Seeing the bigger picture: Anna Reid on optometry, research, and making a difference

Optometry is often described as the art of helping people see more clearly. For Anna Reid, that idea extends well beyond the consulting room. As both a practising optometrist and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne's Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Anna has built a career around seeing and contributing to the bigger picture. We sat down with her to learn about her journey, her research, and what the Doctor of Optometry made possible.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you're working on right now.

Anna's days look a little different from those of most optometrists. By day, she sees patients at the Australian College of Optometry, but that's only half the picture. Alongside her clinical work, she's deep in the middle of a PhD, investigating how diabetes affects the natural daily fluctuations of inflammatory markers in the eye.

It's a niche but significant area of research, sitting at the intersection of systemic disease and ocular health, and it speaks to Anna's drive to understand not just what she sees in the clinic, but why.

What drew you to optometry in the first place?

For Anna, the path to optometry started with a clear sense of purpose: she wanted a career in healthcare. But once she discovered what optometry actually involved, something clicked.

"I was immediately inspired to work towards helping people improve and protect their vision," she says. It's a profession that demands both scientific rigour and genuine human connection - and for Anna, that balance was exactly what she was looking for.

How did the Doctor of Optometry prepare you for everything you're doing now?

The Doctor of Optometry program, Anna says, did two things exceptionally well: it built her up as a clinician, and it helped her see beyond the limits of clinical practice.

"The course gave me strong clinical knowledge and hands-on skills - a really solid foundation," she reflects. "But it also inspired me to pursue further studies. It broadened my understanding of optometry and showed me that there was a way to contribute to the field beyond clinical care."

That expanded perspective is something Anna now carries into everything she does. The program didn't just train her for a job, but also gave her the tools, and the vision, to shape what that job could become.

Can you share a moment that made you feel proud of the difference you're making?

There have been many, Anna says, and that's the point.

"The moments that stand out are when I've made a noticeable difference to someone's quality of life," she says. "Whether that's through vision correction or early identification of an eye condition - those moments remind you why you chose this path."

It's the kind of impact that is easy to overlook from the outside, but impossible to forget when you're the one delivering it. And for Anna, it's what drives both her clinical work and her research - the knowledge that seeing the bigger picture, in every sense, can change someone's life.

What would you say to students thinking about the Doctor of Optometry or curious about research pathways?

Anna's advice is direct: back yourself, and make the most of every opportunity the program puts in front of you.

"I'd encourage anyone interested in healthcare and research to seriously consider the Doctor of Optometry," she says. "It provides advanced clinical training as well as academic development. The two really do complement each other."

For students who might not yet see themselves as researchers, Anna's own journey is the best argument she can offer. "Take full advantage of the clinical placements and research opportunities," she urges. "They give you a much wider understanding of what a career in optometry has to offer, and there's far more on offer than many students realise."

The course gave me strong clinical knowledge and hands-on skills - a really solid foundation. But it also inspired me to pursue further studies. It broadened my understanding of optometry and showed me that there was a way to contribute to the field beyond clinical care.

Interested in following a path like Anna's? Learn more about the Doctor of Optometry program and the research opportunities available to students.