CVER Showcase: Paediatrics and Myopia

Andrew Carkeet has a wealth of experience in measuring children’s vision and the biometry of children’s eyes. His Master of Science research showed that children have delayed localization acuity development compared with resolution. He conducted the first study of optical axial length methods in pre-school children and the first large scale studies of optical aberrations in myopic children. His recent research has assessed ocular blood flow in children and methods of assessing the shape of the crystalline lens in paediatric patients, and the psychophysics children’s acuity measurement.

Michael holds a DipAppSc (Optometry), MAppSc in visual psychophysics and a PhD in visual optics. He coordinates the contact lens teaching program at the Queensland University of Technology and has supervised over 25 PhD students. He established the Contact Lens and Visual Optics laboratory in 1990 which has had extensive industry research funding. His research interests have broadly encompassed refractive error development, the visual optics of the eye, contact lenses and imaging of the eye.

Azam completed her BSc (2005) and MSc (2017) in Optometry at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Between 2017 and 2023, she practiced as a clinical optometrist and conducted several research projects. In June 2023, she commenced her PhD in the Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory at QUT, which investigates how different aspects of light exposure affect the human choroid, with an overarching aim to enhance understanding of environmental influences on eye growth and myopia.

Deb is a Wakka Wakka Warumungu woman with family ties to Cherbourg Queensland and Tennant Creek Northern Territory. She is the Director of Indigenous Health (Faculty of Health) and an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Work. Deb co-developed, coordinates and lectures in QUT’s first Indigenous Knowledges Minor, and has lectured in the QUT School of Social Work and Human Services since 2002. For the past 8 years, Deb has successfully coordinated the Cherbourg-QUT Project whereby transdisciplinary student teams collaborate with Industry partners on Aboriginal Community-initiated projects using a participatory action research framework.

Shelley is a Senior Lecturer in Optometry and Vision Science, School of Clinical Science, Queensland University of Technology.  Dr Hopkins is a paediatric optometrist and oversees QUT Health Clinics’ paediatric optometry clinic and runs paediatric clinics (health service and school-based) in Brisbane and in rural and remote Queensland.  Her research focuses on improving access to culturally safe eye care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.

Rohan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Vision and Eye Research, with a research focus on myopia aetiology and control treatments. He is a supervising clinician in the QUT Myopia Control Clinic, and continues to work in private optometric practice at Dwyer and Ross Optometrists. Rohan also frequently presents on clinical myopia management. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and serves as an Associate Editor for Clinical and Experimental Optometry.

Julie is a PhD student at the Centre for Vision and Eye Research. She works as a sessional academic at QUT and practices as an optometrist in a corporate optometric setting. Her PhD research investigates the role of genetic and environmental factors, as well as ocular characteristics, in the development and progression of myopia. The aim of her work is to help prevent and slow the progression of myopia and its associated complications.

Lindsay is a specialist ocular oncology, oculoplastic and orbital surgeon. Lindsay undertook her specialty ophthalmology training in Queensland. She completed her training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in the orbital, lacrimal and plastics team. She then went on to complete a further year of subspecialty training in ocular oncology, oculoplastics and orbit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in the United Kingdom. She has published extensively in her area of subspecialty in peer-reviewed journals and presented lectures and workshops at international conferences.

Ramya graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, India in 2017. Following her graduation, she commenced her career as a consultant optometrist in a private eye hospital. She obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Optometry and Vision Sciences fellowship from L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India, in 2020 where she also worked as a research associate in the Ophthalmic Biophysics Laboratory. In February 2025, Ramya commenced her PhD with QUT’s Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory investigating the characteristics of the crystalline lens in pre-myopic children.

Candice is a PhD student within the Centre for Vision and Eye Research and a Clinical Supervisor at the QUT Optometry Clinic. She completed a Specialist Certificate in the Management of Paediatric Patients (University of Melbourne, 2017) and Advanced Paediatric Eye Care (UNSW, 2024). Her PhD focuses on reducing distress in children during cyclopentolate eye drop administration. Her work will investigate modifying variables such as cyclopentolate pH, drop volume, and delivery mode with the aim to minimise sting and procedural discomfort, optimise administration protocols and improve the paediatric eye examination experience.

Emily is a Senior Lecturer in Optometry and Vision Science at QUT. Emily has a clinical, teaching, and research focus centred on myopia aetiology and control; combining her clinical experience and research expertise to develop and implement the first Australian university-based Myopia Clinic in 2015 at QUT. The success of this clinic has allowed Emily to lead clinical trials investigating the effects of low dose atropine, and the influence of near work and outdoor activity on myopia treatment efficacy. Throughout her career, Emily has been recognised with awards for her outstanding performance academically, clinically, as an educator, and a researcher.

Scott is a Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at QUT, with over 20 years’ experience in vision research.  The primary focus of his research has been to better understand the ocular and environmental factors underlying common childhood refractive errors including myopia and astigmatism.  He is internationally recognized for his expertise in ocular imaging and refractive error research and has been awarded the “Zeiss Young Investigator Award in Myopia Research” for his distinguished contributions to the myopia research field.

Katrina is an experienced vision researcher, clinical optometrist, and educator, with extensive expertise in myopia control, amblyopia, and ocular surface disease and treatment. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; this is an internationally recognised indicator of experience and expertise in learning and teaching in higher education. She has expertise in graduate competency standards, course assessment, benchmarking and accreditation of programs.

Rinkal completed his Bachelor of Optometry in 2014 and worked as a clinical and research optometrist at the Hospital for Children Eye ENT and Rehabilitation Service (CHEERS), Nepal. He has extensive experience in pediatric vision, amblyopia, binocular vision, and vision therapy. His PhD research aims to enhance strategies for accurately measuring visual acuity in preschool children and develop a protocol for measuring preschool vision.

Steve is the Director of the Centre for Vision and Eye Research at QUT. His research focuses on visual optics, myopia, and specialty contact lenses. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the British Contact Lens Association, the Scleral Lens Education Society, the Australian College of Optometry, and the Higher Education Academy. Steve is a Visiting Professor of the West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, and serves as an Associate Editor of Contact Lens and Anterior Eye.

Ann is a clinical paediatric optometrist and academic recognised internationally for her contributions to paediatric optometry research. Her expertise includes abnormal vision development and collaborative models of paediatric eye care. A Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and Diplomate of its Binocular Vision, Perception, and Pediatric Optometry Section, Ann consults at Queensland Children’s Hospital and supervises at QUT. Holding appointments at QUT and UNSW, she researches amblyopia, binocular perception, and treatment regimes. Ann serves on editorial boards and is a sought-after speaker with over 30 peer-reviewed publications.

Ursula completed her optometry training at Cardiff University. She has worked in a variety of settings across the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, including private practice, hospital optometry, academic teaching, and clinical research. She formerly worked as clinical lead within the Education Low Vision Assessment Centre, a Department of Education Statewide low vision service. She has also completed a PhD investigating functional impact of vision impairment.  Ursula supervises in the Vision Rehabilitation Clinic at QUT, and is the director of Special Eyes Vision Services: a specialised Optometry practice for children and adults with complex needs.

Joanne is internationally recognised as a leader in vision, ageing and driving. Her research has focused on the impact of vision impairment and ageing on functional outcomes, including understanding how vision impairment affects driving performance, on factors affecting night-time pedestrian visibility and identifying risk factors for unsafe older drivers. Over the last 30 years she has made a significant contribution to this field through a large body of publications in internationally refereed journals, conference presentations, contribution to health practice and policy (including advice to licensing bodies and health professionals regarding driver licensing standards) and translation of research into standards.