Adrian Bell
BAppSc(Optom) FACBO FCOVD
Adrian Bell is a popular speaker at optometric conferences, specialising in the areas of binocular vision and paediatric vision assessment. He has lectured widely in Australia, New Zealand and around the world to optometrists, optometry students and teachers. He has a relaxed, engaging style and prides himself on using language that the audience will understand.
Adrian graduated from QUT in Brisbane, Queensland in 1984. He practices in Caloundra on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. His practice sees both children and adults. His passions include family, photography, food and fun!
Adrian was a foundation member of the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO). He is a guest lecturer at QUT School of Optometry and Visual Science. He holds fellowships with the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (USA) and with ACBO. He is a past president of ACBO.
Dr Mei Ying Boon
Dr Mei Ying Boon is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Optics and Radiometry Laboratory (ORLAB) at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Dr Boon is a member of Optometry Australia, the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology and Vision, the International Colour Vision Society and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a representative for Vision2020 (the Australian peak body for eye and vision care in Australia), an Australian Standards Committee member for spectacles lens standards and a nominated representative for Australia on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) working group for low vision aids. Dr Boon is an associate editor of the Journal Clinical and Experimental Optometry. She has published 42 papers and two chapters in optometry and vision science.
Dr Sing-Pey Chow
MBBS (Honours) BMedSc FRANZCO
Dr Sing-Pey Chow is an Ophthalmologist with sub-specialty fellowship training in corneal and anterior segment diseases including corneal transplantation, routine and complex cataract surgery, and pterygium surgery. She is based at Terrace Eye Centre, Brisbane.
She graduated from Medicine with Honours at the University of Melbourne, and completed Ophthalmology training at Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne. She then completed another three years of corneal and anterior segment sub-specialty training in the UK at Bristol Eye Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital before returning to Australia via a placement at Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University, New York.
She has been an invited speaker at conferences including World Cornea Congress and European Society of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Specialists (EuCornea). She has published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals including Ophthalmology and Cornea, and was awarded the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) International Travel Grant in 2016.
Dr Diana Conrad
MBBS(Hons) BMedSci QLD FRANZCO
Dr Diana Conrad graduated from the University of Queensland with first class honours and a University Medal in 1984. She undertook Ophthalmology training in Brisbane and at the completion of her training was awarded a fellowship to undertake training at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Subsequently, she was awarded the Cecilia Vaughan Fellowship to study at the University of California in San Francisco.
Dr Conrad is a member of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
Dr Conrad practices at the Wesley Hospital and is a Visiting Medical Officer at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. She is the Chairman of the Board of the Queensland Eye Hospital Australia's leading ophthalmic Day Surgery, and a partner at Queensland Laser Vision.
Dr Matthew Cranstoun
MBBS., BSc., G.Dip Med Sci (USyd)
Dr Matthew Cranstoun completed his Ophthalmology Training in Queensland and is currently the Oculoplastics, Lacrimal and Orbital Fellow at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and Queensland Children’s Hospital under the mentorship of Professor Timothy Sullivan and has completed a general ophthalmology fellowship at the Mater Hospital South Brisbane prior to this. Dr Cranstoun is a University of Queensland Lecturer in Medicine and Ophthalmology, and is the immediate past Queensland RANZCO trainee representative and has presented at both state and national meetings, as well as publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Paul Griffin
O.D. FAAO FCOVD
An Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist Dr Paul Griffin was appointed as the Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health Services in 2013. In addition Dr Griffin continues appointments as Principle Investigator at Q-Pharm, as visiting scientist at Mater Medical Research Institute and Queensland Institute of Medical Research, and also as Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland.
Dr Paul Griffin's primary research interests include clinical trials in the field of infectious diseases including malaria human challenge and transmission blocking studies, and the molecular detection of gametocytes as well as the detection of antibiotic resistance particularly VRE by mass spectrometry in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
Dr David Gunn
MBBS (Hons 1) BSc CertLRS FRANZCO
Dr David Gunn is a Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon based in Brisbane. He specialises in medical and surgical diseases of the cornea, routine and complex cataract surgery and laser and refractive eye surgery. Dr Gunn practices at the Queensland Eye Institute and at the Mater Hospital both located in South Brisbane.
