A former Wagga man and Sydney-based ophthalmologist has been recognised for his leadership in eye disease research and treatment.
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Dr Gregory Moloney, 40, grew up in Wagga moved to Sydney only about five years ago to begin research into a new surgical intervention for Fuchs’ dystrophy, a condition that can create blurry vision and even lead to blindness.
The research was published in April 2017 and on October 26 this year, it was awarded the Troutman Cornea Prize for Young Clinician Investigators at a prestigious event in Chicago.
Dr Moloney’s research enhances the eye’s capacity for self-healing after an operation, meaning more patients could undergo treatment without requiring a transplant.
“The traditional understanding was that a corneal transplant was needed to treat Fuchs’ dystrophy,” Dr Moloney said.
“Our study and trials showed that not everyone needed transplant for vision restoration.
“We showed that donor tissues are not always needed so they can go to other people who may need them more.
It makes me and the team more determined to continue improving treatment of the condition and other eye diseases.
- Dr Gregory Moloney, ophthalmologist at Sydney Eye Hospital
“This means it’s a more efficient procedure and less time at the hospital.”
Dr Moloney said he and the team had great “confidence the research would work”.
“It’s a highlight of my career,” he said.
“It makes me and the team more determined to continue improving treatment of the condition and other eye diseases.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said the award “is a great example of a key goal in the Journey to Excellence Strategy 2018–2021”.
“[It] focused on translating research and innovation into clinical service models that deliver positive health outcomes for patients,” the spokesperson said.
Dr Moloney said the prize, bestowed annually for the most outstanding and innovative paper published for the previous year, was “tremendously satisfying for all of us at Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital who have worked on this project”.
“This includes eye bank staff, nursing staff, pharmacists, corneal fellows and the entire corneal unit,” he said.
The Troutman Cornea Prize comprises of almost AU$7000 and the opportunity for the winner to present their work at the annual meeting of the Cornea Society.
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