Blackburn South
156 Canterbury Rd
Blackburn South 3130
vic
03 9877 6288
Fax:
03 9894 2691
Camberwell
27 Denmark Hill Rd
Hawthorn East 3123
vic
03 9882 1347
Fax:
03 9882 3312
Coburg
97 Bell St
Coburg 3058
vic
03 9354 8611
Fax:
03 9354 9136
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Dr Christolyn Raj (she/her) is a Melbourne-trained ophthalmologist. One of her subspecialty areas is cataracts and laser-assisted cataract surgery, having worked closely with those who pioneered this technique in Australia during her post-fellowship years.
Dr Raj is also highly experienced in the treatment of retinal disease including age-related maculopathy, diabetes and retinal vein occlusion. She has established herself as a key figure in the field of retinal medicine, with several years of active research to her name, particularly in the area of diabetes. Her current research affiliation within the University of Melbourne is looking into novel therapies for the early treatment of diabetic maculopathy. Dr Raj has also established an eye injection clinic at Vision Eye Institute Blackburn South.
In addition to her retinal expertise, Dr Raj has completed a fellowship in paediatric ophthalmology and runs a paediatric clinic at Vision Eye Insitute Camberwell. The clinic receives referrals for paediatric and adult strabismus, amblyopia, myopia progression, eyelid lumps, and paediatric retinal conditions.
Dr Raj is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) and an International Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She also holds the positions of Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne, examiner for RANZCO and reviewer for Australian Journal of General Practice: Ophthalmology Editorial.
Dr Raj is passionate about educating and empowering the community on health issues. She has featured on A Current Affair to promote the need for diligence in monitoring chronic eye disease, and is a regular contributor to promotional material used to launch the annual Macular Degeneration Awareness Week campaign.
Dr Raj's philanthropic work has led to her establishing the 'Teddy Bear Eye Hospital’ featured in the annual Good Friday Appeal at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. A simulated hospital for children, the Teddy Bear Eye Hospital helps to motivate children's interest in eye health while removing the stigma associated with visits to the ophthalmologist.
Dr Raj continues to be an ambassador for Vision Australia, a not-for-profit organisation devoted to caring for vision-impaired individuals. She has pioneered several hospital and community programs that educate the community about Vision Australia services, and is a benevolent supporter of Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight.
Her philanthropic work in the area of indigenous eye health is remarkable. Having worked in indigenous communities throughout her medical training, she now partners with not-for-profit teams to investigate how to deliver outreach services to these communities.
Dr Raj’s early research with investigators at the Save Sight Institute in New South Wales looked at pathological processes of drusen that led to the irreversible sequelae in age-related macular degeneration. This research contributed to the understanding of this disease process, and has been instrumental in determining how the disease is managed today. Today, she dedicates much of her clinical time to investigating the pathological processes behind other retinal diseases, in particular, diabetic retinopathy.
Dr Raj is currently involved in clinical trials investigating outcomes of patients presenting with cataract and diabetic retinopathy. She is also an affiliate of Professor Wilson Berka’s clinical research group looking at complications of diabetic retinopathy, The Baker IDI and The University of Melbourne. She has co-authored a chapter on diabetic retinopathy in a renowned medical textbook – Textbook of Vascular Disease, Elsevier Press.
In the area of cataract surgery, Dr Raj’s work focuses on the impact of cataract surgery for predisposed individuals with retinal disease. She is also currently investigating refractive outcomes of patients with high myopia, focusing on refractive options and retinal changes.
Dr Raj continues to co-edit and author key feature articles contributing to the Continuing Professional Development of optometrists in the ophthalmic magazine, Mivision.
Through her role as a RANZCO clinical tutor and examiner for ophthalmology trainees, she is presently conducting an audit into surgical training and looking at ways in which this can be enhanced through the use of web-based technology.
