Dr Mei Tan is a fellowship-trained vitreoretinal surgeon and medical retina specialist. She specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of all retinal conditions, including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusions. She is an experienced retinal surgeon and performs complex vitreoretinal operations including all forms of macular surgery, diabetic vitrectomy and retinal detachment repairs. Dr Tan is also a highly skilled cataract surgeon and frequently combines cataract surgery with retinal operations. For Dr Tan, it is important to take the time to engage with patients, with the aim of providing patients with individualised care and the best possible experience and treatment outcome.
Career highlights
Teaching
Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne (2014 – present)
Teaching and supervision of ophthalmology registrars, optometry students and medical students at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
Teaching intraocular surgical techniques and advanced cataract surgery to senior ophthalmology registrars at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
Invited lectures at the Australian College of Optometry
Academic review
Reviewer for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Reviewer for Plos One
Reviewer for Eye
Reviewer for Cornea. 2010-2014
Other professional achievements
Consultant ophthalmologist and vitreo-retinal surgeon at Royal Melbourne Hospital
Consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
Executive Board Member Human Research & Ethics Committee, RANZCO
Scientific Program Committee Review Panel for RANZCO
Reviewer of research manuscripts for several leading medical journals
Professional memberships
Australian and New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists
American Society of Retinal Specialists
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Moorfields Eye Hospital Alumni
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
European Society of Retinal Specialists
European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
Awards
Best Retina Poster Award. Annual Congress of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (2012)
ARVO International Travel Grant. Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (2009)
Best Paper Presentation. MRS/AMS/RCP Meeting for Clinician Scientists in Training. The Academy of Medical Sciences, London (2008)
Chopra Travel Award. MRS/AMS/RCP Meeting for Clinician Scientists in Training. The Academy of Medical Sciences, London (2008)
MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship, Medical Research Council (MRC) UK (2005-2009)
Macgrath Clinical Prize in Surgery. Queens University Belfast, UK (1999)
Wilson Medal in Orthopaedics. Queens University Belfast, UK (1999)
Victoria Coleman Medal in Psychiatry. Queens University Belfast, UK (1999)
McQuitty Prize in Medicine and Surgery. Queens University Belfast, UK (1999)
Wellcome Trust Student Prize. The Wellcome Trust, UK (1998)
The British Nutrition Foundation Bursary Award. The British Nutrition Foundation, UK (1998)
The British Medical and Dental Students’ Trust travel scholarship (1998)
Whitla Medal in Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Queens University Belfast, UK (1997)
Ulster Immunology Prize. Queens University Belfast, UK (1997)
Musgrave Prize in Pathology. Queens University Belfast, UK (1997)
Foundation Scholarship. Queens University Belfast, UK (1997)
British High Commissioner’s Award, The British Council (1994)
Education & training
Bachelor of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics, Queens University of Belfast, UK
Doctor of Philosophy, University College London, UK
Ophthalmology training at the teaching hospitals of The University of Oxford and Oxford Eye Hospital
Honorary Medical Retina Fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
Fellowship in Vitreo-retinal surgery at the the Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Royal Perth Hospital
Fellowship in Vitreo-retinal surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital
International Fellowship in Ocular Oncology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Additional languages spoken
Cantonese
Malay
Personal life
Clinics and research aside, Dr Tan enjoys spending time with her family and her young children.
Research & publications
Dr Tan is an active contributor in the field of retinal medicine, with over 10 years of clinical and scientific research in retinal diseases. Her interest in inherited retinal diseases led her to complete a PhD in genetics and molecular biology, where she worked on the development of gene therapy treatment for an inherited retinal disease. Presently, Dr Tan dedicates her efforts to clinical research. She serves as an investigator for ongoing clinical trials in age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Dr Tan also collaborates with other hospitals and clinics on clinical research projects. She continues to pursue her personal research interests, including the evaluation of surgical outcomes in retinal and cataract surgery, retinal imaging and retinal vascular diseases.
Chen H, Tan MH, Pomerleau D, et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. Mar 2020;258(3):653-661.
doi: 10.1007/s00417-019-04549-y.
Harttamponade ten gevolge van een pancreaspseudocyste in het hemediastinum
MH Tan, G Kirk, P Archibold, P Kennedy, MC Regan Somato Selectief. issue 2-2003:14-15.
Progressive Ulnar Neuropathy Caused by Delayed Migration of a Foreign Body
Choudhari KA, Muthu T, Tan MH British Journal of Neurosurgery. 2001;15(3): 263-265.
Papilloedema as the Sole Presenting Feature of Chiari I Malformation
Choudhari KA, Cooke C, Tan MH, Gray WJ British Journal of Neurosurgery. 2002 ; 16(4):398-400.
Delayed Post-surgical Development of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula after Cervical Meningocoele Repair
Flannery T, Tan MH, Flynn P, Choudhari KA Neurology India. 2003; 51(3): 390-391.
Penetrating Head Injury Caused from an Electrical Plug
Tan MH, Choudhari KA Injury. 2003; 34(12):950-953.
Cardiac Compromise due to a Pancreatic Mediastinal Pseudocyst
Tan MH, Kirk G, Archibold P, Kennedy P, Regan MC European Journal of Gastroenterology Hepatology. 2002; 14(11): 1279-1282.
Fibrosarcoma of the Brachial Plexus Presenting in Childhood
Tan MH, Kirk G, Clements WD, Choudhari KA British Journal of Neurosurgery. 2003;17(4):361-364.
