About me:
My research focuses on evidence-based eye care, eye care quality and health education. This research used both qualitative and quantitative methods to measure quality of eye care delivery, understanding of, attitude towards, and competence in evidence-based practice. Our multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional group has developed and adapted resources to support the use of evidence-based practice by optometry students and practitioners in Australia and New Zealand and across t...
About me:
My research focuses on evidence-based eye care, eye care quality and health education. This research used both qualitative and quantitative methods to measure quality of eye care delivery, understanding of, attitude towards, and competence in evidence-based practice. Our multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional group has developed and adapted resources to support the use of evidence-based practice by optometry students and practitioners in Australia and New Zealand and across the world (www.eboptometry.com).
A parallel research focus has been on understanding the ocular surface in the healthy and diseased eye. This research uses a mix of the latest clinical and laboratory based techniques to investigate links between the environment and the ocular surface. We have applied these techniques to characterise the ocular surface during contact lens wear, in dry eye disease including meibomian gland dysfunction and ocular allergy.
This research has been funded through government (OLT), external (Diabetes Australia, MD Foundation), internal (UNSW) and industry funding and has supported 18 PhD students.
Education
MPH (UNSW, 2010)
Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics (UNSW, 2010)
PhD in Optometry (UNSW, 2004)
OD (University of Montreal, 1989)
RESEARCH
My Research Goals
Enhance the quality of eye care teaching and delivery nationally and internationally
Measure and promote evidence-based eye care with a focus on optometry
Understanding the ocular surface and factors that promote (e.g. diet) and adversely impact (e.g. lens wear, environment, aging) its health and homeostasis
Research in Detail
My group currently hosts eight graduate students, working on projects ranging from:
Appropriateness of eye care delivery
Addressing barriers to glaucoma and diabetic eye disease care
Neuroimmunology in ocular allergy
Environmental pollution and the ocular surface
Continuing Education in Optometry
Role of blinking in dry eye diagnosis and management
Impact of smartphone viewing on ocular surface
TEACHING & OUTREACH
Courses I teach
OPTM6413: Anterior Eye Therapeutics (https://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/postgraduate/courses/2022/OPTM6413)
Professional affiliations and service positions
Deputy President, Optometry Council of New South Wales (2021-2024)
Member of Board of Directors and Chair of the Examination Committee of the Optometry Council of Australian and New Zealand (OCANZ) (2015-current)
Deputy Head of School at the School of Optometry and Vision Science (2011-2019)
Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (1999-current)
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
National Australian Award for University Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, 2021
Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence, 2020
June Griffith Fellow, UNSW Faculty of Science, 2015
Garland W Clay Award, American Academy of Optometry, 2012
Dallos Award, British Contact Lens Association, 2011
Ian Constable Prize, 2002
Bourse d’Excellence, University of Montreal, 1985
Research Groups
- Dry eye: contact lens wear, innervation and symptoms, sex hormones
- Ocular surface disease: allergy, biomarkers, diabetes, keratoconus, obesity and nutrition
- Ocular therapeutics and drug delivery
- Innovative models of eyecare delivery
- Quality of eye care, evidence-based practice, health systems research
- Publications
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/bushfire-smoke-is-bad-for-your-eyes-too-heres-how-you-can-protect-them-129898 ; published 15 Jan, 2020
My Research Supervision
Improving the appropriateness of primary eyecare delivery including diabetes, glaucoma and AMD (2 UNSW Scientia PhD Scholars, 1 UNSW UIPA PhD Candidate, 1 UNSW RTP PhD Candidate) with Scientia Professor Fiona Stapleton, Professor Lisa Keay, and Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith
Neuroimmunology in ocular surface disease including dry eye disease and allergy (2 UNSW UIPA PhD Candidate) with Scientia Professor Fiona Stapleton and Dr Blanka Golebiowski
Impact of environmental pollution on the ocular surface (UNSW RTP PhD Candidate) with UNSW Dr Blanka Golebiowski and Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania Professor Fay Johnston
Myopia management strategies and their impact on the anterior eye (UNSW RTP PhD Candidate) with Dr Pauline Kang and Dr Alex Hui