Professor Angus Turner, McCusker Director of Lions Outback Vision, has received the inaugural Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award from the Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA).
The award will fund an exciting expansion of Lions Outback Vision’s existing artificial intelligence (AI) enabled screening program.
Drawing on proven regional eye care technology
Building on the AI screening success for diabetic retinopathy in the recent Pilbara Challenge, this award will help ensure other common ocular diseases are also detected when retinal cameras are placed in primary care settings regionally. The research will be undertaken alongside Associate Professor Khyber Alam of The University of Western Australia.
Screening for a wider range of eye conditions
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The new research will adapt and evaluate the existing AI screening system to detect two additional conditions: age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma. Both are leading causes of irreversible vision loss that can often be prevented through early detection, yet they frequently go undiagnosed in regional communities due to limited access to specialists. Once developed, the technology will be trialled in local primary care clinics, where GPs, nurses, and Aboriginal health workers can use it during routine visits. When a patient has their eyes photographed, the AI analyses the images in real time and provides feedback on whether signs of disease are present, along with guidance on next steps. |
 Professor Angus Turner, inaugural winner of the Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award |
We congratulate Professor Turner on this recognition and look forward to sharing updates on this research as it progresses.