Dr Gunn graduated from the University of Queensland Bachelor of Science and Medicine programs with First Class Honours. He was awarded the prestigious K. G. Howsam gold medal for obtaining the highest results in the Australian and New Zealand final ophthalmology examinations. He undertook fellowship training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital followed by further subspecialty training at the Bristol Eye Hospital, United Kingdom.
Dr Gunn is active in eye disease research and is involved in the training of surgical registrars and medical students as a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland.
Dr Graham Hay-Smith
MA(Oxon), MA, ACFA(UK), MBBS, MRCS(Ed), FRCOphth, FRANZCO
Dr Hay-Smith is an experienced ophthalmic and cataract surgeon and specialises in retinal diseases and uveitis. He trained at some of the most prestigious teaching hospitals in London, including St George’s, St Thomas’ and Guy’s, St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London. His ophthalmic registrar training was based at the world famous Moorfields Eye Hospital. Dr Hay-Smith completed his training with a fellowship in medical retina at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and at the Western Eye Hospital (part of Imperial College), where he honed skills dealing with diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, HIV ophthalmology and the medical and surgical management of complex tertiary Uveitis and associated cataract.
Dr Hay-Smith has degrees from the Universities of Oxford, Leeds and London and is a member of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive surgeons, The Medical Ophthalmology Society of UK, The Australian and New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists, Euretina (the European Society of Retinal Specialists) and the UK NOSIG (Neuropthalmology Special Interest Group). He sits on the RANZCO Indigenous and Professional Standards Committee.
Mark Hinds
BScApp(Optom), BScApp(HMS), PGBScHons, PGCertOcTher, FBCLA
Mark practices in Teneriffe, Brisbane, Qld. Professionally, his clinical focus is on contact lens applications for the complex cornea, KC, post grafts, OSD, myopia control and corneal complications. He is a provider of RGP and scleral contact lenses for public patients referred in from ophthalmology at tertiary hospitals in Queensland and is part of the Australia / NZ professional relations team for SynergEyes (USA). He an early adopter of new technologies and has an sMap 3D to design freeform rotationally asymmetric lens designs in hyper Dk materials.
Academically, he is a QUT graduate and has completed the grad cert in ocular thera. Before optometry he was an Exercise Physiologist with a BAppSci (HMS) and P/G BSc (hons) (UQ). After teaching in tertiary exercise physiology education and working with high performance cyclists and triathletes, he moved focus to optometry. Starting in 2004 at QUT and now in 5th year specialty contact lens clinics and part of the 4th year specialty contact lens lecture program. In this role, he been awarded the QUT vice chancellor's award for excellence in teaching in 2010 and 2013.
Informally, when Mark is not working, he is either spending time with his family, competitive road and criterion cycling or surfing.
Jason Holland
B.App.Sci.(Hons)(Optom), PGOT, CASA CO
Jason graduated from QUT in 1994 with a Bach. Applied Science (Optometry) with Honors. He commenced work as a locum Optometrist in 1995 and spent time consulting in all corners of Australia. In 2001 he commenced work with Ophthalmologist and Anterior Eye Specialist, Dr Andrew Apel, and has been providing pre and post-operative assistance at his Brisbane rooms to this day. In 2002 he became the National Director of Optometry for the Optical Superstore Group. In 2012 he completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics and became a Credentialed Optometrist with CASA, the Aviation Authority in Australia. He now runs a busy Glaucoma and advanced Dry Eye Clinic. Jason served as a Director and Treasurer for Optometry Australia, QLD & NT, for 9 years until 2017, he also served on the Optometry Australia National Board for three years and currently sits on the Deakin Optometry Advisory Board.
