About Me: I have been working in the field of optometry and vision science for many years which has helped provide me with expertise in retinal anatomy and neurochemistry. I have a background in both academic and research based optometry along with this I have maintained a practice throughout my career.

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Optometry (University of Melbourne, Australia 1981)

Master of Science in Optometry (University of Melbourne, Australia, 1988)

Doctor of Philosophy (University of Houston, Texas, USA, 1988)

Postgraduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics A and B (University of Melbourne, 2002)             

Research:

My research goals: To reduce preventable blindness by identifying eye disease before irreversible vision impairment occurs and to identify the fundamental processes that occur in ocular disease.

Research in Detail: Retinal anatomy, physiology and pathology; Retinitis Pigmentosa; Glaucoma; Structure-function relationship with retinal disease; Ocular disease diagnosis using imaging modalities; Correlating advanced imaging with genetic findings; see: http://www.optometry.unsw.edu.au/research/our-research; clinical pathways in hospital referrals; evaluating collaborative care.

Current Student Projects (PhD and Honours):  Multimodal evaluation of macular structure and function in age related macular degeneration; Spatiotemporal characteristics in ocular disease; Structure-Function in Glaucoma; retinal remodelling in retinal dystrophy.

Professional affiliations and service positions: Member of Optometric Association of Australia; Member of New Zealand Association of Optometrists; Member of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO); Australian representative on the Scientific & Medical Advisory Board of Retina International (2003-present); Member of Scientific & Medical Advisory Committee of Retina Australia (2003-present); Board of Clinical and Experimental Optometry (Present).

Awards & Achievements:  Paxinos-Watson Prize from the Australian Neuroscience Association (2008); Stella Ehrhardt Memorial Fellowship from the University of Houston (1987); Ophthalmology fund of the National Academy of Sciences (1987); Sigma-Xi Graduate Student Research Achievement Award (1987); Sigma-Xi Sigma-Xi-Grants-in-aid from the Edmond and Marianne Blaauw memorial fund (1987); American Optometric Association Scholarship (1985-7); Sigma-Xi Grants-in-aid (1986)

Research Groups

• Centre for Eye Health Research Group
• Retinal Networks Laboratory

Research Topics

• Glaucoma management
• Posterior ocular disease diagnosis through ocular imaging
• Retinal anatomy, neurochemistry, physiology and pathology