Australia Day recognises its eye health community

Professor Paul Mitchell

Australia Day recognises its eye health community

Several ophthalmologists and members of the general public dedicated to helping those with low vision were recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours announcement.

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

Sydney-based, internationally-renown researcher Professor Paul Mitchell was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service, especially in the management of age-related macular degeneration. “The Order of Australia recognises Paul’s extraordinary contribution in the fields of public health, ophthalmic epidemiology and clinical research, advancing the knowledge bank of research into macular disease. It also recognises Paul’s daily work in the clinic which has saved the sight of thousands of Australians,” said the Macular Disease Foundation, Australia in a statement.

Professor Mitchell was instrumental in initiating and leading the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which started in 1992 and is now globally recognised as one of the most significant ophthalmic epidemiology studies, spawning numerous papers and new research focuses.

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Ophthalmologists, Dr Ross Littlewood and Associate Professor Philip House from Western Australia were both made Members of the Order of Australia for their work as ophthalmologists, particularly for their work with the East Timor Eye Program.

Since first going over to help the former Indonesian province in 2006, when it was still considered a war zone, eye services have improved dramatically, Dr Littlewood told The Australian, so the focus of his work in the region has now switched from providing eye services to training local doctors.

A/Prof House meanwhile, recently completed 25 years service to the Pilbara for which he was awarded an “Extraordinary Contribution to Outreach Services” by Rural Health West.

Others named as Members for their services to the blind were Robert Last and Dr Gill Gale, both from Victoria. Last was named for his “significant service to children who are deaf, deafblind or have low vision, and their families, particularly to those with Charge Syndrome.” While educational consultant Dr Gale, from the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind in Melbourne, was noted for her “significant service to children who are blind or have low vision… and to learning support and education integration programs.”

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

Others awarded Medals of the Order of Australia were:

Ophthalmologist, Associate Professor Julian Rait of the University of Melbourne for services to ophthalmology and the development of overseas aid;
Winston (Win) Jones for services to the international community particular through eye health programs, including the Rotary Project, ‘Bali Eye Clinic’ and The John Fawcett Foundation, that supports blindness prevention in Indonesia; and
Marg and Roy Veltheim of Queensland for their volunteer work helping members of their local community who are blind or have low vision.