Article in Insight news this month highlighting the need for leadership development for women in STEM as well identifying barriers for progression. Read the full article here

There has been increasing evidence that changes can be seen in the retina in patients with Alzheimer's Disease. The Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) published an article in Nature this week on the using retinal imaging as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring of patients with Alzheimer's disease using commercially available camera called the Metabolic Hyperspectral Retinal Camera (MHRC, Optina Diagnostics, Montreal, Canada). This camera can detect Amyloid Beta in the retina. Read the full article here

Thrilled to share some exciting news! Jane has been selected to join 20 women in the inaugural cohort of the WILD program. What's that you ask? Read more to find out, but what we can say is that sometimes things happen at a perfect time in your life!

We know that there can be barriers to women gaining senior leadership positions and company directorships. The WILD (Women in Leadership Development) program is aimed at early to mid-career women in the Victorian STEM sector and aims to build qualifications, skills and confidence. This will better position women like Jane to obtain competitive senior STEM positions, pursue successful careers and to help get more women on STEM boards.

The program includes the highly sought after Australian Institute of Company Directors course, a two-day leadership skills course and then a third component of mentoring along with real world experience.

CERA - Centre for Eye Research Australia are leading the program under the guidance of the talented project team of Lauren Giorgio, Nadine Brew and Udani Reets who saw an opportunity to help advance women in STEM. The program is generously supported by Brandon Capital Partners and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

You can read more about the WILD Program here www.wildforstem.com

#leadership #alliedhealth #healthsciences #womeninstem #wildwomen

Listening to a senior executive reflect on his career pathway at a student careers night for my son, I found myself captivated by his story. He was invited to help the boys plan and get inspired about life beyond school and to give them the 'If I knew then what I know now' talk. The interesting point about the night was that the year 10 boys were in the back disengaged and the year 12 boys who probably needed it most were noticeably absent. However, I was amongst many other parents, focussed on hearing his insights. He had a unique ability to self-reflect and give constructive advice on how to forge a successful career.

He graduated as chemical engineer from Melbourne University, become a Rhodes Scholar and later went on to be successful in business. He painted a picture of himself at school participating in activities that he didn't necessarily enjoy, nor did he ever imagine that some of those he would revisit later and love. He rowed at school but wasn't passionate about it, never won a race in year 12 and yet went on to row with and later become President of the Oxford University Boat Club. He shared one thing he believed was important to his personal growth. He always had a desire to look beyond the approved path and recognised that he wanted to do a broader range of things. His key message was the importance of building a strong base, getting as many opportunities to learn as possible when you're young because you never know where those skills and experience will lead you later in your career.

I can safely say that my career pathway hasn't been anything of the magnitude of the keynote speaker! Although we share some similarities and I want to take you on my journey and perhaps it might influence you.

As a final year orthoptic student, I had a clinical placement at a clinic in East Melbourne under the supervision of an experienced and well-respected orthoptist. The Ophthalmologist (who now is in his 70's) was a great teacher and a truly inspiring and motivating man. Undoubtedly in my view, I had the best placement of any student in the year. The work was interesting and challenging and it became evident quickly that as a student, I still had so much to learn. As the year came to a close, a new graduate position became available. I wanted the job desperately as full-time jobs at the time were scarce.

I had a competitive streak, so I worked extra hours in an effort to master skills that you never seem to get enough practice with at university. These were skills like retinoscopy, retinal photography and anything that could possibly give me an edge. Ultimately the hard work paid off as I landed at full-time job before I graduated. The learning curve was steep but I had support and good mentors to guide, challenge and encourage me. I am indebted to them for what they taught me.

The most valuable lessons I learnt working there were; 1. If you want to be a good clinician, you need to think about whether what you are seeing is making sense or not. 2. Do it right or not at all. There is zero value in doing a test poorly so endeavour to master your skills and be the absolute best at what you do. 3. If you feel valued, respected and challenged, I guarantee you will work harder, be rewarded and ultimately be a better employee. 4. Never stop learning because it pays off. 5. Find a mentor that you respect wholeheartedly. If they're generous, open and truly honest, they will play a pivotal role in shaping your career journey.

