ZEISS has formed a new Myopia Advisory Board, a think-tank of leading experts – including three Australians – whose scientific and practical knowledge will support the company’s innovations in myopia management.
ZEISS, which has been engaged in myopia-related R&D and practice for the past 15 years and is working on solutions for progressive and high myopia management, said the advisory board was born out of the need to integrate diverse scientific perspectives for basic and application-oriented research more closely into its innovation processes.
Sydney-based Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg, head of global myopia management at ZEISS Vision Care, is heading up the Myopia Advisory Board comprising 14 experts from clinical practice, academia and the business world who will independently advise the company on its myopia-related activities.
Australians on the advisory board include Professor Craig Woods, Adjunct Professor at the UNSW School of Optometry and Vision Science, executive manager of educational development for International Association for Contact Lens Education (IACLE) and vice president of the International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR).
Alongside him is Brisbane-based Dr Paul Gifford, a research scientist and industry innovator, and director of Myopia Profile.com, as well as Sydney optometrist Mr Tim Grant, an experienced executive in vision care industry, chair of the Advisory Board at the Centres of Research Excellence UNSW and Optometry Australia board member.
“Myopia is such an important issue that we cannot view it solely from one viewpoint; for example, from the point of view of a manufacturer or that of a scientist,” Sankaridurg said.
“The condition starts commonly in children but affects them all through their formative years, their educational and professional careers and well beyond into old age for their entire life. Therefore, we have a particular responsibility and the need to be open to a range of perspectives to develop the best possible solution for all those affected.”
ZEISS said its Myopia Advisory Board would aim to offer a holistic view of the condition.
“The independent experts come in from their strength and knowledge to provide us with an unbiased opinion on our myopia strategy and guide us to provide the best solution for each myope,” Sankaridurg added.
The board members are from across industry, science and/or clinical practice in optometry or ophthalmology. It’s hoped this expertise will enable ZEISS to incorporate a wide range of myopia management aspects into business-relevant decisions. Ultimately, the aim is to offer holistic solutions that consider myopes of all ages.
“They also bring in global and regional perspectives. Millions are affected worldwide and especially in Asia but in addition to this regional variation in prevalence, there are regional variations in practice patterns,” Sankaridurg said.
“Our advisory board members come from a range of specialist areas from across the world and have generously donated their time and expertise to support this important work. We now have a diverse team of global experts supporting us in our evidence-based myopia work.”
The ZEISS Myopia Advisory Board was established in 2023 and will meet at regular intervals. As chair, Sankaridurg manages the expert network and is supported by Woods who is the secretary of the board.
ZEISS Myopia Advisory Board
Prof Craig Woods – Adjunct Professor at the UNSW School of Optometry and Vision Science, and executive manager of Educational Development for IACLE and vice president of the ISCLR.
Prof Cristina Álvarez Peregrina – Lecturer and researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid, where she teaches general optometry, paediatric optometry, and clinic.
Dr Thomas Aller – Optometrist and researcher in myopia control methods and devices.
Dr Dwight Akerman – Optometrist and experienced executive in vision care industry. He serves as the chief medical editor at Review of Myopia Management.
Prof Dominique Bremond-Gignac – Professor of Ophthalmology and head of the Ophthalmology Department with paediatric subspecialty and ocular surface at University Hospital Necker-Enfants malades and Paris University in Paris.
Dr Paul Gifford – A research scientist and industry innovator based in Brisbane, Australia. Director of Myopia Profile.com
Tim Grant – Optometrist and experienced executive in vision care industry, chair of the Advisory Board at the Centres of Research Excellence at UNSW and board member of Optometry Australia.
A/Prof Lisa Ostrin – Associate Professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
Dr Sotiris Plainis – Research Fellow at the Laboratory of Optics and Vision, School of Medicine, University of Crete and a Visiting Research Fellow of Aston University.
Dr Hema Radhakrishnan – Senior Lecturer in Optometry, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester and registered optometrist in the UK.
Prof Mark Rosenfield – Professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. Serves as the editor in chief of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics.
Prof Tien Wong – Professor at Tsinghua University, ophthalmologist and physician-scientist.
Prof Lan Weizhong – Ophthalmologist and Professor at Central South University, China and the vice director of Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science.
Prof Xu Xun – Doctoral Supervisor at the Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine and director of the National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases.
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