Sydney, Australia, 21 November 2018: Leading international myopia researcher, Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg has been appointed Head of the ‘Global Myopia Centre’ by the Brien Holden Vision Institute.
“Professor Sankaridurg is a globally recognized leader in understanding myopia, its near epidemic proportions and its treatment, especially via visual/optical means,” says CEO of Brien Holden Vision Institute, Ms Yvette Waddell. “She also brings decades of experience as an educator, researcher and clinician, particularly in the area of contact lenses, which makes her a perfect fit in this role, which we believe is critically important in equipping eye care professionals to successfully manage myopia,” she adds.
Under Prof Sankaridurg’s leadership and overarching global perspective, the Global Myopia Centre aims to bring expertise and resources in myopia research, training and global advocacy onto one platform to equip and provide resources for vision scientists and eye care professionals to manage the impending escalation in myopia. The platform hosts several online tools for myopia management, information and resources such as global prevalence data and the popular Myopia Education Program.
Earlier this year, Prof Sankaridurg was named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in the Innovator category, recognizing women who have initiated new products, program or ideas marking success.
“I have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from visionaries in the field. The late Professor Brien Holden taught me that excellence is an attitude that has to be projected in everything one does. Work hard, strive for excellence, be compassionate to those around you and if the situation demands it, stand up for yourself and those around you. Our actions, either individual or collective, will support other women in the future,” said Sankaridurg when receiving the honor.
Currently Prof Sankaridurg is Head of the Myopia Program at Brien Holden Vision Institute. She was previously Leader of the Vision CRC Myopia Program, a 12-year global collaboration to develop optical products to manage myopia, involving partners such as Prof Earl Smith from the University of Houston (U.S.), Prof Daniel O’Leary and Prof Shahina Pardhan from the Anglia Polytechnic University (Cambridge), Prof Mingguang He from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre at Sun Yat-sen University (China), and LV Prasad Eye Institute (India).
Find out more at: www.globalmyopiacentre.org
– ENDS –
About Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg BOptom MIP PhD
Professor Sankaridurg was awarded her BOptom degree from the Elite School of Optometry, Chennai, India in 1989 before working for a number of years at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, India, as the Chief of Contact Lens Services. She then moved to Australia, completing her PhD in 1999 at the University of New South Wales, Australia (UNSW), then took up a position at the Brien Holden Vision Institute (formerly the Institute for Eye Research) and the Vision Cooperative Research Centre, where she has been actively researching myopia for approximately 15 years.
In 2012, Padmaja completed a Masters in Intellectual Property at the University of Technology, Australia. In 2016, she was appointed a Conjoint Professor at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW. Padmaja is a postgraduate supervisor, has over 70 articles in peer reviewed journals, is a co-inventor on 14 patents/applications, has authored several book chapters, has delivered many podium presentations including key note lectures and also been involved in media presentations in the area of myopia. In 2015 she received the Garland W Clay award from the American Academy of Optometry as the lead author on the most significant paper published in the journal Optometry & Vision Science, over the preceding 5 years.
About Brien Holden Vision Global Myopia Centre
The Global Myopia Centre brings the expertise and resources of Brien Holden Vision Institute and collaborators in myopia research, practitioner training and global advocacy, all onto one platform to equip eye care professionals and vision scientiststo manage the impending escalation in myopia. The platform hosts the global online Myopia Education Program, several online tools for myopia management, global prevalence data, the latest relevant peer-reviewed references, and information and resources for advocacy initiatives.
For more information: Pamela Capaldi p.capaldi@brienholdenvsion.org 720 232 4262