Use of Nerve Growth Factor to Treat Congenital Neurotrophic Corneal Ulceration
Tan MH, Bryars J, Moore J Cornea. 2006; Vol 25(3):352-355.
Corneal Perforation due to Severe Peripheral Ulcerative Keratitis in Crohns Disease
Tan MH, Chen SD, Rubinstein A, Bron AJ Cornea. 2006; 25(5):628-630.
Gene Therapy Progress and Prospects: The eye.
Bainbridge JW, Tan MH, Ali RR Gene Therapy. 2006; 13(16):1191-1197.
An Unusual Fundus Phenotype of Inner Retinal Sheen in X-Linked Retinoschisis
Robson AG, Mengher LS, Tan MH, Moore AT Eye. 2009; 23(9): 1876-1878.
Gene therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa and Leber Congenital Amaurosis caused by Defects in AIPL1: Effective Rescue of Mouse Models of Partial and Complete Aipl1 Deficiency using AAV2/2 and AAV2/8 Vectors
Tan MH, Smith AJ, Pawlyk B, Xu X, Liu X, Bainbridge JB, Basche M, McIntosh J, Tran HV, Nathwani A, Li T, Ali RR Human Molecular Genetics. 2009; 18(12): 2099-2114.
Gene Therapy with a Promoter Targeting Both Rods and Cones Rescues Retinal Degeneration Caused by AIPL1 Mutations
Sun X, Pawlyk B, Xu X, Liu X, Bulgakov OV, Adamian M, Sandberg MA, Khani SC, Tan MH, Smith AJ, Ali RR, Li T Gene Therapy. 2010; 17(1): 117-131.
Teaching video neuroimages: acute Adie syndrome
Wakerley BR, Tan MH, Turner MR Neurology. 2012; 79(11) e97.
Outcomes of perfluoro-n-octane tamponade for retinal detachment associated with giant retinal tear
Tan MH, Pomerleau D, Lock J, Isaacs T, McAllister IL IOVS 2014; 55(13): ARVO E-Abstract 1110. Poster.
Changes in central retinal venous pressure after central retinal vein occlusion and implications on visual outcome and retinal ischemia
Tan MH, Smithies L, McAllister IL. American Academy of Ophthalmology 2013. Poster no. PO243.
The efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab versus standard grid laser for macular edema following branch retinal vein occlusion
Tan MH, McAllister IL, Gillies ME, Verma N, Banerjee G, Smithies L, Wong WL, Wong TY RANZCO Annual Congress 2012. Best poster award.
Disease characterisics of multiple sclerosis patients presenting with optic neuritis
Wakerley BR, Tan MH, Ryan S, Palace J IOVS 2011; 52: ARVO E-abstract 3877. Poster.
Clinical spectrum of patients with AIPL1 mutations in recessive inherited retinal dystrophies
Tan MH, Tran HV, Smith AJ , Henderson R, Russell-Eggitt I, Robson AG, Webster AR, Holder GE, Ali RR, Moore AT IOVS 2010; 51: ARVO E-abstract 3087. Poster.
Phenotype and genotype correlations of AIPL1 mutations in recessive inherited retinal dystrophies
Tan MH, Smith AJ, Mackay DS, Cowing J, Tran HV, Henderson RH, Russell-Eggitt I, Robson AG, Webster AR, Holder GE, Ali RR, Moore AT American Academy of Ophthalmology 2010. Program no. 30024662. Paper presentation.
Comparative analysis of AIPL1 mutations in recessive inherited retinal dystrophies
Tan MH, Tran HV, Smith AJ, Henderson RH, Moradi P, Russel-Eggitt I, Cheetham ME, Webster AR, Ali RR, Moore AT IOVS 2009; 50: ARVO E-abstract 4127. Poster.
Clinical and electrophysiological findings in autosomal dominant macular dystrophy due to Rds/Peripherin gene mutation
Tran HV, Tan MH, Robson AG, Wright G, Ramsden S, Black GC, Webster AR, Holder GE, Moore AT International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology and Vision, Annual Meeting 2009. Paper presentation.
Five novel mutation in the Rds/Peripherin gene in patients with autosomal dominant macular dystrophy
Tran HV, Tan MH, Wright G, Robson AG, Holder GE, Michaelides M, Holder NH, Black GC, Webster AR, Moore AT IOVS 2009; 50: ARVO E-abstract 4114. Poster.
Gene replacement therapy leads to photoreceptor survival and restores beta phosphodiesterase localization to outer segment in AIPL1-related retinal dystrophy
Tan MH, Smith AJ, Pawlyk B, Li T, Ali RR IOVS 2008; 49: ARVO E-abstract 1130. Paper presentation.
Development of gene therapy for a severe inherited retinal dystrophy caused by mutations in AIPL1
Tan MH Medical Research Society Annual Meeting 2008. Best paper presentation.
Peripheral limbal relaxing incisions for the correction of naturally-occuring astigmatism at routine cataract surgery
Piminedes D, Tan MH, Figueriedo F European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Annual Meeting 2005. Paper presentation.
The value of stratus optical coherence tomography in retreatment of choroidal neovascular membranes with photodynamic therapy
Tan MH, Sandu S, Talks SJ IOVS 2004; 45: ARVO E- abstract 3166. Poster.
Analysis and identification of protein material in aqueous of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome
Tan MH, Griffiths P,Wisdom B, Chakravarthy U Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress 2003.
Tamoxifen in the Prevention of Breast Cancer
Tan MH Upjohn Gold Medal in Pharmacology 1995. Paper presentation – Runner-up.
