Two Eye Institute Ophthalmologists join University department
University of Auckland’s Department of Ophthalmology is set to grow with the appointment of two well known Eye Institute ophthalmologists who are joining the staff in different capacities.
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Associate Professor |
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Dr Peter Ring |
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Dr Bruce Hadden MBChB, FRACS, FRANZCO, Doctor of Laws (Honaris causa) has been appointed as Clinical Associate Professor and Dr Peter Ring as a Clinical Senior Lecturer.
A pioneer in the development of the professional education system for post-graduate vocational ophthalmology, Dr Hadden has also been a life-long member of the Auckland Hospital team. He devoted more than 25 years of service to Auckland Hospital providing both general ophthalmic and vitreo-retinal services as well as being Chairman of the Eye Department from 1982 to 1986.
Dr Hadden was also the first New Zealand President of the combined Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) from 2002-2003. His other college roles have included being a chief examiner for the RANZCO. He has particular experience of teaching physiological optics.
Dr Hadden’s contribution to the University Of Auckland’s Department of Ophthalmology has been quite remarkable. He was one of the key players in the original fund raising and search committee for the Maurice Paykel foundation Chair of Ophthalmology. Thereafter, Dr Hadden and his wife Wendy became principal donors and fundraisers for a second Chair, the W&B Hadden Chair of Ophthalmology in Translational and Vision Research to which Professor Colin Green was appointed. Dr Hadden has also maintained an ongoing interest in clinical research, having published some 26 research papers in international and national journals with others in the pipeline.
In recent years he has enthusiastically encouraged young university clinical researchers to collaborate with him on a number of projects at Eye Institute. He stopped operating at Eye Institute at the end of April, and is now consulting just 2 days a week.
Dr Hadden is currently working on a major textbook which will chronicle the development of ophthalmology and eye care services in New Zealand from 18th to 21st century. This book will be co-written over the next two years with members of the University Department of Ophthalmology.
He has already travelled around the country gaining key historical material, photographs and interviews with previous generations of ophthalmologists.
“Bruce is widely regarded in Australasian ophthalmology circles as an outstanding clinician, surgeon, clinical researcher and fund raiser for ophthalmic research. I am delighted by his appointment as a Clinical Associate Professor since this ensures that his teaching and research activities will continue to foster interest in current and future generations of students and clinical research fellows,” said Professor Charles McGhee, Head of the Department.
Dr Hadden joins two other Honorary Clinical Associate Professors in the Department – Associate Professor Philip Polkinghorne and Associate Professor Gerard Sutton.
topDr Peter Ring MBChB, DO, FRCS, FRCOphth, FRANZCO graduated from the University of Otago and after a number of years training in ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, worked at Auckland Hospital Eye Department for 14 years. From 1994 onwards he has devoted his time to being a full time ophthalmologist and director of Eye Institute.
Dr Ring, and his father before him, had a very close association with the University of Auckland. Each year since 1996 the department has awarded the Dr Calvin Ring Prize to the best undergraduate medical student in Ophthalmology. In 1998 the partners of Remuera Eye Clinic (now Eye Institute) led by Drs Peter Ring, Bruce Hadden and Tony Morris also made a substantial donation to help endow the Maurice Paykel foundation Chair of Ophthalmology and thereafter made a further donation to establish the Calvin Ring Microsurgical laboratory.
The microsurgical laboratory is an invaluable University asset and is widely used for research and in the teaching of surgical skills to trainees from New Zealand and Australia. A senior member of a number of ophthalmic societies both in New Zealand and internationally, Dr Ring has been a key examiner in the final fellowship of the RANZCO. Despite a busy and full professional life, at the highest levels, Peter has maintained an ongoing interest in clinical research as highlighted by more than 20 peerreviewed publications and numerous presentations – most recently at the prestigious Asia-ARVO conference where he was awarded a prize for the best scientific paper. The prizewinning paper dealt with aspects of ReSTOR multifocal intraocular lenses based on collaborative research with Dr Rasha Altaie (Corneal Research fellow) and Professor Charles McGhee.
His widely recognised expertise in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery has also made him an invaluable examiner for research theses submitted to the Department on these topics in recent years.
“Dr Peter Ring is widely regarded in Australasian Ophthalmology circles as an outstanding clinician and leading surgeon. He has also been an unstinting supporter in the development of the Auckland academic department, he has taught and examined vocational ophthalmology registrars in Auckland for three decades and has been involved in ongoing clinical research with the Department of Ophthalmology which has led to a number of publications in recent years. It is therefore a great honour for us to have him on board as an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer,” said Professor Charles McGhee.
