Eyes On Tomorrow

Hot Topics in Paediatric Ophthalmology with Ramesh Kekunnaya

It’s our first episode dedicated to paediatric ophthalmology - and we’re joined by one of the world’s leading experts - Professor Ramesh Kekunnaya, Head of Paediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuro-ophthalmology at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, author of more than 250 publications, and one of the founding members of the World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. This episode is packed with practical insights and the hottest topics shaping paediatric eye care today. We dive into: • How Ramesh decides whether - and when - to implant an IOL in a child’s eye• The big question in infant cataract surgery: is it actually safer to wait longer?• What the WSPOS Myopia Consensus means for clinicians and parents navigating treatment options• How telemedicine and AI are transforming the screening and treatment of ROP And we also go back to fundamentals - with Ramesh sharing his top tips for examining infants and young children, plus an inside look at how the LV Prasad network delivers eye care to an astonishing 30 million people. And for subscribers, the Bonus episode goes even deeper: • Emerging myopia treatments - from blue-light therapy delivered with virtual reality headsets to competing defocus technologies.• A customised approach to treatment: where to start, what to combine, and when to escalate• The role of peripheral refraction - and how to actually measure it• Red flags for syndromic and retinal dystrophy-related myopia To access all Bonus episodes and our monthly newsletters, head to Eyes on Tomorrow on Substack [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Special thanks to Topcon Healthcare [https://topconhealthcare.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] and Théa UK [https://www.thea-pharmaceuticals.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] for supporting the podcast - and to Matt Hill and the Rethink Audio [http://rethinkaudio.com] team for bringing it all together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Where Are The Leadership Roles For Women?

This month we’re bringing together three powerhouse women shaping the future of eye care: Purvi Thomson, Head Optometrist at OCL Vision; Bita Manzouri, Consultant Corneal and Cataract Surgeon and President-Elect of UKISCRS; and Elizabeth Lumb, Director of Global Professional Affairs, Myopia, at CooperVision. Recorded just after International Women’s Day, this special panel episode is an honest, inspiring and thought-provoking conversation about the realities of leadership for women across optometry, ophthalmology and industry. Together, they explore why visibility matters, how Covid transformed working patterns, the pressure of balancing careers and caregiving, and the crucial role played by mentors, allies and sponsors. They also tackle the persistent challenge of imposter syndrome and the unconscious bias that still exists in today’s workplace. The message is clear: huge progress has been made over the past 20 years — but there is still more to do to ensure women can truly reach their full potential. This is a conversation about resilience, change and what comes next. Get access to bonus episodes, along with a host of CPD resources, when you subscribe for only £25 per year at https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe] Thanks to Topcon Healthcare [https://topconhealthcare.eu/en_UK] and Thea UK [https://www.thea-pharmaceuticals.co.uk/] for supporting Eyes on Tomorrow. Produced by Matt Hill at Rethink Audio [https://www.rethinkaudio.com/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The changing face of Glaucoma treatment - with Prof. Keith Martin

Are Neuroprotection and Neural Regeneration therapies coming of age? Professor Keith Martin, Director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia, shares how cutting-edge  research in neuroprotection and neural regeneration could transform how we treat glaucoma. Tracing his journey from his PhD work with Harry Quigley in Baltimore, through the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, to leading CERA in Melbourne, Keith explores breakthroughs that move beyond pressure control — targeting the health and recovery of retinal ganglion cells themselves. Emerging approaches include: Delivering neurotrophic growth factors to protect retinal ganglion cells Using Vitamin B3 to reduce oxidative stress Activating intrinsic growth pathways to regenerate optic nerve axons Transplanting stem-cell–derived retinal ganglion cells to restore lost vision Keith also challenges long-standing practices in  glaucoma care. Are clinicians wasting time and resources  over-treating mild disease that may never threaten vision? And why are we still treating  primary open-angle glaucoma as one condition, rather than defining the distinct phenotypes and providing personalised therapy? The future, he argues, lies in combination therapy: pairing traditional IOP control with regenerative and neuroprotective treatments to stop — and potentially reverse — vision loss. Bonus Content This month’s Bonus episode for subscribers includes insights into; How OCT is reshaping glaucoma referrals in optometric practice AI models outperforming specialists in predicting visual field loss from disc OCT appearances  Home monitoring for IOP and visual fields A promising new glaucoma device on the horizon One thing is clear: the future of glaucoma care goes far beyond just lowering the IOP. Get access to this Bonus episode, along with a host of CPD resources, when you subscribe for only £25 per year at https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe] Thanks to Topcon Healthcare [https://topconhealthcare.eu/en_UK] and Thea UK [https://www.thea-pharmaceuticals.co.uk/] for supporting Eyes on Tomorrow. Produced by Matt Hill at Rethink Audio [https://www.rethinkaudio.com/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