Leaving there are seven years was a hard decision at the time. I knew that I needed to spread my wings, grow and make a change. Using my knowledge from that job, I moved into the refractive surgery field to expand my skills base. The patients were vastly different to what I had been used to. They were young, tertiary educated, demanding and frequently challenged me. They wouldn't accept a 'trust me' philosophy like many older patients had previously in general ophthalmology. The whole experience was such a contrast to what I had experienced before. It was a flashy job with lots of perks and annual international conference trips that provided an exciting change from a more academic focus.

After three years, my career path unexpectedly took a dramatic turn when my family and I moved to Singapore for what was going to be 'a few years' as an expat. I had lived in the same house my entire childhood and never lived outside Melbourne as a young adult. The changes were both exciting and incredibly daunting at the same time. I spent the next 10 years living and working in Singapore, Bangkok, Washington DC and then finally back home to Melbourne. After three short years at home, I headed off again this time to Tokyo and on to Singapore.

Moving countries and summoning courage to find a new job every time reinforced that I could add value, gave me confidence in my abilities and validated what I believed I could do and offer. With each new job came new discoveries, new friends, new skills and a patchwork of unforgettable career opportunities. Putting myself out there in a foreign country to get employment was incredibly challenging, but on reflection enabled me to have some of the best experiences of my life.

After four years back in Australia, I've taken the time to reflect on my career journey so far. If I had to share my version of 'If I knew then what I know now' talk to you it would be this;

1. Have the courage to try new things and if it doesn't work out it's not a failure, but an experience to guide what you do next.

2. Always try to do something beyond what you have already mastered otherwise you will never grow.

3. Take on a job or a leadership role that is challenging and is outside your comfort zone. You will be surprised what you can do.

4. Sometimes you won't see the benefit of something you learnt earlier until much later in your career.

Andrew Michelmore AO said on that careers night that many young high flyers come to him and want career guidance. He asks them what kind of job they want and many of them tell him straight up that they want a job like his. He says don't be impatient. There is plenty of time. Build your base like a pyramid. Get as much experience as you can across broad areas. Be prepared to look beyond the approved path because it's all those early experiences that help build a profile that ultimately shapes who you become.

What experiences have helped shape who you are? Is there a person in your career who has mentored you or changed you?

- Jane

Yesterday I participated in the Dialogue in the Dark Melbourne professional development workshop facilitated by blind or visually impaired guides. The 2hr workshop challenges you to solve a series of problems in the dark. In order to be successful in this team building exercise, you have to be creative, use clear and effective communication and work together as a team with people you don't know. Team building exercises can be challenging enough when you can see the task ahead but you are probably familiar with your group and might easily be able to identify natural leaders in the team. You might also know who you can trust in the group to get a particular task done. In the dark however, it is completely different.

Vision is our dominant sense and we rely heavily on it to interpret what is around us, solve problems, make choices and use it to understand feelings, emotions and gestures. In this workshop, it is pitch black and you are unable to see the facilitator, the space you're in, the group you're with or anything! Your facilitator has a comforting advantage over you with you as the novice and they as the expert in the dark. It is easy to feel a sense of vulnerability, uncertainty and for a few, it may feel very uncomfortable.

We learnt very quickly that the way we solve problems in the light doesn't necessarily work. We had to adapt our strategies, get creative and learn to communicate with clarity. We were terrible at the first task and were determined to improve with subsequent tasks. Everything took longer than expected, particularly with simple tasks like gaining an inventory of the objects the group had. In the light, you can do this in a few minutes then proceed quickly to solving your problem. We had to describe every object or share it with others. Some tasks we were not allowed to use our sense of touch by sharing our objects with others.

There were some very valuable lessons learnt.

1. In the dark, lengthy and detailed instructions quickly lost impact and became confusing. If they were combined with physically moving, it was even more difficult.

2. Using our other senses effectively took time and effort. There was a constant hope that sight would suddenly kick in to help figure something out. A few objects used in the workshop created static electricity that delighted the group when a random flash of light came.

3. It was vital to use standardised tools for measurement. We discovered quickly that describing objects using something arbitrary was totally unhelpful for others. The relative size of objects without being able to share them with others was impossible at first. We could have been far more creative than we were!

4. Communicating an idea, an imagined or created object with others was far more difficult than first thought. It is one thing to visualise it, but to suddenly build it illustrated very quickly that if it wasn't clear, it was easily misunderstood.

