Fantastic Four

 

For Dr Woodhouse, a career in academia was always on the cards, admitting with a smile: “I simply never wanted to leave school. I enjoyed working within a large group of people.”

Unsure about where to apply for a PhD, Dr Woodhouse looked into what the then optometry schools across the UK could offer. However, it was a chance conversation with her sister who was living near leafy Cambridge at the time that saw her spend the next three years at the University of Cambridge in the laboratory of well-known vision scientist Professor Fergus Campbell.

"Applying to Cambridge never crossed my mind until that conversation with my sister,” explained Dr Woodhouse, now a senior lecturer at Cardiff University.

However, apply she did, and she got in, adding modestly: "It was a sheer stroke of luck really; optometry was a relatively young university subject at that time and therefore had little solid academic background, yet Fergus had an interest in supporting optometry schools and when my CV landed on his desk, he took me on."

Dr Woodhouse spent the next three years under Professor Campbell's guidance, completing a PhD on contrast sensitivity, graduating as the first optometrist to gain a PhD outside of ‘ophthalmic optics’ as the discipline was known in those days.

Speaking about her time at Cambridge, Dr Woodhouse said: “The grounding that I got there was phenomenal. There were so many famous scientists, and to actually meet and rub shoulders with people whose names had cropped up in my lectures at university was absolutely outstanding."

Making the leap into full-time academia after completing her PhD, Dr Woodhouse admitted that it was Professor Campbell who initiated her journey to Cardiff, where she secured a lectureship in 1974. "I came into the lab in Cambridge one morning towards the end of my PhD and Fergus had left an advert for an optometry lectureship at Cardiff University on my desk," she laughed, adding: "I took the hint, applied and got the job.”

Dr Woodhouse has spent the last 41 years in the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences at Cardiff University, where she has become well-known for her research into the visual requirements of children with learning disabilities, much of which has been pivotal to our understanding today.  

Sharing details of how her research began, Dr Woodhouse explained that it happened by chance when she was working with two post-doctoral research colleagues who were interested in amblyopia and squint.

The researchers were hindered in their work because of the lack of history which could be gleaned from the adult subjects they were testing. Taking action, together with Dr Woodhouse they established a children's clinic at the university, securing publicity in the local press in order to attract patients.

However, "no typical little children showed up because they were being treated well at the hospital," explained Dr Woodhouse. "Yet who did turn up were children and adults with learning disabilities."

Discussing this time, the optometrist said: "They turned up and we had no more idea of what to do than anyone else. Therefore it was an enormous learning curve. There wasn't much in the literature, so mainly we learnt as we went along."

Since then, Dr Woodhouse and her team have been studying the visual development in a group of more than 250 children and young people with Down’s syndrome for over 20 years. Today, patients attend the clinic from all over the world, including Nigeria, Gibraltar, France and Switzerland.

During her career, Dr Woodhouse has jointly developed a number of tests which are used in practice today to aid with the vision testing of this cohort of patients. These include the Cardiff Acuity Test, the Cardiff Contrast Test and the Cardiff Near Test. "They were developed out of necessity and curiosity as suitable tests and techniques that allowed us to examine these children and adults with disabilities simply didn't exist at the time," she said.  

One of the group's most important findings is that vision is worse in children with Down’s syndrome than in typical children of the same age, and it remains worse even when the children have glasses – therefore, parents and schools need to be aware of that and make modifications to the learning environment. Another is that their accommodation is poor and that bifocals are of benefit to them.

"I received a letter written in very official wording which informed me of the award. I stood on my lawn and read it over and over and couldn't believe it"

By royal appointment

In June last year, Dr Woodhouse’s research achievements were recognised beyond her patients and the profession when she was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s birthday honours list. She was recognised for services to optometry and for services to people with disabilities.

Sharing the moment she learnt the news, a few weeks prior to the official honours list being announced, Dr Woodhouse revealed: "I received a letter written in very official wording which informed me of the award. I stood on my lawn and read it over and over and couldn't believe it. I kept looking at the name on it thinking that it had been put in my postbox by mistake and it belonged to someone down the road."

"I was gobsmacked and absolutely over the moon," she added, describing the day which she received the award from Prince William as "magical."

Goals ahead

Dr Woodhouse acknowledges that enormous strides have been made in the knowledge and care of people with learning disabilities. "When I think about what was happening 25 years ago, society has come on enormously. We [optometrists] have been part of an improvement in the care of people with disabilities in all aspects of their life; their vision, their education, their quality of life, and much more," she explained.

While she is proud to have been part of, and contributed to, this change, there is still much action needed. She stressed: "I want to see the eye care services for children in special schools launched in Wales and the other three nations, and I want to see the issues of children with disabilities being diagnosed with keratoconus resolved through the establishment of a screening programme.”