Inez Hsing
BAppSc(Optom)(Hons), GradCertOcTher
Inez graduated from QUT in 2008 with First Class Honours and a University Medal. She was also awarded the Optometry Australia (QLD & NT Division) Clinical Excellence Award, and completed a Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2013.
Inez has worked as a Clinical Optometrist in private ophthalmology practice since 2013. She is currently based at the OKKO Eye Specialist Centre, where she has developed special interest in clinical assessment of macular and vitreoretinal conditions and therapeutic management of anterior segment disease and glaucoma. Inez also joined the Glaucoma Australia Optometry Committee in 2017 and is passionate about early detection and education of glaucoma in the general community.
Inez has guest lectured at continuing education conferences and seminars, and was the alumni keynote speaker at the 2011 QUT Faculty of Health Awards Ceremony. She is active in the training of optometry students and works as a Clinical Supervisor in the QUT School of Optometry’s primary care clinics.
Dr Alex Hui
OD, PhD, GradCertOcTher, FAAO
Alex Hui, is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science at UNSW Sydney. He completed his OD on the Dean’s Honour’s list at the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in 2010, and his PhD, investigating antibiotic releasing contact lens materials, at the Centre for Contact Lens Research, University of Waterloo, in 2014.
He is an author on more than 15 peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications, and has presented at various conferences including in Australia, Canada, the USA and Japan. His research interests include contact lenses, ocular therapeutics, myopia control and drug delivery.
Dr Isabelle Jalbert
Dr Isabelle Jalbert is Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, as well as Associate Dean International and Engagement for the Faculty of Science at UNSW Sydney. Isabelle is an optometrist and public health practitioner who teaches Anterior Eye Therapeutics to UNSW optometry students. She received the 2018 UNSW Science Faculty Award for Teaching Innovation. Isabelle’s research focuses on evidence-based eye care and the ocular surface. She uses mixed method approaches to measure and understand the factors that impact eye care practitioners’ knowledge and their ability to deliver the best eye care possible. Dr Jalbert has authored more than 55 refereed papers and supervised more than 60 research students including 11 PhD. She is Associate Editor for the scientific journal Clinical Experimental Optometry and currently serves on the Board of Director of the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand. She was the 2015 June Griffith fellow and a past recipient of the international Garland Clay from the American Academy of Optometry and the Dallos research Awards from the British Contact Lens Association.
Dr Elias Kehdi
Dr Kehdi is an eye surgeon with special interest in childrens eye conditions such as squint. He has a subspeciality in paediatric glaucoma. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. Dr Kehdi obtained speciality training at Sydney Eye Hospital followed by two fellowships in the UK at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, with intense focus on surgical and medical treatment of paediatric glaucoma.
Dr Kehdi has surgical skills in various areas of ophthalmology such as cataract surgery, and various glaucoma surgeries including goniotomy, trabeculectomy and tube drainage surgery. In addition, he also manages treatment of squint including both surgical and non surgical options.
Mark Koszek
B.Optom, M.Optom, Grad Cert Oc.Ther (UNSW)
Mark Koszek graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1996, completed his Master of Optometry in 2002 and his Graduate Certificate of Ocular Therapeutics in 2012. Mark is a founding partner and the Professional Education Officer of EyeQ Optometrists. Mark is a former councillor for the Optometry Association of Australia (NSW division) and is on the board of the Cornea and Contact Lens Society of New South Wales. Mark was a fourth year clinic supervisor between 2002 and 2015. Mark has lectured extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia on contact lenses, dry eye and ocular diseases. Mark has a special interest in contact lenses, orthokeratology, dry eye, ocular diseases and behavioural optometry.
Graham Lakkis
MBChB(Glas.) FRANZCO FRCOphth(Lond.) FRACS
Graham graduated with his Optometry degree from the University of Melbourne in 1988 and was awarded the Commonwealth Postgraduate Research Award. In 1991 he opened his private practice in the Melbourne suburb of Keilor East. The practice has a strong clinical focus on ocular disease, therapeutic management, specialised contact lens fitting, and advanced clinical equipment. Graham completed his training in Ocular Therapeutics in 2000. In 2008 the practice was selected as a clinical site for the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Community Eyecare Partnership.
