It's time to join

On behalf of the Contact Lens Society of South Africa (CLSSA), we would like to take a moment to bring you up to speed regarding our activities over the past 2 years. We relaunched CLSSA at the Eye Focus conference in Sandton in 2015, followed by a national Roadshow and a very successful Presbyopia Seminar in Midrand in 2016.

In October 2017 we embarked on our flagship event, Contact Connect 2017, an international congress which was enthusiastically enjoyed by those who attended and received huge acclaim from the 4 internationally renowned speakers, who rated it as good as any they have attended.

If you participated in any of the above-mentioned activities, you will agree that these functions were an overwhelming success or at the very least informative. Contact lens practice as we know it, is on the verge of radical change if we do not guard it with unity and responsibility. New contact lens modalities, on-line sales, the impact of artificial intelligence and regulatory changes classifying CL’s as “medical devices” are some of the aspects of change that need to be addressed by a body of like-minded professionals who have the interests of the future of their profession at heart.

The CLSSA is not only involved in presenting continuing education events, but is currently actively involved with the much-needed Practice Cost Study. Practitioners also need to understand the importance of having someone on their side relating to the Medical device registration for contact lenses which is being proposed by government in the near future. The CLSSA can only talk on your behalf if we can prove our relevance.

Being a member of the CLSSA would give you access to education, information and more than anything will link you up with colleagues and contact lens clinicians. Contact Connect 2017, 2019 and 2023 highlighted the value and desire for “networking” with colleagues and industry members and this will again be a core focus of the next ContactConnect.