Fiona Anderson appointed Master of the WCSM

Dispensing optician, Fiona Anderson, has been named new Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM).

Anderson formally took up the role last week, taking over from optometrist, Mike Harris, who becomes deputy Master.

Speaking about her appointment, Anderson said: “I feel both honoured and privileged to take office as Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers.”

She said of her time in office: “In my year as Master, I will do all I can to advance our mission: supporting better vision for all. I particularly look forward to leading the Company as we prepare to celebrate our 400^th anniversary in 2029.”

During the next 12 months, Anderson will be supported by optometrists David Baker as Upper Warden, and Professor Leon Davies as Renter Warden.

Anderson reminded people: “As a Livery company, our home is in the City of London, but we are proudly open to members from across the UK and further afield. I am a living embodiment of this, as probably the first Master of the Company to be commuting from Aberdeenshire.

Research awarded

Last week the WCSM announced the winners of the two Master’s Medals for the year.

Fabian Yii from Edinburgh was awarded the Master’s Medal for his paper exploring Fundus Refraction Offset as a Personalised Biomarker for 12-Year Risk of Retinal Detachment, while Siyin Liu from University College London was awarded the Master’s Medal for the paper titled Genetic and Demographic Determinants of Fuch’s Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy Risk and Severity.

As part of his PhD, Yii developed an artificial intelligence model that predicts an individual’s refractive error using a retinal photograph. In his study, Yii provided proof of concept that the measure predicted those who were more likely to have a retinal detachment in the years following their retinal photographs.

Liu’s study of almost 900 patients with Fuchs endothelial cell dystrophy found that three quarters of patients had the most common genetic cause, which is an expansion of repeated CTG elements within the TCF4 gene. They showed for the first time that the longer the repeated section was, the younger the age at which affected individuals required corneal transplant, and that people who had two alleles with expansions had more severe disease.

Anderson congratulated the Medal recipients. She said: “This medal-winning research demonstrates how fast our understanding of eye health is evolving. The results point to a future where innovative research, combined with new technology, will lead to more personalised diagnosis and treatment.”

She added: “The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers has always championed better vision for all. Supporting early career researchers like these is vital if we are to turn scientific advances into real-world impacts for patients.”