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Dr Rushmia Karim Ophthalmologist

Dr Rushmia Karim BSc MBBS MMed(OphthSc) MMed(ClinEpi)(Hons) Genomics(PGcert) FRCOphth FRANZCO

Dr Rushmia Karim
BSc MBBS MMed(OphthSc) MMed(ClinEpi)(Hons) Genomics(PGcert) FRCOphth FRANZCO

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Consultant ophthalmic surgeon with over 10 years of experience

Dr Rushmia Karim is a skilled surgeon, performing cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange. She has a special interest in neuro-ophthalmology and performs complex cataract surgery, squint surgery and lid procedures (blepharoplasty).

Dr Karim has a particular interest in providing bespoke eye surgery for her patients, tailored to their visual needs. Understanding each individual’s current and future visual demands is important to her. She is particularly focused on being patient-centred throughout the consultation and communicating the current evidence regarding each individual treatment option to her patients.

‘I have always wanted patients to understand their eye condition and be at the centre of their care,’ Dr Karim says. ‘Understanding the patient as an individual and providing them with the latest evidence-based medicine is what I strive to achieve at every consultation.’

Dr Karim trained in the highly regarded London ophthalmology vocational program, including the world-famous Moorfields Eye Hospital, in cataract surgery and ophthalmology.

Download a copy of Dr Rushmia Karim’s profile here

In Focus

Dr Karim's commitment to patient-centred care

Dr Rushmia Karim in the operating theatre

Dr Karim has a particular interest in understanding the unique visual needs of her individual patients. ‘A one-size-fits-all model doesn’t work in eye health,’ she says.

‘Understanding each patient’s daily visual needs so I can best approach their surgery is key. I want to know whether my patient drives a car, plays golf, paints, or plays an instrument so I can tailor my treatment to their needs. As an artist myself, I know first-hand how important it is to take into account my patients’ hobbies, activities and lifestyle.’

Dr Karim also likes to carefully discuss a patient’s future visual needs to inform her treatment. ‘Future-proofing patients’ vision requires careful consideration. The visual needs of someone who works can be different to someone in retirement. I need to take into account patients’ changing needs as they age.’

Pictured: Dr Karim in the operating theatre with the LENSx laser she uses to perform cataract surgery.

Career highlights

BACKGROUND

Dr Karim completed her medical degree at the University of New South Wales and two Master qualifications at the University of Sydney. She is currently a Clinical Lecturer at Sydney University Save Sight Institute, Department of Medicine and Health.

After working as a doctor at Concord Repatriation General Hospital for five years, Dr Karim was selected to train at the prestigious Moorfields Eye Hospital London in ophthalmology. At Moorfields Eye Hospital and Western Eye Hospital she undertook vocational training in cataract surgery, retinal ophthalmology and oculoplastics. In addition to the six years of ophthalmology training, Dr Karim undertook a two-year fellowship in strabismus/paediatric ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology.

Before returning to Sydney, Dr Karim was the Head of the Paediatric Eye service at the distinguished Prince Charles Eye Unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust, Reading, UK.

Dr Karim was awarded a scholarship with Health Education United Kingdom to further research genomic medicine. She has two children and during her maternity leave she completed a certificate in Genomics Medicine at the top-tier Imperial College, London.

Dr Karim has been extensively involved in research. She has published numerous papers in prestigious journals and has presented her research at conferences around the world. Prior to her return to Sydney, Dr Karim was the Head of the Paediatric Eye Service at the distinguished Prince Charles Eye Unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust, Reading, UK.