5. In the dark there are no preconceived ideas or judgements about people. Who could you trust? What cues could you use to establish trust when all you had was the voice? How could you establish who had the ability to be a good leader in the dark. Was it confidence? Was it clarity? Was it a team player who listened and was thoughtful?

Completing the workshop opened my eyes further to the complexities of living with visual impairment. What are simple tasks for a sighted person can be incredibly challenging for a blind or visually impaired person. It taught me to pause, simplify instructions, be clear in my communications and above all really listen to my visually impaired patients. The workshop taught me that visually impaired people are incredibly resourceful and talented and that we need to do better in our workplaces and society at being more inclusive.

Thanks to our two workshop facilitators who were incredible and to Adam Herodotus and Guide Dogs Victoria for giving me the opportunity to experience Dialogue in the Dark.

To visit Dialogue in the Dark visit https://www.dialogueinthedark.com.au

'Views on Exhibition' was the 2018 theme for this year's July Scientific Meeting (JSM) held at the Rydges Hotel in Melbourne. There was a definite a buzz around the registration desk as delegates arrived en masse. With over 150 delegates, invited speakers and sponsors the Broadway room was standing room only for session one.

Dr Brian Ang opened the session with an informative presentation on MIGS vs SLT and the changing paradigm in glaucoma treatment. He shared videos and discussed advantages and disadvantages of four different types of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery devices (iStent, Hydrus, Cypass and the Xen). To take everyone on a academic journey into quantum physics and biology, Associate Professor Qureshi educated us and discussed the challenges and exciting possibilities of future eye research. Dr Justin Friebel engaged the entire audience with his presentation on a selection of oculoplastics cases that caused collective sighs and gasps during the video of the patient with cannaliculitis and another case involving a toothbrush after ingesting magic mushrooms!

The JSM always maintains a focus on paediatrics and strabismus and Dr Wendy Marshman explored conditions best suited for the use for botox sharing current research and preferred practice patterns. Dr Shivanand Sheth delivered a fascinating talk on Down Syndrome and ocular characteristics of these patients. His key messages were that Down Syndrome patients refractive errors don't change much over time and abnormal accommodation is common so it is critical to test near vision when possible or with dynamic retinoscopy. With that in mind, careful consideration is important when prescribing glasses in these children.

Retinal topics were the theme of session two and Dr Thomas Edwards shared his expertise in gene therapy and his involvement in planning the future of gene therapy trials in Australia. Dr Stuart Keel, a research orthoptist from Centre of Eye Research Australia (CERA) followed with a insightful presentation on artificial intelligence and it's use in areas of retinal and diabetic screening. He discussed challenges and benefits of this technology particularly in rural areas. Jo Lynch, an orthoptist with expertise in electrophysiology, presented three fascinating cases of misdiagnosed retinal dystrophies in children. Her key messages were that in many cases, children with these disorders are often overlooked or misdiagnosed initially. With today's busy primary school classrooms, it is easy for a child with visual impairment to appear to complete tasks adequately. She showed photos of cluttered and classroom walls, visually confusing tasks for prep children and illustrated the inherent problems with the design of many literacy and numeracy classroom tasks.

In session three, the theme was global eye health with a diverse range of topics covered. We were privileged to hear from Dr Graeme Pollock and Heather Machin who were both involved in the recent launch of the Barcelona Principles by the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations. Graeme shared his extensive experience with corneal transplantation and eye banking and how much has changed in recent years. Heather illustrated the importance of choosing organisations that focus on the big picture when volunteering on eye camps and NGO's. She highlighted the importance of capacity building and development, collaboration and using resources and guidelines available from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and World Health Organisation (WHO) and from RANZCO. Myra McGuinness, an orthoptist and biostatistician, shared her research on paediatric pterygium, it's epidemiology, risk factors and and a number of cases she saw when volunteering in Tanzania. Finally, Rosamond Gilden presented her paper on making a difference in Aboriginal Eye Health. With the goal of Closing the Gap by 2020, it was incredible to hear the progress we've made but we are not there yet.

