Program Leader, Clinical Program
Bionic Vision Australia

Biography 

Retinal Specialist Professor Robyn Guymer is the Head of the Macular Research Unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA). Prior to this, she undertook a two-year medical retinal fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London under Professor Alan Bird, for which she was awarded a Royal Australian College of Surgeons travelling fellowship. She is a practising clinician, appointed as a medical retinal consultant at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH).

In 2002, Professor Guymer was awarded the Amgen medical researcher award for her ability to translate basic science into clinical practice though her work in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the genetic study of which she had initiated at CERA, establishing the McComas molecular genetics laboratory in 1997. She conducts clinical trials into AMD treatment and epidemiological studies into its risk factors and has been responsible for introducing new treatments and investigative tools to the RVEEH. 

Research interests 

Professor Guymer’s finely honed clinical skills and many years of research into AMD make her one of the most important figures in Australian AMD research, a matter that has been recognised by funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia. 

Contribution to bionic eye project 

Professor Guymer’s contribution to the bionic eye project is two-fold. Firstly, it is to establish clinical tests for appropriate selection of implant recipients, and assessing and monitoring eye health, visual performance and vision-related quality of life, pre- and post-implementation.

Secondly, Professor Guymer’s contribution is to develop safe and reproducible surgical procedures for implantation of the wide-view and high-acuity devices , and to lead surgical aspects of the first human tests of the wide-view device at the RVEEH. 

Qualifications 

BSc (Melbourne), MBBS (Melbourne), PhD (Transplantational Immunology) (Melbourne)

Publications 

Professor Guymer has written several chapters in ophthalmic textbooks, mostly on AMD, as well as more than 40 research papers. She is a section editor and on the editorial board of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, a board member of the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia (ORIA), and is chairperson of the ORIA research sub-committee.