None
Thursday, 12 March 2015

An ophthalmologist who graduated from The University of Western Australia and founded Lions Outback Vision was last night named First Amongst Equals in the 2015 40Under40 Awards.

Dr Angus Turner took the top prize from a strong field at a gala dinner attended by more than 800 business people and nominees.

He was recognised for establishing Lions Outback Vision in 2010 which provides specialist eye health services in regional and remote communities to nearly 5,000 people a year in the Pilbara, Kimberley, Great Southern and Goldfields.

Vision loss is a devastating and growing problem. The rate of blindness among Indigenous Australians is more than six times higher than in non-Indigenous Australians. Yet 94 per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable. While most vision loss can be corrected, 35 per cent of Indigenous Australians have never had an eye examination.

Dr Turner completed his medical studies at UWA before studying evidence-based medicine at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. His goal is to eliminate blindness and vision loss.

Lions Outback Vision is part of the UWA-affiliated Lions Eye Institute.

UWA's Professor Ryan Lister was one of the 40 finalists in the Awards. Professor Lister – who won a Prime Minister's Prize for Science last year – is a scientist whose work has the potential to improve our understanding of the human brain, transform stem-cell medicine and revolutionise agriculture.

Media references

Dr Angus Turner (UWA Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science [incorporating the Lions Eye Institute])  (+61 8) 9381 0802
David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager)  (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716

Tags

Channels
Alumni — Awards and Prizes — Business and Industry — Events — Media Statements — Research — Science — University News
Groups
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Science Matters