The Power List is released annually by The Ophthalmologist, after consideration of hundreds of nominations.

There are five Australians on the 2024 Power List.

Named in the top 10 – in fifth position – was Professor Keith Martin, the Ringland Anderson Professor and Head of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Australia; Managing Director, Centre for Eye Research Australia; and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, UK.

Dr Ben LaHood is a globally recognised specialist in cataract and refractive surgery. He is the author of two ophthalmic podcasts, and active social media feeds that are educational and humorous. He is also a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Adelaide University.

Professor David Mackay AO, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Western Australia. An NHMRC Practitioner Fellow, he is the former Managing Director of the Lions Eye Institute (2009–19), a councillor of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) and current RANZCO representative on the Council of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology. A renowned researcher in the genetics of eye disease, he is the world’s most published author in glaucoma genetics.

Professor Robyn Guymer AM, Deputy Director, Centre for Eye Research Australia; Professor of Surgery (Ophthalmology) at the University of Melbourne; and Senior Consultant at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. She is a clinician scientist who leads a team of researchers primarily investigating age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Professor Stephanie Watson AOM, Head of the Corneal Research Group, Save Sight Institute, at The University of Sydney; Head of the Corneal Unit, Sydney Eye Hospital; Chair of Australian Vision Research, Vice Chair of the NSW Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists branch. She is world-renowned for her groundbreaking research in corneal therapies.

NEW ZEALAND POWER LISTERS

Named in eighth position was Professor Charles McGhee ONZM.

Professor McGhee is the Maurice Paykel Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology and founding Director of the New Zealand National Eye Centre (NZNEC), University of Auckland.

Also on the Power List from New Zealand is Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, the Sir William and Lady Stevenson Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Announcing the list, The Ophthalmologist said the introduction of a ‘Hall of Fame’ in 2023, “opened up 2024’s ranking for quite a few changes to the Top 20” and led to the inclusion of “several industry leaders who have not appeared on any… Power Lists before”. There are currently 10 names in the Power List Hall of Fame, including Western Australia’s Professor Graham Barrett AM.

The Ophthalmologist said a further five names would be added to the Hall of Fame in 2024.

The Power List is available online: powerlist. theophthalmologist.com.