update to secure a sale,
- One optometrist alleged practitioners at Specsavers were expected to “fish for conditions that the patient didn’t complain about” to claim a Medicare item, and
- Optometrists at OPSM and Bailey Nelson were pressured not to book clinical consultations to maximise revenue during high sales periods.
Reports… claim “optometrists are being pressured to hit sales targets, rush consults and turn away clinical appointments during peak spending periods”
The Herald/Age article also included comment from Optometry Australia’s Chief Clinical Officer, Luke Arundel, who said anecdotal evidence did not prove KPIs were harming patients and emphasised that optometrists are required under the profession’s Code of Conduct to maintain clinical autonomy and ensure treatment is not influenced by financial incentives.
A Call to Unionise
The Herald/Age investigation represents one of the most extensive pieces of mainstream reporting on corporate optometry published in Australia in recent years. It follows debate within the profession – as previously reported by mivision – about workforce pressures, clinical autonomy, and the growing commercialisation of optometric practice.
The article includes grievances from a number of optometrists – named and unnamed – including Matt Trinh and Rory Dowdall, from Phoropter Free Fridays (PFF), a forum formed in late 2024 by employee optometrists and independent owners, advocating for workplace reform through the Health Services Union.
In an article in mivision in May last year, the pair – together with co-authors Rene Cheung and Vincent Lim, highlighted systemic challenges in optometry and claimed a growing disconnect between how optometrists are trained and how they are expected to practise.
They argued for the unionisation of optometrists, saying systemic issues need collective action.
“Unionising lets us act together with a unified voice. Optometrists are already organising through PFF in partnership with the Health Services Union. The goal is not to dissuade prospective optometrists from joining the profession. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
“We want to encourage colleagues to speak up and protect what drew many of us to the profession in the first place: meaningful, ethical, and sustainable patient care.”
Specsavers’ Response
While not addressing the specific allegations raised in the Herald/Age article, Specsavers provided mivision with a statement saying its optometrists are “empowered to make clinical decisions in the best interests of their patients, supported by modern technology, professional standards and ongoing clinical development”.
“Like any responsible healthcare provider, we measure a range of clinical and customer care outcomes to ensure we continue to improve patient experiences and visual outcomes.
“Our clinical benchmarking and practice standards help practitioners learn from their peers, strengthen their professional development and deliver consistently high standards of care for every patient.”
Specsavers said its focus has “always been on improving the lives of Australians through better eye health”.
“As Australia’s largest provider of eye health care, Specsavers is proud of the important role we play in helping Australians access affordable, high-quality eye care, including through bulk-billed eye tests. As a purpose-driven business, our focus is on ensuring more people can access the care they need, when they need it, so that preventable vision issues are identified and treated earlier.”
Specsavers also pointed to its recognition in Great Place to Work surveys for six consecutive years as evidence of its workplace culture, and said it regularly seeks feedback from patients and staff to improve their experience.
mivision has also reached out to OPSM and Bailey Nelson for comment.