One of the highlights from session four was the outstanding presentations by the two Leonie Collins Prize recipients. The two recent graduates presented with confidence on two distinctly different topics; Peters Anomaly and Amniotic Membrane Grafts in Reducing Corneal Graft failure. This was the first year that the prize was awarded at the JSM meeting and a fitting end to the day. Donna Corcoran took us on photographic journey of the amazing work that Australian Health and Humanitarian Aid (AHHA) is doing in Cambodia to help patients get access to eye care and what orthoptists can do to be involved. To tie the meeting back to Orthoptics Australia, Marion Rivers as federal president, described the OA as an octopus with eight tentacles of influence, highlighting the dedicated work OA is doing for it's members and for the orthoptic profession.

The organising and scientific committees can be commended on their outstanding work in putting together a strong scientific program with an excellent array of speakers and seamless organisation on the day. Well done to JSM team!

Recently, I completed the 30kms Coastrek for the first time to raise funds for the Fred Hollows Foundation. The primary focus of the Foundation is to put an end to avoidable blindness. Fred Hollows left an incredible legacy with his generosity of spirit and his tireless efforts to restore eyesight to thousands of people in Australia and overseas. He believed that no person should be denied access and that the basic attributes of mankind should be to look after one another. When he became ill with cancer, he and his wife Gabi created the Foundation to continue Fred's dream.

The trek day was the end (or was it..?) of a wonderful journey. It prompted me to think about what made this experience so good. Hiking is not new to me. I have done many hikes and a great deal of them more strenuous and remote than Coastrek. To me it was so much more than hiking. I felt aligned the cause, motivated to give back and consequently moved to join the other 500+ teams of mostly women to complete the trek.

Three days prior to the event, the Fred Hollows Foundation released their annual report. The 2017 results speak for themselves. However, it is worth sharing the astonishing global impact of their work. In 2017, more than one million eye operations and treatments were performed. Over 18 million people were treated with antibiotics for trachoma, 100,000 people trained in eye care and 2.5 million school children and members of the community were educated in eye health. To facilitate this work, 66 medical facilities were built, renovated or equipped and finally, the Foundation provided over 3 million dollars in equipment and infrastructure.

Melbourne Coastrek this year raised over $1.6 million to support this work. With so many participating teams, each with a minimum fundraising goal of $2000, it is easy to do the math. That $2000 team goal seemed like hard work in the beginning. We planned an event to fundraise, but as the donations trickled in, we saw the benefits of our shared efforts and we didn’t need to run the event. In the end, we exceeded our goal without too much effort.

I went searching for reasons why as a group it became so much easier to reach our goal. Fundraising research helped shed light on how it works. Team fundraising often brings in 60% more donations than solo. It builds camaraderie and brings in new supporters and increases engagement. When the team support builds momentum, the peer to peer fundraising takes advantages of pre-existing relationships and trust between you and your sponsors instantly increases the credibility of your appeal. With increasing trust, we are more likely to support an organisation that a friend supports rather than one we don’t know. When teams compete, they feel more committed to the team’s goals and in turn, it is easier to share team goals than your own personal ones.

Apart from the science behind team fundraising, there are simply things that make you feel good. Friendships are built and strengthened by achieving success together. There is an increased understanding of the value of what a team can do when you put your mind to it. It gives individuals the confidence to share their own personality and ideas when sharing the team goals and with growing confidence, they are then motivated to spread the word further.

Our team have been friends for years. We’ve lived abroad together, raised our families together and shared life’s highs and lows. Our weekly training, shared pain (of stairs..) and celebration of meeting fundraising goals all strengthened our bond as friends.

On race day, we were nervous! Only two of us had actually done a trial 30kms trek. The day was perfect, the wind was still, the back beach was calm and the view spectacular. Collectively, the chatter of a few thousand participants could be heard over the dunes. The weather improved, the sun came over Point Nepean showcasing our penninsula at its best. It’s hard to describe the emotion of crossing the finishing line with my team mates in something like that. It was a wonderful sense of achievement at not only completing the 30 kms, but that collectively we can do good things. Our team was just a tiny part of the gigantic effort of the Fred Hollows Foundation and its work.

Thank you to all the trekkers, volunteers, to Gabi Hollows, the founding director and to the board who steer the Foundation to continue to do amazing things! Although the trek was the end, the journey hasn't ended for me. It changed my perspective, helped me see that I can make a difference too.