As well as private practice, Graham is a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne Department of Optometry and Vision Science, and Lead Optometrist at the University of Melbourne Glaucoma Clinic. He was heavily involved in the writing of the Glaucoma Guidelines for Optometry Australia. Graham is a member of the Optometry Board of Australia’s Scheduled Medicines Advisory Committee and Secretary of the Cornea and Contact Lens Society in Victoria.
Chris Layton
B.App.Sc (Optom) – Hons, MBBS (Hons), D.Phil (Oxford), FRANZCO
Dr Layton is a hospital based private ophthalmologist and a national leader in innovative ophthalmology, with clinical expertise in macular disease, lens surgery and minimally invasive glaucoma interventions. He is the director of the LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre in Brisbane, Australia, and is the founder of Ocugene, a Queensland based biotechnology start-up currently commercialising gene therapies which he has developed to target ocular neovascularisation, uveitis and melanoma. Dr Layton’s work has been widely published in the international literature and has been recognised by multiple international awards.
Dr Lindsay McGrath
B.App.Sci(Optom)(Hons) M.Phil(Ophthal) MBBS FRANZCO
Lindsay is an Ophthalmologist in her first year of practice in south east Queensland. She trained as an Optometrist at QUT, graduating in 2005, then went on to study medicine at the University of Queensland. She completed her Ophthalmology training in Queensland, then worked with the oculoplastic and orbit team at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne Australia. In late 2018, Lindsay returned from a 12 month fellowship at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in northern England, where she studied Ocular Oncology, Oculoplastics and Orbital surgery. She is practicing at the Mater Hospital and Terrace Eye Centre in Brisbane.
Kylie McNeill
BAppSc(Optom)(Hons) GradCertOcTher FBCLA CO
Kylie graduated as an Optometrist from QUT in 2009 with first class honours and was the recipient of the OAA Clinical Excellence Award. She is a therapeutically endorsed and CASA credentialed optometrist, with an advanced skillset in complex contact lens fitting. She has undertaken an observership within the contact lens service at the esteemed Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and was inducted as a Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association in 2016.
Kylie provides an independent optometry service alongside corneal ophthalmologist A/Prof James McAlister in Brisbane. Her areas of clinical interest include early keratoconus diagnosis and management, complex contact lens fitting, dry eye management and myopia control. She also works as a clinical supervisor and guest contact lens lecturer at QUT, and has been twice recognised for her outstanding contribution with QUT Vice Chancellor performance awards.
Dr Emily Pieterse
PhD, BAppSc Optometry (Hons), BAppSc Med Sc, Grad Cert (Oc Ther)
Dr Emily Pieterse is a sessional academic and supervising clinician within the areas of Myopia Control and Ocular Therapeutics within the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the Queensland University of Technology.
Following completion of her PhD in 2015, Emily embarked on a 3 year postdoctoral research fellowship with the Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory at QUT. Her PhD and postdoctoral research into myopia has been published in high ranking peer-reviewed journals, and presented at domestic and international conferences. Combining her experiences as a practicing optometrist and myopia researcher, and specialty interest areas of contact lenses and ocular therapeutics; Emily developed and implemented the first Australian university-based myopia control clinic in 2014 within the QUT Optometry Clinic. Emily delivers guest lectures and tutorials to postgraduate optometry students on topics such as myopia control, optical coherence tomography interpretation, and ocular therapeutics.
Eddie Quinones
Eddie Quinones is the Sales Director at 1stGroup - the company behind the EyeHealth1st campaign, and has a wide range of experience in providing solutions to the optometry and wider health care industries.
Bringing over 15 years experience within the SaaS, IT and Digital environments, working for high profile performance National and International Business to Business organisations to 1st Group, Eddie understands the needs of both practices and patients alike in our ever changing world.
