Centre for Eye Research Australia

24/07/2025

❤️ is asking all Australians to get behind organ and tissue donation and be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life, this DonateLife Week – Sunday 27 July to Sunday 3 August. 👁️

There are two simple steps every Australian can take:

1. Register as an organ and tissue donor
2. Talk to your family about organ and tissue donation.

Around 1800 Australians are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and many more are in need of a life-changing eye or tissue transplant. Only one in three Australians are registered as organ and tissue donors – despite most Australians saying they support donation.

Did you know that one organ donor can save the lives of up to 7 people and transform many more through eye and tissue donation? It doesn’t matter how healthy or old you are, everyone over the age of 16 can register.

This DonateLife Week, we’re asking you to take a minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or through Medicare. You could one day be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life.

22/07/2025

Congratulations to the Australian LHON Research Team of Professor David Mackey AO, Dr Isabel Lopez Sanchez, Dr Sandra Staffieri, AO and Lisa Kearns! They've been shortlisted for the Patients Australia Australia Outstanding Patient Research Award for their vital work to improve diagnosis, counselling and treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) – a rare genetic condition causing sudden and irreversible vision loss.

By maintaining a unique, 30-year relationship with over 100 Australian families affected by LHON, the team of CERA and Lions Eye Institute researchers provided the first accurate estimates of vision loss risk – significantly lower than previously thought. This discovery transformed understanding of LHON globally, enabling informed decision-making for patients and families.

The team’s groundbreaking research has already informed clinical practice in Australia and internationally. Combining clinical expertise, comprehensive genetic screening and a patient-centred approach, their work has translated into improved diagnostics, counselling and support resources.

21/07/2025

Thanks to generous supporters such as Professor Carmel McNaught and Dr David Kennedy we can continue leading innovative research aimed at preventing blindness and, ultimately, restoring sight.

Over four years ago, Professor McNaught went to The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Emergency with blurred vision in her right eye. It was there she was diagnosed with a retinal vein occlusion – when veins in the retina become blocked, leading to blurry vision or vision loss in one eye.

“From that moment when I charged into the emergency department not being able to see – and the team there looking after me so well – to then being asked to join one of CERA’s clinical trials; and now, years later, being a volunteer on CERA’s Consumer Program – I couldn’t ask for a more positive journey,” she says.

As part of their ongoing journey with CERA, Professor Carmel McNaught and Dr David Kennedy both give a regular monthly donation and have also left bequests in their wills to support research.

“David and I feel confident that anything we donate to CERA is going to be used in the best possible way,” Professor McNaught says.

She and her husband both want to support research that will allow many more people to access new treatments able to protect people’s sight.

“Australia has got all these brilliantly talented people and does this cutting-edge eye research, and it’s important we continue to, over time, build our research capacity here on home soil,” she says.

“It’s one of the main reasons David and I regularly give – CERA has proven its value.”

18/07/2025

A team of graduate and early-career researchers at The University of Melbourne, including CERA’s Catherine Jan and Leo Li, have been awarded for their innovative pitch to improve chronic disease screening.

Presented by Catherine Jan, the team proposed a health screening device and software package that can detect and predict the risk of several common conditions such as Parkinson’s, diabetes and kidney disease using a photo of the back of the eye. 👁️

The pitch was linked to their current research project and part of the two-day intensive Health Foundry program. Mentors helped teams refine their pitches and provided practical advice on translating promising research into real-world outcomes.

“We should always be thinking about how research can be applied to create high-impact commercial and social ventures that can deliver new processes, products or treatments for patients,” said Professor Lauren Ayton AM, Associate Dean Innovation and Enterprise Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences at UniMelb and Principal Research Fellow at CERA.

Link to full story in comments 👇

Pictured: Associate Professor Mark Merolli and Professor Ayton (second and third from left) with the winning team (L-R) Dr Lachlan Knight, Natnael Assefa, Leo Li and Catherine Jan

17/07/2025

CERA have partnered with researchers at UNSW to better understand what people impacted by an inherited retinal disease (IRD) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) think about the future of different treatment options. 👀

The focus of this study is on stem cell therapies, but you don't need any prior knowledge about this to participate. Sharing your thoughts will help researchers better prepare for the future as stem cell therapies are developed and become available.

You are invited to participate in this one-off, 30-minute survey if you are 16 years or older, live in Australia and:
• have been diagnosed with an IRD (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Leber congenital amaurosis, Usher syndrome)
• have been diagnosed with AMD; or
• are a caregiver of someone with diagnosed with an IRD or AMD (e.g., a parent, spouse)

This study is voluntary – it's up to you whether you participate or not. If you'd like to participate, scan the QR code below or visit bit.ly/stemcell2025

You can always start the survey and come back to complete it at another time.

If you have any questions, or would like to participate by telephone, you can call the research team on (02) 9348 0708 or email visionlossPSP@unsw.edu.au

Please also feel free to share this study opportunity to anyone else you think may be eligible and interested.