These are our pick for the top Eye Apps. We believe it's a good mix of clinical tools, resources, tracking your CPD points and keeping up to date with what is new in ophthalmology. Let us know what you think?

Recently I had the opportunity to experience Dine in the Dark or 'Dans Le Noir' with Orthoptics Australia. It was an unique, sensory and human experience. Dining in complete darkness with the help of blind or visually impaired guides who were our 'eyes' for the evening.

I think we can all agree that evenings like this can be challenging. Firstly, attending an association event where you don't know everyone. Research shows that people don’t mix well at networking events and they don’t feel good about trying. In fact, we prefer spending more time reconnecting with old friends than meeting new ones. Yet a significant body of research has shown that networking - that is making and strengthening connections with others is important for professional success. Providing social and networking events that are meaningful builds a sense of community that grows pride in it's profession.

Apart from the social challenges of the night, there is no doubt that being deprived of your sight adds a whole new dimension to dining. Just to find your glass, know if your plate was empty, or have any idea whether there was food all over you? Was the waiter behind you or how close was the person next to you?

Dans Le Noir is more than just eating in the dark and it's not just about socialising in darkness either. A Harvard psychologist says that when we meet people for the first time, many of them can size you up in seconds with first impressions. In fact, she says that people judge you based on two criteria when they meet you. That’s trust and respect. Can I trust this person or even can I respect this person? Making connections in complete darkness strips away all those first impressions. It changes things all together. It leaves just your voice. At Dans Le Noir, we sat with friends and colleagues but what if we had sat everyone randomly? So you had no idea who was next to you. No preconceptions, no judgements, no subconsciously putting people in a box. Would it have been easier making small talk in the dark? Do you think the communication might have been more authentic?

Could an evening like this change your perspective of what it might be like to be blind or visually impaired? Not just the obvious physical challenges but the social and emotional impact of vision loss. I encourage you next time when you ask your patients ‘how are you?’ Are you genuinely willing to listen and can you really give as much time as needed?

Atticus said so eloquently to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird ‘You never really understand someone until you consider things from their point of view..’ Despite that lesson early on, Scout didn’t get it until later in the novel when she actually stood on Boo’s porch. That was the moment when she understood what it was really like to step into someone else’s shoes.

I would like to thank Aurore and Edward for hosting Orthoptics Australia and for Dans Le Noir for giving us this unique experience. In particular, I would like to thank our guides for sharing their very personal stories about visual impairment and helping us to ‘see’ more clearly. A truly amazing experience! I know it changed my perspective, but what about you?

Read about Dans Le Noir at

With the buz around the arrival of Luxturna. This is a great article on the history of gene therapy. Progressing from disappointing clinical trial results to becoming a significant part of the future of medicine. Read all about the challenges and highlights in this article from www.sciencemag.org Read here

Orthoptics Australia is the national peak body representing Australian orthoptists. The OA has recently partnered with Association Professionals who have three decades of strategic and operational experience in the not-for-profit sector. As part of the change they have worked together to modernise the logo and style along with launching their new website. This will enable streamlined operations as well as providing new and improved functionality for members. In the staggered rollout, the upgrade will include member benefits such as online access to the journal club, OA online education, OA CPD tracker, portal access with file storage for special interest groups in My OA Groups and access to the online member directory. Visit the new site and explore at www.orthoptics.org.au

An FDA advisory panel unanimously backed Spark Therapeutics Luxturna gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases. The one time treatment will be the first gene therapy approved for inherited disease in the USA. Read the full story from Market Scope.

Fiona Rowe's article describes the impact of post stroke visual impairment on quality of life. Approximately 60% stroke survivors have visual impairment such as diplopia, visual field loss, eye movement disorders or visual perception problems. The article shows importance of early formal visual assessment.

Read the full article here

A new study from Boston Children's Hospital suggests that strong family literacy environment might help rewire brains in children who are predisposed to dyslexia.

Read the full story here

A smartphone adapter specially designed to fit any smartphone has been designed to enable users to capture images of the retina easily without the need for retinal cameras or desktop computers.

Watch the Optometry Today video below to learn more. If you want to support the program visit the JustGiving page or contact enquiries@peekvision.org