Paul C. Ajamian, O.D., F.A.A.O., is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the New England College of Optometry. He moved to Atlanta and was instrumental in starting the Omni Center in 1982. Read more.
Duncan Counter is a Dispensing Optician who has been involved in many aspects of Optics in the UK. Currently concentrating more on Education and Training, he works closely with student DOs in preparation for Examinations. He has made many CET presentations and a recently published article. He is an ABDO practical Examiner and Chairman of the ABDO CET Committee.
Richard Cragg worked for the NHS as both an Ophthalmic Science Practitioner and a Clinical photographer for 18 years, at the Queens Medical Centre and Derbyshire Royal Infirmary Trusts and their supporting hospitals.
Specialising in the field of Ophthalmic Imaging, whilst at Derby Royal Infirmary he implemented one of the first digital fundus imaging systems based on a RAID server in the UK.
He then moved to the Queens Medical Centre NHS Trust in Nottingham to develop their small digital Imaging department. This service now has 3 Ophthalmic Science Practitioners in the Ophthalmic Imaging unit, and 7 Screener-Graders/Trainee OSPs in the newly opened Diabetic Retinal Screening department and cover a very wide spectrum of Imaging techniques such as: Fluorescein angiography, Indocyanine green angiography, Anterior chamber imaging, OCT, HRTII and Confocal Microscopy.
Richard has been involved with many organisations and currently sit on the council for the Association of Ophthalmic Science Practitioners pursuing state registration for their profession. He has been a Director on the Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Illustration Practioners and is at present the current Chairman of the Ophthalmic Imaging Association. His role in the OIA has taken him all over the country teaching various aspects of Ophthalmic Imaging, however his specialist field of interest now is Optical Coherence Tomography, which he believes will play a major role in Ophthalmic diagnostics for years to come.
Dr Nicholas Davies is a Consultant Neurologist and works between a teaching hospital job in Birmingham and a district general hospital in Hereford.
Chris Dickinson is Professor of Clinical Optometry in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester. She is author of the book “Low Vision Principles and Practice” and Editor-in-Chief of the journal of the College of Optometrists “Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics”.
Michael Doughty received his BSc degree in biochemistry from the University of London (UK) in 1974. He then undertook graduate studies at the University of Warwick (UK) and received degrees in molecular enzymology (MSc) and chemistry and molecular biology (PhD). He received postdoctoral training in corneal physiology (Stanford University Medical Centre, California, USA) and then joined the faculty of the University of Waterloo (Canada) in 1974. Read more
Harminder Singh Dua is Chair and Professor of Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Nottingham, England. His clinical sub-specialty interest is in Cornea and Refractive surgery and his research interests are in Ocular surface immunology and wound healing. He has an international standing for his clinical and research accomplishments.
Dr. Murray Fingeret, a graduate of the New England College of Optometry, completed a residency at the Joseph C. Wilson Health Center in Rochester, New York. Dr. Fingeret is Chief of the Optometry Section, Brooklyn/St. Albans Campus, Department of Veterans Administration New York Harbor Health Care System. Read more
Abi Grute is Training & Development Manager for Batemans Opticians and has extensive experience in both teaching and dispensing optics. She is well known for her CET presentations and has led many lectures for commercial organizations, independent practitioners and optical associations in the UK and overseas. She is a senior practical examiner for Association of British Dispensing Opticians and serves as a member of the GOC Fitness to practice committee.
Chris Hemmerdinger graduated from UMIST in optometry in 1994. After working in practice for two years he went on to study medicine at Manchester University. His ophthalmology training started at the Royal Bolton Hospital and continued at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, where he has recently been appointed Specialist Registrar.
Andy Hepworth graduated from APU in 1996 with an honours degree in Optical Management and following 2 years in practice management joined Essilor Ltd. Since 2003 he has been working as Essilor’s professional relations manager, a role that includes delivering presentations to Optical Universities & Colleges along with CET to optical professionals.
Waheeda Illahi has been the Deputy Head of the Optometry department at the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre over the last 5 years. She has worked within the HES since her pre-registration year and has gained extensive experience in complex hospital contact lens fitting over the last ten years. She has a particular interest in Keratoconus and developed her interest in research by completing an MSc and a PhD on the subject.
An MBA business graduate with 26 years experience of diagnostic instruments in ophthalmology. He has worked with some of the top ophthalmic diagnostic companies including Keeler, Allergan-Humphrey, Zeiss, Haag-Streit and now Heidelberg Engineering, heading up Sales & Marketing and, more recently, General Manager for the US subsidiary. With a worldwide experience of ophthalmology, he is also a specialist in glaucoma. Having taught Humphrey visual fields for 5 years and structural assessment of the optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer with HRT for the past 13 years, he has helped develop education courses teaching the clinical application and use of scanning laser technology.
Leo P. Semes, OD, is an Associate Professor of Optometry and the Director of Continuing Education at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned his doctor of optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in Philadelphia and completed his residency at The Eye Institute of PCO. Read more.
James Talks is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and Honorary senior lecturer at the Royal Victoria infirmary Newcastle upon Tyne. He started in 2000 after a medical retina fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital. His special interest is medical retina, in particular macular degeneration and retinal vascular conditions. He is involved in clinical trails of new treatments for these and research on retinal imaging.
Trevor Warburton is an optometrist with his own independent practice where he
has had a digital fundus camera for over 5 years. He has given many talks around
the country on digital imaging and acts as a consultant on cameras and imaging to
the UK National Screening Committee.
Lynne Weddell graduated from Bradford University in 1987 after spending a short period of time in private practice in the Midlands. She moved to London and joined the Institute of Optometry. In 2004 she left the Institute to join City University where she is currently a University Teacher.
Professor Wilkins spent 23 years as a scientist at the Medical Research Council Applied Psychology Unit in Cambridge. He has been head of the Visual Perception Unit at the University of Essex since 1997.
Dr Peter Wilkinson is a leading authority on spectacle lens products and production. He has extensive practical experience in lens manufacture, particularly in relation to tinting, anti-reflection and abrasion resistant coatings and holds senior positions in the BSI, CEN and ISO Standards organisations. He was Research & Development Manager at U.K.Optical where he developed one of the first abrasion resistant coatings, and following the merger with American Optical, he designed the high volume hard coating equipment for the AO factory in Mexico. After a period as Technical Director of the Cambridge Optical Group, he helped the Applied Vision Company to develop their small AR coating machinery and then assisted with sales and marketing worldwide. He now works part-time as a consultant in ophthalmic optics as well as supervising research at a University in England.
