Sutton Gerard - The Naked Eye : How the revolution of laser surgery has unshackled the human eye

DR MICHAEL LAWLESS MBBS, FRANZCO, FRACS

Michael Lawless is recognised worldwide as an authority in laser eye surgery. He specialises in laser vision correction, laser cataract and corneal transplant surgery. Michael has performed over 25,000 surgical procedures and has always combined a busy surgical practice with clinical research and innovation.

In 2013, in combination with Alcon/LenSx, he was the focus for the operating room of the future; an attempt to bring a level of precision and refinement to laser cataract surgery under one roof as a show-case for the Asia Pacific region. Over a period of several months, Michael will be involved in teaching the regions best ophthalmologists as they make a steady stream to the Vision Eye Institute surgery in Chatswood, Sydney.

Background

The son of a builder, Michael went to Marist Brothers at Lidcombe and Auburn and completed his schooling at St Josephs College, Hunters Hill. From the time I was a small boy in primary school I wanted to be a doctor. The doctor in our community in Sefton in the western suburbs of Sydney was someone who was respected and intelligent and seemed to do good work. I just wanted to be like that. It was my good fortune that I knew what I wanted to do with my life. It is the easiest thing in the world once you work out what you want to do, because all you have to do is work towards that goal.

Michael attended the University of Sydney where he graduated in Medicine in 1980. After completing his residency at Royal Newcastle Hospital, Michael joined the Royal Australian Navy more or less on a whim. He did officer training at HMAS Creswell and was then posted to HMAS Cerberus. When he was successful with his entrance exams for ophthalmology, the navy agreed to release him as they were keen to retain his future services as a consultant ophthalmologist. When he became an ophthalmologist Michael served on the Ophthalmology Consultative Committee for the combined Australian Defence Forces, a role he continues with to this day.

After completing ophthalmology training in Sydney, Michael did two years of sub-specialty education a Corneal and External Diseases Fellowship with Professor Doug Coster in Adelaide and a second Fellowship in Corneal and Refractive Surgery with Professor Richard Troutman at the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital in New York. He also travelled to Colombia to work with the legendary Dr Jos Barraquer. In 1988 Michael left New York and returned to Sydney and set up practice as a corneal transplant surgeon. Then, in 1991, together with Dr Chris Rogers and Dr Peter Cohen, he brought the first excimer laser into Australia.

Professional Credentials

His career highlights include:

• First Australian surgeon to perform laser cataract surgery with the femtosecond laser in Feb 2011
• Performed the first LASIK procedure in Sydney in 1995
• President, International Society of Refractive Surgery, 2001
• Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal North Shore Hospital and Northern Area Health Service, 2000-2006
• Over 100 publications in the peer reviewed scientific literature and textbook chapters written on innovations in eye surgery
• Selected to perform televised live surgery at international meetings, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology
• 2006 to present, Medical Director, Vision Eye Institute

His many awards include:

• Cedric Cohen Medal for Excellence in the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists examination, 1982
• Visiting Professor, University of Melbourne, 1998
• Founders Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery, Chicago 2005
• Senior Honour Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology for Services to Education in Ophthalmic Surgery, 2012
• Dr Lawless is frequently invited to be a Guest Lecturer at the worlds main scientific meetings. He is also consultant ophthalmologist to the Australian Defence Force and consultant ophthalmologist to the NSW Rugby Union.

Beyond Work

Michael is married with three children and is a Shodan (black belt) in Goju Ryu karate. He currently trains in Aikido and practices yoga. He has also taken on an active role in educating ophthalmologists through the American Academy and the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology. He coordinates their cataract educational programs for the Asia/Pacific area including China and India.

PROFESSOR GERARD SUTTON MBBS, MD (AUCK), FRANZCO

Gerard Sutton is the Inaugural Professor of Corneal and Refractive Surgery at Sydney University. His appointment to the Chair in 2009 was a reflection of his international reputation as a surgical expert in laser vision correction, laser cataract and corneal transplant surgery.

Gerard is first and foremost an ophthalmic surgeon. To date, he has successfully performed around 20,000 surgeries. His chief strength is as an innovator who critically analyses new technologies in order to provide the best and safest surgical options for his patients.

Background

Born in Lakemba, Sydney, Gerards father was an engineer in the Royal Australian Navy who went on to become Vice Chancellor of Wollongong University. During Gerards boyhood years, the family spent several years in England and the United States. Whilst in school, Gerard considered entering the priesthood. However, that notion vanished when puberty struck. He then narrowed down his career options to going into medicine or playing rugby for Australia preferably both at the same time. He was to achieve only one of these goals. In 1993 Gerard completed his ophthalmic training at the Sydney Eye Hospital, where he is now Professor of Corneal and Refractive Surgery. In 1996 he completed advanced surgical training at St Thomas and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and The Friedrich- Alexander University in Erlangen, Germany, having received the DAAD and RANZCO Sigma scholarships. Gerard thus became the first Australian to complete overseas fellowship training in laser refractive surgery.

Professional Credentials

His career highlights include:

• Gerard is the Sydney Medical School Foundation Professor of Corneal and Refractive Surgery at the Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney
• He is currently the Medical Director of The Lions NSW Eyebank
• He is a consultant to the Royal Australian Navy

His previous appointments include:

• Inaugural Corneal and Refractive Fellow at Vision Eye Institute Chatswood in 1994
• Chief Ophthalmologist for the Sydney 2000 Olympics
• Chief surgeon in New South Wales for the Artificial Cornea project in 2002
• Member of the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards for LASIK in 20022005

Gerard has introduced many new surgical techniques to Australia, as well as achieving many milestones in his career. They include:

• First Australian surgeon to complete overseas fellowship training in laser eye surgery
• First surgeon in Australia to perform LASIK using the IntraLase femtosecond laser
• First surgeon in Australia to use Intacs corneal inlays for the treatment of keratoconus
• First Australian surgeon to perform a corneal transplantation using the femtosecond laser
• First Professor of Corneal and Refractive Surgery in Australia
• Established the first remote university degree in refractive surgery in the world
• First Australian appointed to the Council of Asia Cornea Society

Gerard has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers and textbook chapters, and continues to lecture both nationally and internationally. He was a Visiting Professor to the Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in 2007, and in 2009 was Visiting Professor at The Eye Institute, Auckland. He has also been a Visiting Professor to Otago University since 2010. He has given many keynote and invited lectures internationally in recent years including: World Ophthalmology Conference Tokyo 2014, Asia Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Singapore 2013, American Academy of Ophthalmology Chicago 2012, and Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Busan 2011.