Big chain optometrists are straining customer relations

July 16, 2026 — 5:00am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Optometry in Australia has undergone a dramatic change. Once dominated by independent practices and small partnerships, it is now concentrated in the hands of a few large corporate chains – including Specsavers, OPSM, Bupa Optical, Bailey Nelson and Oscar Wylee – that employ 75 per cent of practising optometrists.

Some optometrists working for the major corporations claim their employers are prioritising profits over health, and they say they are being pressured to hit sales targets, rush consultations and turn away people with eye infections and more serious medical conditions during peak spending periods.

Herald health reporter Rachel Rasker has reviewed more than 80 internal reports and correspondence that expose the corporate business models of optometry........

© The Sydney Morning Herald