Vision Eye Institute’s Professor Gerard Sutton and Professor Frank Martin have been honoured in this year’s AP EYE 100 list, announced recently at the 40th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress in New Delhi, India.
They were among 13 Australasian ophthalmologists honoured in the group.
Released biennially by the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology, the list recognises “the top 100 most influential and inspiring ophthalmologists from the Asia-Pacific region who have made significant contributions to ophthalmology in the region and beyond”.
Prof Sutton has spent more than two decades addressing preventable blindness in underserved communities, working in Cambodia and Myanmar since 1997.
As medical director of the Lions NSW Eye Bank, he established the Corneal Surgical and Eye Bank program at Mandalay Eye Hospital, where he is a visiting professor.
“Corneal blindness is a major challenge in developing countries across Asia,” Prof Sutton said.
“I’ve been running projects in Cambodia and Myanmar for over 20 years. Innovative solutions are helping to make important inroads, including our Medical Research Future Fund/BIENCO-funded work on bioengineered corneas.
“Collaboration at all levels is critical for not only treating patients, but also when it comes to research. We’ve built strong partnerships with teams in Japan, Singapore and India.”
Prof Sutton was the first Australian to be appointed to the board of the Asia Cornea Society. In June, he will start serving as an external international examiner for the Hong Kong College of Ophthalmology, further contributing to the advancement of ophthalmic education in the region.
He consults at Vision Eye Institute’s Chatswood and Hurstville clinics in Sydney.
Prof Martin has long been dedicated to improving eyecare for children across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly through leadership and capacity-building initiatives.
In 2008, Prof Martin established the Asia-Pacific Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology Society (APSPOS) to support the advancement of paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus care in the region. He is the current president of APSPOS and a past president of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council.
Prof Martin consults at Vision Eye Institute Chatswood.
The other Australasians named in the top 100 were Prof Hugh R Taylor, Prof Charles McGhee, Prof Robert J. Casson, Prof Andrew Chang, Prof Ian Constable, Prof Helen Danesh-Meyer, A/Prof Paul Healey, Professor David A Mackey, Prof Keith Martin, Prof Ian Morgan, Prof Stephanie Watson.
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