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 Bruce Hadden |
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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.
Dr 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.
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