Professor Peter van Wijngaarden, Dr Audrey Aumua, Dr Sonya Bennett, and Carly Iles have been named by Specsavers as the judges for this year’s Dame Mary Perkins Award, which recognises outstanding patient care in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
These respected professionals bring a wealth of experience and passion for advancing optometry standards and patient outcomes and are committed to identifying individuals whose exceptional contributions merit recognition through the Dame Mary Perkins Award.
The Panel
Professor Peter van Wijngaarden, a respected ophthalmologist and medical scientist with significant contributions to optometric research, has been appointed as judge on behalf of KeepSight,
Dr Audrey Aumua is the Chief Executive Officer of The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, renowned for her advocacy in eliminating avoidable blindness in the pacific,
Dr Sonya Bennett, an ophthalmologist, cataract surgeon and glaucoma specialist, has been appointed on behalf of Glaucoma New Zealand, and
Carly Iles, CEO of Vision 2020 Australia, is recognised for her leadership in promoting vision care initiatives.
Exemplary Moments
Nominations for the Award have been open for the past year for exemplary moments of patient care, whether that be an everyday interaction, eyewear that improves a patient’s life, or the early detection of an eye condition.
Professor Peter van Wijngaarden said the award helps to highlight the profound impact optometrists have on their communities.
“It is clear there are many outstanding clinicians who have done tremendous things for those in their care. It’s a privilege to learn their stories and celebrate their achievements,” he said.
Returning for her second consecutive year as a judge, Ms Iles said it was an “honour to be involved once again in recognising optometrists who go above and beyond to support patient care”.
Dr Audrey Aumua emphasised the value of celebrating the people who are at the heart of eye healthcare and ensuring they are acknowledged for the vital work they do.
This Award encourages us all to keep ourselves focussed on patient-centered care, which is the reason many of us entered clinical practice
“Our founder, Professor Fred Hollows said, ‘To my mind, having a care and concern for others is the highest of the human qualities’, so in my review of the finalists I will be looking for those optometrists who have gone above and beyond to embody Fred’s values of compassion, humanity, integrity and kindness in their patient care,” she explained.
Dr Sonya Bennett expressed her excitement about judging an award that recognises the pivotal role optometrists have in community health.
“This Award encourages us all to keep ourselves focussed on patient-centered care, which is the reason many of us entered clinical practice. Optometrists perform a key role in the eye health of our communities and have opportunities to detect sight and life-threatening conditions,” she said.
The Dame Mary Perkins Award judges will select one winner from Australia and one winner from New Zealand from a shortlist of nominees.
Winning optometrists from each country will be announced at the Specsavers Clinical Conference in September and will join a prestigious list of past recipients of the award.