Teaching

  • RANZCO college examiner: Physiology
  • RANZCO Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) Speaker Bureau member
  • Clinical Lecturer: Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health
  • Former Educational and clinical supervisor, Vocational ophthalmology program, Oxford Deanery
  • Examiner, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, UK
  • Former Panel member, Ophthalmology Vocational Training Program, UK
  • Former e-learning course contributor in ophthalmology, Plymouth University
  • Former Duke Elder examination revision course tutor, Paediatric ophthalmology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Ophthalmology Society
  • Former Ophthalmic International Tutor, University of Sydney Master of Medicine (Ophthalmic Science)
  • Former Ophthalmic Anatomy Tutor, University of Sydney Master of Medicine (Ophthalmic Science)
  • Former Evidence-based Medicine Tutor, 1st and 2nd year postgraduate Medicine, University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and School of Public Health
  • Former Problem-based learning tutor, 1st year postgraduate Medicine, Concord General Repatriation Hospital Clinical School, New South Wales
  • Former Clinical Associate Lecturer – Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital Clinical School

Committee/board memberships

  • RANZCO Medical Advisory Committee member
  • RANZCO Continuous Professional Development Committee member
  • RANZCO Public Health Committee member
  • Expert panel member, Paediatric Ophthalmology, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
  • Former member, Child protection and safeguarding committee, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust

Other professional achievements

  • Permanent peer reviewer, Dove Medical Press, publications peer-reviewed for Clinical Ophthalmology, Clinical Audit and Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management
  • Former peer reviewer: Reviews for Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Archives of Ophthalmology and BMJ Case Reports
  • Best presentation: ESCRS management of patients with Herpetic eye disease undergoing cataract surgery in the United Kingdom: A survey. European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons: ESCRS Winter Meeting, Warsaw, 2013

Professional memberships

  • RANZCO: Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
  • FRCOPHTH: Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, United Kingdom
  • BIPOSA: Member of the British & Irish Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Association
  • ESCRS: Member of the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons
  • UKISCRS: United Kingdom and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
  • ISA: International Strabismological Association
  • WSPOS: World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
  • NICE: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
  • GMC: General Medical Council
  • Cochrane committee member

Community involvement & charitable work

Dr Karim grew up in Sydney and has strong roots in her community. She plays over-40s women’s soccer and walking football for her local club and advocates for a healthy lifestyle.

She has a prestigious academic profile and is dedicated to high-quality research. She was appointed as an expert panel member with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2018–2020. NICE is the foremost organisation promoting health and social care through evidence-based medicine in the UK.

Dr Karim is a strong advocate for children’s health and safety. She was a panel member for the Children’s Safeguarding Team at Moorfields Eye Hospital for three years and at Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust. She holds the highest certification in safeguarding in the UK and has considerable skills in welfare and protection.

Education & training

  • Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, University of Sydney
  • Master of Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology) with Honours, University of Sydney
  • Master of Medicine (Ophthalmic Science), University of Sydney
  • PG Cert (Genomics) Imperial College London
  • Ophthalmology training with London Network, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, United Kingdom
  • Paediatric and Strabismus Fellowship, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London
  • FRANZCO

Additional languages spoken

  • Bengali – বাংলা

Personal life

Dr Rushmia Karim and her husband.

Dr Karim loves to paint, and her artworks can be seen in our Vision Eye Institute clinics. Her work has been featured in The Ophthalmologist journal’s yearly art edition.

She has also been singing since she was a child, first performing with the Burgundian Consort Choir and Collegium Musicum Choir at UNSW. Dr Karim then joined the Sydney Graduate Choir with the highlight of singing the Messiah at the Sydney Town Hall at Christmas. She participated in this wonderful tradition for over a decade before she left for the UK.

In London, Dr Karim combined her love of singing and children’s health by singing with the London Doctors’ Choir every Christmas at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. She now focuses on community singing at her local church and school.

Pictured: Dr Karim with her husband.

Research & publications

Dr Karim has an extensive research portfolio. She has performed and published systematic reviews including Cochrane reviews, randomised controlled studies and observational studies. This includes the Cochrane review, ‘Corneal collagen cross-linking for treating keratoconus’, which paved the way for the intervention to be funded by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. This paper is widely used and referred to worldwide.

Dr Karim has travelled the world presenting her research findings and has chaired conference sessions as an expert researcher. She is currently interested in refractive lens choices in patients with eye disease/neurological diseases.

