UNSW School of Optometry and Vision Science alumni and leader in optometry governance, Ms Christine Craigie, has passed away.
In a tribute shared on Facebook, the school described Craigie as a “passionate and tireless supporter of the optometry profession and our school”.
“She served on our advisory board, spearheaded the legislative changes in therapeutic prescribing, helped set up our relationships with the late Micheal Knipe and the Hobart Hospital Eye Clinic experience and supported the school with funding for therapeutics training,” UNSW wrote.
“More recently she generously donated a fundus camera, now in use at our Stewart House Satellite clinic. These contributions are extra-ordinary and will be long remembered.”
Craigie graduated as an optometrist in the UNSW class of 1980 and started clinical supervision in the school’s teaching clinic in 1988.
“Throughout the 1990s she made significant contributions to contact lens teaching and tutorials. She was an incredibly popular supervisor, highly rated by the students, loved by patients and was a valued and enthusiastic member of the visiting academic staff,” the school shared on its Facebook page.
“Chris was involved in a working group with [the late] Brien Holden to improve clinical teaching in the early 1990’s. She was uniquely US Board certified in Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease and completed the Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics at UNSW in 1991,” it wrote.
Craigie was a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, served on the Board of Optometry NSW/ACT, was chair of the Board of Optometric Registration in NSW and was deeply involved with ProVision.
NSW-based group, Young Optometrists, also paid tribute to Craigie on Facebook.
“For the younger generation of optometrists, we may know Christine Craigie as a wonderful mentor for students at UNSW. Our sincerest condolences to her friends and family,” they wrote.
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