"I want the day to come when parents of children with Down's syndrome don't have to come from the other end of the country to my clinic," she concluded. "It's lovely that they do, but for every parent who does come, there must be 10 that can't. I want to see children with disabilities from all over the UK receiving proper eye care in their own communities."

2014 recipient – Donald Cameron

The recipient of the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, optometrist Donald Cameron is recognised by the profession for his vast and successful work in optics’ political arena, which ultimately changed the way that practitioners practice in Scotland today.

Growing up within an optical family, Mr Cameron’s passion for optics was ignited during the weekends that he spent working at his father’s opticians practice as a young boy. As a result, the optometrist never considered an alternative career, graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1977 and completing his pre-reg period at Murray McGrath in Edinburgh.

Remaining at Murray McGrath post-qualification, Mr Cameron became a partner in the business in 1981, which saw the practice renamed McGrath and Cameron. With the independent going from strength to strength, in 2004 it moved to larger premises in Edinburgh’s city centre. Coinciding with the relocation, the practice was renamed Cameron Optometry, which is now the largest independent optometry and contact lens practice in Scotland.

When speaking to OT about his career during the lead up to the 2014 AOP Awards, Mr Cameron admitted that while working in independent practice, he was “not one to stay stationary for too long,” and found stimulation outside of practice by joining the AOP Council. It was during this time that he met peers Frank Munro and Hal Rollason, whom would later become known as the ‘three amigos’ for their efforts in changing the delivery of eye care in Scotland.

"Always remain looking ahead to what more can be achieved, be flexible, stretch yourself and take risks"

Together the trio founded Optometry Scotland, which was established to develop and represent the views of the entire sector to the Scottish Government. In 2006, they were able to successfully negotiate a new General Ophthalmic Services contract for the country, which remains the envy of many practicing outside of Scotland today.

Having more recently played a leading hand in the introduction of an MSc in Primary Care Ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh in 2014, Mr Cameron is pleased to report that the course has recently enrolled its second cohort of students.

Over the last year Mr Cameron has continued to work as chair of NHS Education for Scotland, developing new educational tools, including webinars and a Return to work course, for practitioners in Scotland. However, speaking to OT, Mr Cameron confirms that he will step down from this role in April to officially retire.

Reflecting on his career and offering advice to those entering the profession, Mr Cameron concluded: “Always remain looking ahead to what more can be achieved, be flexible, stretch yourself and take risks.”

2013 recipient – Professor Bernard Gilmartin

In 2013, the AOP Awards celebrated the academic achievements of Professor Bernard Gilmartin who, during a career spanning 45 years, taught more than 4000 optometrists, published over 140 research papers and made groundbreaking contributions to the field of myopia.

Professor Gilmartin first became interested in optics after becoming myopic as a teenager, reading up about the condition in his local library. He later enrolled in an optometry degree at City University London, graduating in 1968. Splitting his pre-reg period between London and Manchester, Professor Gilmartin returned to the capital to complete his PhD in experimental psychology, later securing a lectureship at Aston University in 1974.

During his career, Professor Gilmartin rose through the ranks from lecturer and senior lecturer to reader, before being awarded a personal chair and remaining at the university for the rest of his career.

As a respected optometrist and scientist, outside of academia, the profession has recognised Professor Gilmartin through a number of accolades, including becoming a fellow to the American Academy of Optometry and a fellow to the College of Optometrists.

Since receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award two years ago, Professor Gilmartin has continued to teach part-time at Aston University and remains a co-opted member of the College of Optometrists Research Committee.

With a successful bid to host the 2017 International Myopia Conference at Aston University, which was placed by his colleague Dr Nicola Logan, Professor Gilmartin is committed to supporting the organisation of the event and play an active role in academia.

2012 recipient – Professor David Thomson

Professor David Thomson is the brainchild behind the first computerised test chart which is present in more than 6000 consulting rooms, hospitals and schools across the UK today.

Changing the way in which optometrists practice, the device has won a number of awards for innovation, once even being described as ‘one of the most important advances in clinical visual assessment for decades.’

Professor Thomson’s career in optics began in the late ‘70s when he enrolled as an optometry undergraduate at City University London. He completed his pre-reg period in Portsmouth, returning to the capital shortly afterwards where he later became a lecturer at the institution where he gained his degree. 

Spending almost three decades at City University London teaching, Professor Thomson rose through the ranks, becoming senior lecturer, chair and head of the department.

During the latter part of his career, Professor Thomson was a driving force behind Careers in Optics, an initiative established in 2010 to raise awareness of optometry as a career option among A-Level students. The initiative has since won a number of awards, including an ‘Innovation in Recruitment’ accolade at the Recruiter Awards. 

Outside of academia, Professor Thomson heads up Thomson Software, a company which, in addition to producing the original computerised test chart, offers a range of vision testing and screening devices, with new products always in development.