Dr Katrina Schmid
BSc, MBBS, FRANZCO PhD, BAppSc(Opt)(Hons)
Dr Katrina Schmid is an Associate Professor within the School of Optometry and Vision Science at QUT, Brisbane, Australia, where she is course co-ordinator of the Bachelor of Vision Science. She is a research and teaching optometrist with a PhD in optometry. She teaches ocular anatomy and physiology, ocular pharmacology and refractive error development and management. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her research expertise includes myopia, binocular vision, spectacle lens design, ocular surface disease, dry eye, contact lenses for myopia and learning theory. She is a current member of the Written Examination committee of the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) that assesses the competency of overseas trained optometrists.
Dr Tai Smith
BSc, MBBS, FRANZCO
Dr Tai Smith specialises in Oculoplastic, Orbit and Lacrimal Surgery. His subspecialty fellowship was obtained at the UBC Eye Care Centre in Vancouver, Canada in 2012. He is a member of ITEDS, the international Thyroid Eye Disease Society. He has multiple research interests, particularly in Floppy Eyelid syndrome and intranasal caffeine delivery.
George Sondegeld
B.Pharm
George graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from QUT. He now is the Chief Operating Officer and part owner of Your Solution Compounding Pharmacy. He also completed courses in Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration Therapy, Essential Elements of Prescribing Analgesic Compounding and Marketing and Sales for Successful Compounding.
Sarah Sweeney is a therapeutically endorsed Behavioural Optometrist and co-director of the largest independent behavioural chain in Queensland. A QUT graduate from 2000, she also received her ACBO fellowship in 2008. She has held roles as Examination Board Chair for the ACBO fellowship program and has been afforded the pleasure of being a guest lecturer and clinician in the QUT undergraduate program. She continues to mentor and coach optometrists and is active in promoting optometry services through her many connections with allied health professionals. Vision therapy is a mainstay of her treatment protocol and she is passionate about delivering engaging and effective programs to her clients.
Sarah Sweeney
B.App Sc (OPTOM) FACBO. TE.
Tim Thurn
B Optom (UNSW); GDip (Photography)(SA School of Art); GCert Business (American University, Paris)
Tim is Director of Professional Services for Essilor Australia and New Zealand. A UNSW optometry graduate he joined Essilor in 1988 after having worked in private practice for 8 years. From 1991 – 1998 he was an International Product Manager in Essilor’s International Strategic Marketing Department in Paris. During that time he obtained his Graduate Certificate in Business from American University.
From 2000 - 2013 he was Essilor’s regional Professional Services Director and in partnership with the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Tim ran Varilux Academy Asia Pacific across 15 countries, the results of this collaborative work were published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry in March 2012. As well as writing and editing a variety of CPD and business articles, Tim has spoken on technical and marketing topics in more than 40 countries around the world.
Dr Nathan Walker
BAppScOptom(Hons), MBBS(Hons), FRANZCO
Dr Walker is a Gold Coast ophthalmologist who underwent world-class Vitreoretinal Surgery fellowship training in Oxford (Oxford Eye Hospital) and London (Moorfields Eye Hospital) following his general ophthalmology training in Queensland.
He has extensive experience in vitrectomy surgery for routine and complex retinal conditions (such as retinal detachment, macular hole, and epiretinal membrane) as well as complex cataract surgery and ocular trauma. He also manages common medical retinal conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vascular disease.
Dr Walker has published numerous scientific papers, lectured nationally and internationally, sits on the committee that oversees ophthalmology training in Queensland, and was involved in a retinal gene therapy project at the University of Oxford which will be ongoing for several years.
Prof Joanne Wood
BSc (Hons) PhD, DSc (hon), MCOptom, FAAO
Professor Joanne Wood is from the School of Optometry and Vision Science, QUT, Brisbane. Her research focuses on the impact of visual impairment and ageing on functional outcomes, including understanding how visual impairment affects driving performance, the factors affecting night-time pedestrian visibility and identifying risk factors for unsafe older drivers.