How an East-West AI Collaboration Is Changing the Face of Neuro-Ophthalmology

The work of the BONSAI (Brain and Optic Nerve Study with Artificial Intelligence) group will change the way we pratice. So a perfect time, then, to meet Dan Milea, Head of Neuro-ophthalmology at the Rothschild Foundation Hospital in Paris, Head of the Visual Neuroscience Group at the Singapore Eye Research Institute, and a founding member of the BONSAI group. Recorded in his Parisian offices within the iconic L’Espace Niemeyer - the striking headquarters of the French Communist Party - Dermot and John explore how groundbreaking AI and deep learning algorithms, developed by the BONSAI collaborators, could transform the way clinicians navigate some of neuro-ophthalmology’s most challenging diagnostic dilemmas. Together, we unpack the questions clinicians face every day: * Does this child with headaches have papilloedema? * Is an elderly patient’s optic disc swelling arteritic or non-arteritic AION? * Could this suspected optic neuritis be due to demyelination? Dan also reflects on the striking differences in the incidence of optic neuritis, giant cell arteritis, and idiopathic intracranial hypertension between the Far East and Europe and why, when 50% of neuro-ophthalmological emergencies are misdiagnosed at presentation, the growing global shortage of neuro-ophthalmologists is of grave concern. Bonus Content Subscribers can dive deeper in our Bonus episode, where we discuss the rising tide of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in the West, the emerging therapeutic role of GLP-1 agonists, and explore three of Dan’s most influential papers featured in this month’s newsletter. Join us for a fascinating look at how East meets West - and how AI may soon be available to support clinical decision making and improve diagnostic accuracy, for many common neuro-ophthalmic conditions. Eyes on Tomorrow is supported by Topcon Healthcare and Thea UK. Produced by Matt Hill at Rethink Audio [https://www.rethinkaudio.com/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Oculomics and the AI Revolution, with Prof. Pearse Keane

In 1964, Captain James T. Kirk set the tone for a generation when he declared: “Space—the final frontier….to explore strange new worlds…. to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Today, that spirit of exploration has found a new frontier — not in space, but in the human eye. In this episode of Eyes on Tomorrow, we’re joined by Professor Pearse Keane, Professor of Artificial Medical Intelligence at UCL. Like a modern-day Captain Kirk, Pearse is leading ophthalmology on a voyage of discovery, using AI to take us to truly “strange new worlds” — and revealing what the retina can tell us about our risk of systemic disease. Pearse explains why ophthalmology is uniquely placed to ride the AI wave, and how a speculative LinkedIn message sparked a collaboration with Mustafa Suleyman that led to the groundbreaking partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital and Google DeepMind. We explore the rise of oculomics, from predicting age and sex using a single colour fundus photograph, to using large language models and retinal imaging to stratify risk for cardiovascular and neurological disease. We also tackle the ethical challenges this technology raises, including data protection, and look ahead to how AI will bring optometrists, primary care doctors, and hospital specialists closer together than ever before. It may sound like science fiction, but this is science fact. This conversation offers a glimpse into a “brave new world” that’s closer than we think. Bonus subscriber content In this month’s bonus episode Pearse discusses RETFound, the first foundation model in medicine, capable of predicting myocardial infarction, heart failure, and ischaemic stroke from unlabelled retinal images. Pearse tells us how, by making this AI open-source, it is democratising access to this transformative technology. Get access to this Bonus episode, along with a host of CPD resources, when you subscribe for only £25 per year at eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [http://eyesontomorrow@substack.com/subscribe]. Eyes on Tomorrow is supported by Topcon Healthcare and Thea UK. Produced by Matt Hill at Rethink Audio [https://www.rethinkaudio.com/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe [https://eyesontomorrow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]