Workforce Report Highlights Uneven Access to Optometry Services

A new workforce projection report, commissioned by Optometry Australia and prepared by the University of Queensland’s Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, has shed light on critical challenges in the distribution of optometrists across the country.

While the analysis suggests an apparent oversupply of practitioners in some metropolitan areas—based on the number of Australians currently accessing services—it also reveals a significant shortfall in meeting true population needs, particularly in remote, rural, and disadvantaged communities where access to eye care remains limited.

The findings come against a backdrop of steady workforce growth. The number of registered optometrists in Australia has risen from 4,586 in 2012 to approximately 7,405 in 2024. Despite this increase, inequities in service access highlight the need for targeted workforce planning to ensure all Australians benefit from timely and comprehensive eye care.