CLEAR Conference 2026: Clinical Science Meets Ophthalmic Optics Precision

Accredited by the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence for 10.5 points, the two-day program was built around a single question put to every invited speaker: “What do I know that I wish my colleagues knew?” The result was a program that favoured hard-won clinical nuance over textbook revision, and treated ophthalmic optics solutions not as a retail afterthought but as an integral part of visual rehabilitation. 

Optics Under The Microscope 

The conference opened with Dr Grant Hannaford (NSW), co-founder and director of the Academy of Advanced Ophthalmic Optics, examining progressive lens design, unpacking how corridor length, power distribution, unwanted astigmatism and personalisation shape visual performance, and offering a practical framework for matching lens technology to prescription, frame, and lifestyle. Optometrist Thao Hannaford (NSW) followed with an interactive session on the pitfalls of prescribing degressive and anti-fatigue lenses; delegates engaged describing two patient journeys. 

“CLEAR’s most enduring contribution may have been its insistence that clinical examination and dispensing execution of visual solutions are inseparable” 

After morning tea, EssilorLuxottica’s Amy Pillay and optical dispenser Steve Daras (both from NSW) led an interactive workshop on partnership in myopia management, from diagnosis to dispensing. The session focused on aligning the expertise of optometrist and dispenser, communicating with parents about myopia progression, and fitting Essilor Stellest lenses while addressing common parental objections. 

 

 

 

Thao Hannaford returned to examine clinical measurements and practice systems, arguing that sophisticated lenses are only as good as the measurements behind them, and that standardised protocols and clear communication between clinicians, dispensers, and laboratories reduce errors. The morning closed with all four speakers on a panel, working through complex cases in which the prescription alone could not dictate the optimal lens. 

Beyond The Lens 

 

The afternoon broadened the focus. Optometrist Peter Nixon (Vic) explored the visual implications of concussion, covering accommodative dysfunction, binocular vision anomalies, oculomotor deficits, photophobia, and visually induced dizziness, and outlining interdisciplinary pathways for management, rehabilitation and referral. Dr Grant Hannaford then turned to facial measurements and digital tools, examining centration, vertex distance, pantoscopic tilt and face-form angle, while cautioning that technology does not replace professional judgement or accurate frame fitting. 

 

The final sessions addressed the business of eye care. Thao Hannaford challenged the traditional optometry practice model in the face of corporate competition, technological disruption, and commoditisation, making the case for clinical differentiation over price-based competition. The day concluded with Dr Grant Hannaford, Peter Nixon and Thao Hannaford debating clinical versus retail optometry, and how practitioners might balance commercial realities with ethical, patient-centred care. 

Remakes, Tints And Prism 

Sunday began with Michael Nasser (NSW) of The Focused View, who encouraged delegates to read remakes as optics rather than operations: treating the remake ledger as diagnostic data will reveal upstream clinical, optical, and operational issues rather than simply as a cost line. Felicia Le (NSW) then delivered a sponsored lecture on photochromic and tint technologies, showing how lifestyle, occupation, driving requirements and light sensitivity can guide recommendations. She used the analogy of pitch and volume in music by singing to describe light wavelengths. 

Dr Grant Hannaford’s lecture on prism as a field effect moved beyond image displacement to consider prism’s broader influence on perception, spatial orientation, and posture, stressing careful assessment and trialling in complex cases. Optometrist Vinita Nand (NSW) followed with therapeutic tints for neurodiverse patients experiencing visual discomfort and sensory overload, advocating cautious, outcome-focused prescribing while acknowledging the limits of current evidence. A second lens optimisation panel brought these perspectives together before lunch. 

 

Immersive Displays and Artificial Intelligence 

The afternoon turned to emerging technology with University of New South Wales (UNSW) research associate Dr Peter Wagner. His session on computer vision syndrome in virtual and augmented reality positioned head-mounted displays as a distinct visual environment rather than simply ‘new screens’, examining accommodative-vergence conflict, display latency, optical distortion and cybersickness, and how optometrists can advise patients on safe, comfortable use. 

UNSW senior lecturer Dr Nayuta Yoshioka then shared a case study from the university’s OPTM2233 Optical Dispensing course, where generative AI served as a development partner, translating teaching requirements into browser-based tools ranging from lens-thickness calculators to pupillary-distance and fitting-height trainers. Dr Yoshioka emphasised that AI can accelerate prototyping but does not replace optical expertise, verification or clinical validation. The closing panel, featuring Dr Peter Wagner, Dr Yoshioka and Dr Grant Hannaford, considered AI’s implications for clinical decision-making, ethics, accountability, and the future workforce. 

One Profession, Two Disciplines 

Across both days, an exhibition space allowed delegates to engage directly with manufacturers and developers, connecting concepts from the lecture theatre to real clinical tools. Yet CLEAR’s most enduring contribution may have been its insistence that clinical examination and dispensing execution of visual solutions are inseparable. As spectacle lenses become increasingly biometric and digitally customised, the conference made a persuasive case that successful patient outcomes depend on both sides of the profession working as one.