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A whirlwind start to 2024 for VEI doctors
Our doctors have been busy sharing their expertise and connecting with colleagues at home and abroad! Here’s a peek at some of their events.
Focus Cataract and Refractive Symposium, Sydney (April 2024)
A/Prof Michael Lawless commenced the session with an engaging presentation, ‘The now and the near future for cataract surgery and what to do with AI.’ He took the stage again to discuss intraocular lens (IOL) selection before participating in a panel for the launch of a new lens, the Clareon Vivity.
Other Vision Eye Institute doctors at the symposium included Dr Alex Tan (a panellist alongside A/Prof Lawless), Dr Michael Wei and Dr Raj Pathmaraj.
APAO Congress 2024, Bali (March 2024)
The Friday lunchtime symposium, Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) intraocular lenses, featured A/Prof Tim Roberts, who discussed current EDOF lens technologies and the next-generation EDOF lens – the Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s TECNIS PureSee IOL.
Dr Jason Cheng presented on iTrack, a form of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). He also started his new role as Secretary of the Gateway Standing Committee, aimed at preventing blindness in the region through international collaboration.
SHARED VISION National Webinar 1, Online (March 2024)
Our first webinar for 2024 attracted over 900 optometrists to hear Dr Alex Ioannidis, Dr Lewis Levitz and A/Prof Michael Lawless discuss cutting-edge technologies and treatment approaches that pave the way for more precise diagnosis, treatment and patient care.
Dr Ioannidis presented ‘AI and ophthalmology: Future challenges in assessing the cataract patient,’ A/Prof Lawless presented ‘The now and the near future for cataract, corneal refractive, and what do we do with AI?’ and Dr Levitz presented ‘Medical imaging: Exploring the link between radiation exposure and eye disease.’ A moderated panel discussion followed the three presentations.
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) Victorian Branch Meeting, Melbourne (March 2024)
Dr Joe Reich was an invited guest at the RANZCO meeting held at the Park Hyatt Hotel, where he represented cataract surgeons during a panel discussion.
During the session, he answered various questions from other ophthalmologists about managing challenging cases – specifically with regard to surgical management of age-related long-sightedness (presbyopia). Having implanted well over a thousand multifocal lenses, Dr Reich was able to offer advice on identifying patients who would be suitable for surgical treatment, as well as surgical tips and advice for managing patients following surgery.
Dr Raj Pathmaraj presented a poster on visual loss due to macular disease in a patient who had taken Viagra.
Dr Lewis Levitz presented a case study describing how an unusual foreign body in a patient’s eye was identified during cataract surgery and how it was managed.
Other Vision Eye Institute attendees included Dr Christolyn Raj and Prof Rasik Vajpayee.
American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, San Francisco (Dec 2023)
Prof Rasik Vajpayee jetted to San Francisco for the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, where he conducted two instructional courses on innovative techniques for corneal transplantation and pterygium treatment.
He also delivered a series of lectures on various types of corneal surgery, including a surgical technique he invented.
Keracon: Annual Conference of the Cornea Society of India (Dec 2023)
Prof Vajpayee also travelled to Chandigarh in India to present lectures on corneal surgery at the Annual Conference of the Cornea Society of India (‘Keracon’) 2023. While he was there, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his academic and clinical contributions to ophthalmology, as well as an Honorary CSI Membership. Congratulations on this incredible achievement, Prof Vajpayee!
Gallery
Featured doctors
A/Prof Michael Lawless
A/Prof Michael Lawless is one of Australia’s most experienced eye surgeons, having performed more than 30,000 surgical procedures. He is a Clinical Associate Professor at Sydney Medical School (University of Sydney) and is recognised throughout the world as an authority on laser eye surgery. A/Prof Lawless’ refractive expertise encompasses LASIK, ASLA/PRK and SMILE®. He is frequently invited to present at major international conferences. In early 2022, A/Prof Lawless was the first ophthalmologist in Australia and New Zealand to perform SMILE Pro and one of the first in the world to perform LASIK using the Zeiss Visumax 800 laser system. He practises at Vision Eye Institute’s Bondi Junction, Chatswood and Hurstville clinics.
Dr Michael Wei
Dr Michael Wei is a highly experienced ophthalmologist specialising in retinal and macular disorders. He has extensive experience in the management of difficult and complex vitreoretinal conditions, and in all forms of retinal laser treatment and intravitreal injections. He practises at Vision Eye Institute’s clinic in Bondi Junction.
Dr Alexander Tan
Dr Raj Pathmaraj
A/Prof Tim Roberts
Dr Jason Cheng
Dr Alex Ioannidis
Dr Ioannidis treats complex cataract cases such as those seen in patients with coexisting eye diseases, including glaucoma and macular degeneration. He also offers cataract surgery combined with other surgical procedures, such as those for glaucoma and anterior segment diseases (disorders of the front part of the eye).
He practises at Vision Eye Institute’s Blackburn South, Camberwell and Coburg clinics.
Dr Lewis Levitz
Dr Joe Reich AM
Dr Christolyn Raj
Prof Rasik Vajpayee
The information on this page is general in nature. All medical and surgical procedures have potential benefits and risks. Consult your ophthalmologist for specific medical advice.
Date last reviewed: 2024-06-07 | Date for next review: 2026-06-07