She is currently a Clinical Lecturer at the Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine, and Health.

Dr Karim’s artwork

Dr Rushmia Karim's abstract artwork in blues, reds and white.Two of Dr Rushmia Karim's abstract artworks in black, white and grey hanging side by side on a wall.Dr Rushmia Karim's abstract artwork in yellows, reds, pinks and blues.
Read more publications
  • CPD reporting outcomes 2024

    Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) congress plenary session
  • Paediatric ophthalmic services in Australia: review of access across a multi-centre group

    Poster, Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) congress, 2024
  • Paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus

    Invited speaker, Specsavers annual congress, September 2024
  • Myopia

    Invited speaker, Specsavers annual congress, October 2023
  • Safety of phakic intraocular collamer lens (Visian ICL) implantation in 95 highly myopic special-needs children

    Invited expert panel member, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) Journal Club, July 2021
  • Adult strabismus

    Invited speaker, Orthoptics Australia NSW Continuing Education Day, April 2021
  • Paediatric Emergencies

    Royal Society of Medicine, London, December 2019
  • Primary cataract extraction and IOL implantation in the uveitic paediatric population

    European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), Paris, 2019
  • Review of outcomes in paediatric uveitis patients undergoing primary intraocular lens implantation during cataract surgery

    Eposter, British & Irish Paediatric Opthamology & Strabisimus Association (BIPOSA), Manchester, 2018
  • Paediatric Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis impact of on quality of life using Quick Questionnaire

    Rapid fire presentation, BIPOSA, Hull, 2017
    Eposter, European Paediatric Ophthalmological Society (EPOS), Oxford, 2017
  • Diagnostic pathway of optic atrophy in the paediatric population

    Rapid fire presentation, EPOS, Oxford, 2017
    Eposter BIPOSA, Hull, 2017
  • Cochrane review: Optical interventions for nystagmus developing in the first year of life

    Eposter, BIPOSA, Hull, 2017
    Eposter, EPOS, Oxford, 2017
  • Cataract surgery management of complications

    Video presented at the ESCRS Meeting, London, 2014
  • Povidone iodine washing for Giant Fornix Syndrome

    British Oculoplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS), 2014
  • Efficacy of an educational intervention to improve adherence to NICE recommended follow up intervals for Glaucoma. Queens Hospital

    Poster at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress, Birmingham, 2014
  • Uveitic Macular Oedema, a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Poster at The Oxford Ophthalmological Congress, 2013
  • Management of patients with Herpetic eye disease undergoing cataract surgery in the United Kingdom: A survey

    ESCRS Winter Meeting, Warsaw, 2013
    Poster at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress, Liverpool, 2013
  • External versus Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy for Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

    Sydney Eye Hospital Alumni Association Eighth Biennial Conference, 2010
    Poster at The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) 41st Annual Scientific Congress, Adelaide, 2010
  • Conservative Resection and Adjuvant Plaque Brachytherapy for Early Stage Conjunctival Melanoma

    Sydney Eye Hospital Alumni Association Eighth Biennial Conference, 2010
    RANZCO 41st Annual Scientific Congress, Adelaide, 2010
    Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Conference, Sydney 2011
    Poster at The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress, Birmingham, 2011
  • Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Diabetic Macular Oedema

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis

    RANZCO 41st Annual Scientific Congress, Brisbane, 2009
    Midlands Ophthalmic Society Annual Conference Birmingham, United Kingdom, Medical Retina, 2010
  • Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Nasolacrimal Sac

    Poster at RANZCO 41st Annual Scientific Congress, Brisbane, 2009
    London Ophthalmic Society Annual Conference, London, United Kingdom, 2011
  • Local presentations and regional teaching days

    Duke Elder Lecture Imperial course: Paediatric ophthalmology
    Phakomatosis, Queens Hospital regional teaching day
    FEVR: Presentation of the current medical literature: Moorfields Paediatric/Strabismus course
    Stargardt’s Disease, Moorfields Eye Hospital regional teaching day
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