Dr Angelica Ly | UNSW Research

Keywords

delivery of health care

health care models

optometry

diagnostic imaging

Fields of Research (FoR)

Optometry and Ophthalmology, Vision Science, Optical Technology

SEO tags

Diagnostic Methods

Hearing, Vision, Speech and Their Disorders

Expanding Knowledge in the Medical and Health Sciences

Biography

I am a Clinician-Scientist and Senior Lecturer at UNSW whose research and teaching focuses on closing the evidence‑to‑practice gap in posterior eye care, especially age-related macular degeneration.

My research refines imaging biomarkers, develops clinician-centred artificial intelligence and decision support, and applies implementation science to improve adoption of new technologies and health communication. This work enables more accurate frontline diagnosis, sharper prognostics, and system-level improvements so the right patients receive the right care at the right time.

PhD projects on offer (Jan 2026, to apply, send your CV to a.ly@unsw.edu.au)

My Grants

2025 UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme (RIS): From Imaging to Insight: Advancing Retinal Disease Detection with Hyperspectral Detection with Hyperspectral Technology at UNSW, $131,499
2025 Macular Degeneration Research Grant from the Estate of the late Peter Anthony John Vild: Chat me up: designing a clinician and patient-verified chatbot to support AMD education beyond the consulting room, $19,824
2023 Macular Degeneration Research Grant from the Estate of the late Peter Anthony John Vild: ‘I spy with your little eye’ – using gaze tracking to identify barriers to OCT interpretation in age-related macular degeneration, $19,999
2023 Future Vision Foundation: Predicting Future Vision of Patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration, $24,977
2023 UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme (RIS): Spectralis Imaging Platform, $165,939
2021 Australian Human Rights Institute Small Grants Funding Scheme: Understanding health inequity and access to eye care in NSW/ACT, $2000
2020 Brolucizumab (RTH258) investigator-initiated research program, Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Attitudes and Barriers to Care in Age-related Macular Degeneration: The ABCs of AMD, $395,533

My Qualifications

Associate Fellow, Higher Education Academy, 2023
Fellow, American Academy of Optometry, 2017
Doctor of Philosophy (Vision Science), UNSW Sydney, Thesis title: Multimodal imaging in age-related macular degeneration, 2018
Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics, UNSW Sydney, 2014
Bachelor of Optometry (Honours class 1), UNSW Sydney, 2008

My Awards

Optometry NSW/ACT International Women's Day Nominee, 2020
Australian government Research training program scholarship, 2017
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Scholarship for postgraduate studies, 2014 - 2017
Australian government Postgraduate Award, 2014 - 2016

My Research Activities

My research activities are focused on age-related macular degeneration and other posterior eye diseases in the areas of:

Imaging Science & Clinical Validity: Establishing what matters, how we measure it, and ensuring new imaging modalities are adopted effectively.
Frontline AI & Decision Support: Defining safe, effective roles for artificial intelligence and decision tools that people can trust and use.
Implementation Science, Health Communication & Equity: Turning evidence into action through multistakeholder co-design, communication, and systems design.

A listing of my previous publications can be found at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Angelica+Ly