Professor Dame Helen Danesh-Meyer with husband Michael Danesh-Meyer

New Zealand’s first female professor of ophthalmology, Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, is now a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM) for services to ophthalmology after receiving the award in the King’s 2026 New Year Honours List.

Prof Danesh-Meyer, who holds the Sir William and Lady Stevenson Professorship in Ophthalmology at the University of Auckland, is “New Zealand’s pre-eminent authority, and an internationally recognised leader in the clinical science of interactions between the brain and the eye”, the nomination read. Since she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2023, Prof Danesh-Meyer has made further contributions on the international stage as president of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Society of Australia, the first New Zealander to hold this post.

In 2025, Prof Dame Danesh-Meyer received multiple accolades placing her right at the top of her field, including being named as one of The Ophthalmologist’s Power List top 10 international glaucoma specialists. She was also made a fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, Aotearoa’s highest academic honour, recognising her “outstanding leadership in neuro-ophthalmology and glaucoma” and her contribution to translational research bridging cutting-edge science with meaningful patient outcomes.

“This recognition should be understood less as an individual honour and more as a statement about the maturity and scope of ophthalmology in New Zealand,” Prof Danesh-Meyer told NZ Optics. “It reflects the increasing visibility of our field as one that sits at the intersection of clinical excellence, neuroscience, technology and population health. Ophthalmology in New Zealand has consistently punched above its weight internationally and this recognition underscores the value of clinician-scientists, translational research and locally led innovation that delivers global impact.

“It is also gratifying because it shines a light on causes that I am deeply committed to, including Glaucoma NZ, Women in Vision and the Vision Research Foundation,” she added.

Starting out, there were very few women in senior roles in ophthalmology, Prof Danesh-Meyer said. “What was immediately clear, however, was that talent was abundant. The problem was never capability – it was visibility, access and the absence of clear pathways into research and leadership.”

While women are now better represented in training and early career stages, they remain under-represented in senior academic, leadership and decision-making roles, she said. “Recognition at this level helps to normalise women’s presence in those spaces and, importantly, shifts expectations about who is seen as a leader. If this recognition helps accelerate that shift, then it has served a purpose beyond the individual.”

Legacy of advocacy and service honoured 

Eye Health Aotearoa co-chair Chrissie Cowan (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāti Porou) is also on the 2026 honours list. She is now an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to Māori, particularly blind and low-vision people.

“This honour is an affirmation that the voices of not only myself but those who have supported me to this point, those who came before me and whom I work with currently, are making a difference,” Cowan said. “For me [this work] is about our future generations, my daughter, my mokopuna and my whānau. An Aotearoa, where they are thriving, confidently accessing eye health services and support before, rather than at, a time of crisis. An Aotearoa, where my mokopuna can stand with two feet on the land, proud of their rich heritage, pursue their dreams and celebrate the achievements of their nana and ancestors.”

At the helm of Kāpō Māori Aotearoa (KMA) since 2011, Cowan has made significant contributions to initiatives aimed at supporting tāngata whaikaha* Māori to live self-determined and fulfilling lives, the nomination read. In 2022, Cowan spearheaded the partnership between RANZCO and KMA to address disparities in Māori eye health.

Throughout her career, Cowan has championed culturally responsive and inclusive approaches to service delivery and has served as a member of the Whānau Ora Transformation Group and chair of Access Alliance (a coalition advocating for accessibility laws). She advocated for the introduction of the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill and was a key witness for the Wai 2109 Kāpō Māori claim before the Waitangi Tribunal.

On the global stage, Cowan recently presented at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness conference in Kathmandu and is on the Aotearoa Independent Monitoring Mechanism for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

*People of strength/enabled people