Our Connections
NZAO is an active participant in several advocacy groups and has an active voice through liaison with government departments, industry, and other stakeholders on matters related to eye health and vision.
Our priorities relate to health policies, regulatory reform, and standards while keep an eye on our vision of "a trusted and recognised optometry profession meeting the needs of New Zealanders in providing excellence in eye health and vision care.
Eye Health Aotearoa (EHA) is a registered charitable trust. Members include NZAO, Blind Low Vision NZ, Glaucoma NZ, Macular Degeneration NZ, RANZCO, SOVS and Sight Support Trust and is supported by the ODOB.
Eye Health Aotearoa collaborates to ensure all New Zealanders can access quality eye health care.
The Primary Health Alliance is an incorporated society. Members include NZAO and other professional bodies, primary health organisations, advocacy groups with strategic partnerships with ACC, HPA, HF, MoH and PHARMAC.
The Primary Health Alliance provides national leadership on key issues affecting the Primary Health Care Strategy and primary health organisations in New Zealand.
The Parliamentary Friends of Eye Health is a network established to engage with members of parliament and, to the greatest extent possible, present a unified sector that has eye health as its central focus.
In February, 2020 members of parliament: Louisa Wall, Simon O’Connor, Hon Peeni Henare, Dr Liz Craig, Hon Simon Bridges and the deputy director-general for disability from the Ministry of Health, Adri Isbister heard about eye health sector gaps and a seven-point plan to improve access, especially to high risk communities and groups, for example our indigenous, rural and paediatric populations.
NZAO supports the education of future members of the profession through a partnership with the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland.
Representation from NZAO is extended to the SOVS Board of Studies and the Optometry Advisory Committee meetings.
NZAO provides expert advice on standards of eye health, eye safety, and optics to Standards New Zealand when requested, and represents New Zealand optometrists in the development and revision of Australia/New Zealand Standards related to optics, ophthalmics, eye safety, and vision.
Annually NZAO reports on activity with standards in the annual report.
NZAO actively supports Voluntary Ophthalmic Services Overseas (VOSO), which provides free eye aid to Pacific Island countries. VOSO plays a huge role in helping restore sight to those less fortunate in the Pacific Islands through sight-saving surgery (cataract) and the distribution of thousands of pairs of glasses each year.
NZAO provides administrative support services for VOSO - and several members are active volunteers.
NZAO is a full member of both the World Council of Optometry (WCO) and the Asia Pacific Optometric Council (APOC).
The WCO facilitates the development of optometry around the world and supports optometrists in promoting eye health and vision care as a human right through advocacy, education, policy development and humanitarian outreach.
OCANZ is an independent external agency that assesses optometry programs in Australia and New Zealand.
The Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) was established in 1996 with support of the optometrists registration boards in New Zealand and Australia, the heads of the optometry schools, the New Zealand Association of Optometrists and Optometry Australia. All are represented on OCANZ.
Memorandum of understanding between NZAO and ODOB.