What Events and Professional Development Does Orthoptics Australia Offer?

Updated

Orthoptics Australia (OA) runs a continuing professional development (CPD) program that combines live events, online education and an annual conference, alongside career resources for orthoptists. Most of these sit behind the OA member portal, so the practical answer depends on whether you are an OA member or just browsing. The sections below cover what each offering is, who it is for, and what you need to access it.

Live CPD events

OA maintains a CPD Event Overview page and an Event Calendar that list upcoming professional development activities. The homepage's "Coming Events" section is the public-facing window into this calendar.

One recurring format is the Clinical Conversations series, described as talks delivered by speakers from across the country on health and delivery topics, with live audience questions. A listed example is Clinical Conversations #6: Strabismus Surgery 101, dated 21 October 2026.

To use these:

  1. Open the Event Calendar (linked from the Events & Professional Development menu).
  2. Check the date, format and topic of the session you want.
  3. Register through the event listing — note that member login is available from the site, and some events may be member-only or member-priced.
  4. After attending, log the activity in My OA CPD Tracker so it counts toward your CPD record.

Common sticking point: the calendar and event pages are the authoritative source for dates and registration status. If a session isn't listed there, treat it as not open for registration yet.

Online education and webinars

For members, OA provides:

  • OA Online Education (OAOE) — the organisation's online learning platform.
  • OA Member Webinars — recorded or scheduled webinar content for members.
  • My OA CPD Tracker — a tool inside the member portal for recording CPD activity.
  • My OA Groups — spaces tied to CAGs (Clinical Advisory Groups) and SIGs (Special Interest Groups).

Access to these runs through the Member Portal and My OA Profile, so you need an OA membership and a login. If you are not a member, the public site will show you that these exist but not the content itself.

Annual conference

OA's annual conference is the largest single CPD event in its calendar. The site's conference section covers:

Element What it provides
Overview What the conference is and when it runs
Registration How to sign up and pay (Stripe is used for payments on the site)
Program Session schedule and speakers
Abstract Submissions How to submit research or a presentation
Sponsor and Exhibitor Information Options for organisations supporting the event
Accommodation Lodging arrangements for attendees

If you want to present rather than just attend, the abstract submission route is the one to follow — watch the conference page for the submission window, since it closes ahead of the event itself.

Research and publication

For those whose professional development includes research output, OA supports:

  • OA Research Grant — funding for orthoptic research.
  • Australian Orthoptic Journal (AOJ) — the organisation's journal, with past editors listed.
  • OA Awards and Grants, including Fellow Members recognition.

These are relevant if you are building an academic or research profile alongside clinical CPD.

Career and job resources

OA also treats career development as part of professional development:

  • Career in Orthoptics — an overview of the profession as a career path.
  • Job Vacancies and Advertise a Job — a listing service for positions and for employers.
  • Volunteering with OA — ways to contribute to the organisation itself.
  • Directory of Orthoptists — a public-facing way to find a practitioner.
  • Orthoptics Professional Indemnity Insurance — workplace resource information.

For a job seeker, the vacancies listing plus the membership categories page (which sets out eligibility) are the two pages to read together.

What you need before you start

  • To attend events or use OAOE: an OA membership and member portal login. Membership categories and criteria are set out on the OA Membership pages, and benefits are listed separately.
  • To register for the conference: the conference registration page; payment is handled via Stripe.
  • To submit an abstract: the conference abstract submission page, within its stated window.
  • To contact OA directly: 03 9586 6080 or [email protected].

If your goal is simply to find an orthoptist rather than to develop your own career, the Directory of Orthoptists is the relevant resource instead of the CPD program.