16/07/2025

This Diabetes Week, we want to recognise Brendan Yagmoor for his participation in clinical trials for diabetic macular oedema. After being warned about his blood sugar in 2010, Brendan worked hard to change his lifestyle for a decade. Unfortunately, in 2021, he was diagnosed with diabetic macular oedema, a condition that causes blurry or wavy central vision, making everyday tasks like reading and driving challenging.

After receiving initial treatment, Brendan was given the opportunity to join a clinical trial at Cerulea Clinical Trials. He describes the experience as very rewarding, saying, “I want my eyesight to be as good as I possibly can. All this research is happening before significant damage is being done to my eye.”

People like Brendan help us advance diabetes care, and we’re grateful for all the time and effort they give. Thank you, Brendan, for your commitment to helping us improve the lives of people living with diabetes.

14/07/2025

Research led by Dr Wenyi Hu and Associate Professor Lisa Zhuoting Zhu at CERA, shows an accurate AI-powered camera could prevent up to 40,000 cases of diabetic retinopathy over a 40-year period.

Detecting diabetic retinopathy at the earliest possible stage is crucial to protecting a person’s vision. But the complexity of managing diabetes and access to eyecare professionals, particularly in rural settings, means the test is not performed as often as it should be.

Their study, published in eClinicalMedicine, found an AI scan could be incorporated into many more care settings by being cheaper to perform than a traditional test and not needing specialised training.

“Our modelling has shown that if we’re able to screen over 80 per cent of the diabetic population to find the undetected cases of diabetic retinopathy in the community and protect their vision, we would not only save their sight but save the healthcare system many thousands of dollars in support services,” Dr Hu says.



Pictured: Associate Professor Zhu and Dr Hu sit in conversation next to the imaging device.

11/07/2025

National Diabetes Week kicks off this Monday, and this year's theme is focused on prevention. Diabetes can cause gradual changes to the eye that can lead to vision loss. Early detection of these changes is the key to saving sight. 👁️

'Your eyes and diabetes guide' provides essential information about keeping your eyes healthy, as well as a glimpse into the diabetic eye disease research happening at CERA.

You can download it for free by signing up to our monthly Eye News emails (link in comments below) 👇

09/07/2025

VACCHO's Members are hosting a fantastic range of events across the state this NAIDOC Week. From flag raisings and community gatherings to NAIDOC balls, there are many ways you can celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Check out their calendar below to find local events happening near you.

Deadly events are happening across the state this NAIDOC Week – and VACCHO’s Members are at the heart of it all!

From Flag raisings, community BBQs to NAIDOC balls, there’s something for everyone.

Check out what’s on near you > https://cdn.intelligencebank.com/au/share/NJA21J/y4EwZ/ORpVE/original/NAIDOC+Member+Events+Calendar+2025

It’s organised by ACCOs in alphabetical order, so keep scrolling to find your local.

Comment below if we’ve missed anything!

Image description: A tile promoting VACCHO Members' NAIDOC events calendar. On the left, bold text reads: “VACCHO Members NAIDOC events calendar. More information in caption.” Above is the 2025 NAIDOC Week theme: “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.” On the right, an Aboriginal woman plays guitar and sings into a microphone.

and

04/07/2025

Have you checked out our free 'Healthy ageing eyes' guide❓ It gives you a snapshot of the major ageing eye diseases you should know about – and some simple steps you can take now to protect your vision for the future. 👀

It's just one of the helpful eye health resources you can download for free by signing up to our monthly Eye News (link in the comments below) 👇

01/07/2025

Meet Fleur O’Hare, who recently became our Consumer Involvement and Advocacy Lead. At CERA and Cerulea Clinical Trials, Fleur will bring people together to share their lived experiences and perspectives to help shape and strengthen CERA’s research and create a better experience for clinical study participants.

Fleur is a clinical researcher with over 20 years’ experience, focusing on developing and evaluating patient-centred care services. For the last six years at CERA, she has been involved in managing clinical trials.

She has a passion for establishing access and inclusion provisions, as well as stakeholder and community engagement for research projects.

“I’m driven by research that is meaningful for those that we hope to help,” Fleur says.

“I want to ensure that consumer and participant voices are heard. I’m undertaking my PhD in this very thing at The University of Melbourne.”

In her new role, Fleur also hopes to develop inclusion and engagement training and education resources for both researchers and consumers.

Additionally, she facilitates the Consumer Advisory Group, which has a key role in providing input across all areas of activity at CERA and Cerulea.

Fleur's focus is to champion consumer needs and to help to elevate their impact in the field of eye research.

“I’m excited to meet all our Consumer Program members. I’d love to talk to people about the opportunities available to get involved with the work we do.”

If you'd like to know more about the Consumer Program, visit our website or email: consumerprogram@cera.org.au

29/06/2025

LAST DAY! It's June 30. 📆 Your gift today helps fund more research into real-world treatments for Australians living with vision loss from age-related macular degeneration. 👁️

Please make your tax-deductible donation now – every dollar supports vital research!
(donation link in comments below👇)