Helen Danesh-meyer MB ChB, FRANZCO, MD, PhD

Professor Danesh-Meyer is an international authority on glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology and one of the most highly regarded experts in her field. Professor Danesh-Meyer provides a significant contribution to lecturing undergraduate science, medical and optometry students as well as post-graduate optometry and ophthalmology professional teaching – both nationally and internationally. Helen has also been recognised for her research – receiving numerous awards and research grants, and publishing more than 120 articles.

Helen’s research focus spans both clinical and basic science aspects of optic nerve disease with an emphasis on translational ophthalmology. Her research interests includes giant cell arteritis, ischaemic optic neuropathies, imaging modalities in neuro-ophthalmology, the role of astrocytes in optic neuropathies, and glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Several aspects of her clinical research have influenced and altered clinical management strategies in the international arena, in particular her work on imaging of the retinal nerve fibre layer in chiasmal compression, and the role of the “ice test” in myasthenia gravis. As a neuro-ophthalmologist she pioneered quantitative evaluation of the optic nerve and its morphological changes using optic nerve imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and scanning laser polarimetry.

Professor Danesh-Meyer has established glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology research at the University of Auckland and is the Head of the Optic Nerve and Glaucoma Research Unit of the New Zealand National Eye Centre (NZ-NEC). Her Optic Nerve Research Laboratory investigates ischaemic optic neuropathy and mechanisms of injury and repair in a novel rat model. Her team is also evaluating wound modulation in glaucoma filtration surgery in a rabbit model. She has also spear headed collaborative clinical research with the Wilmer Eye Center at Johns Hopkins Medical School, the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, the University of Montreal, and has close ties with the University of Melbourne.