New President and President-elect of the UK and Éire Glaucoma Society announced

  • 05 May 2022
  • Glaucoma UK

Glaucoma UK has announced the appointments of the new President and President-elect for its UK and Éire Glaucoma Society (UKEGS).

Professor of Ophthalmology at UCL and Director of Glaucoma Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital, Gus Gazzard, has succeeded Professor Pete Shah as UKEGS President. Ms Nishani Amerasinghe, a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based in the South of England, has become President-elect.

UKEGS, which forms part of Glaucoma UK, is a non-profit national scientific society. It aims to promote the exchange of knowledge between glaucoma specialists, stimulate glaucoma research and protect the interests of people living with glaucoma, or at risk of developing the disease.

Professor Gazzard said, “I will continue to work closely with Glaucoma UK to raise awareness of glaucoma – especially in those most at risk from losing vision. This includes minority ethnic communities and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. I shall also seek to foster closer collaboration between all eye care professionals – for example encouraging more regular eye-health checks in the relatives of those affected by glaucoma.”

In one of her first public engagements since taking up her new role as Glaucoma UK’s Chief Executive, Joanne Creighton said, “We are delighted to welcome Gus and Nishani as President and President-elect of UKEGS. The Society plays a pivotal role in the development of glaucoma care in the UK by bringing glaucoma specialists together to share their knowledge and expertise of the disease. We look forward to working closely with Gus and Nishani in their new leadership roles, and to building on the Society’s previous successes in promoting knowledge exchange. The vital collaborative opportunities which UKEGS provides mean that, together, we can make a difference in the lives of people living with glaucoma.”