What’s Next For The International Myopia Institute? – With Dr Monica Jong

Published: February 24th 2020

Dr Monica Jong, Executive Director of the International Myopia Institute, founded by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, tells us all about the IMI’s big plans for 2020. With the landmark publication of the seven IMI White Paper reports almost a year ago now, we discuss the impact of these reports so far and all of the resources available on the IMI website www.myopiainstitute.org including summaries and translations to multiple languages.

The biggest news, though, is the seven new taskforce committees which have been formed, set to publish additional White Paper reports in around a year’s time. Monica explains how these new taskforces will cover the public health impact of myopia, paediatric and adult high myopia, environmental interventions, preferred practice patterns, accommodation and binocular vision and updates of the current papers. Monica says we each have a role to play in combating the worldwide impact of myopia, and concludes with some fascinating and insightful reflection on what her mentor Professor Brien Holden might have been researching and advocating for in 2020 and how he influences her work today.

Meet the Authors:

About Kate Gifford

Dr Kate Gifford is an internationally renowned clinician-scientist optometrist and peer educator, and a Visiting Research Fellow at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. She holds a PhD in contact lens optics in myopia, four professional fellowships, over 100 peer reviewed and professional publications, and has presented more than 200 conference lectures. Kate is the Chair of the Clinical Management Guidelines Committee of the International Myopia Institute. In 2016 Kate co-founded Myopia Profile with Dr Paul Gifford; the world-leading educational platform on childhood myopia management. After 13 years of clinical practice ownership, Kate now works full time on Myopia Profile.