Glaucoma New Zealand (GNZ) is launching Sightwise, a programme to educate and support glaucoma patients, reduce the burden on eye departments, improve patient treatment outcomes and reduce avoidable blindness from glaucoma.

Glaucoma Australia launched Sightwise in 2018 and, working closely with them to align services, GNZ general manager Pippa Martin said the programme’s impact is significant. A 2023 Australian patient survey showed that 91% of Sightwise patients attended their glaucoma appointments, 84% adhered to their treatment regimen and 84% had told their relatives to get tested.

Conducting a six-month trial in New Zealand last year, Martin said the response from eyecare professionals and patients alike was overwhelmingly positive. “We have developed strong links with eye health professionals in New Zealand who can see the benefit of the programme being developed here.”

Sightwise is developed for newly referred patients and delivered by GNZ at no cost to the patient or the health system, Martin explained. The objectives are to empower people with glaucoma to understand their disease; for patients to make informed decisions to maintain quality of life and preserve vision; provide one-on-one practical support via GNZ clinical educators to help manage the anxiety of receiving a diagnosis; play a facilitation role within each patient’s circle of care to maximise rates of appointment and treatment adherence, slow disease progression and reduce vision loss; and support eye health professionals by extending care beyond the practice to maximise long-term treatment outcomes.

Newly appointed to manage GNZ’s Sightwise programme is optometrist Shubhneet Nanda. “I’m confident the programme is going to improve patient outcomes. We encourage eye specialists to refer their glaucoma patients to the Sightwise programme,“ Martin said.

To support Sightwise, either financially or by volunteering, GNZ welcomes any contribution to assist with calls, develop new resources or to help fund ongoing programme costs.

Contact Pippa Martin on p.martin@auckland.ac.nz.

Pragmatic professional education 

GNZ’s annual Professional Education Symposium is on Sunday 13 July at the Maritime Room, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, or online via Zoom.

Convened by world-leading ophthalmologist and GNZ chair Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, the conference is themed ‘The role of optometrists and real-world glaucoma’. It will deliver professional education that is “pragmatic, empowering and unapologetically focused on excellence in front-line decision-making,” GNZ said.

Featuring keynote Dr Aparna Raniga, a Sydney-based comprehensive ophthalmologist with sub-specialty training in glaucoma, cataract and uveitis, the event is open to all health professionals and students (optometrists, nurses, orthoptists and technicians). Optometry CPD is approved (6.9 GE points).

Dr Aparna Raniga

For more, see https://glaucoma.org.nz/get-involved/professionals/professional-symposium/