Medical Board

Olivia’s Vision is fortunate to have the support, advice and guidance of three of the most eminent uveitis specialists in the UK.

Together they make up our Medical Advisory Board.

Professor William Ayliffe (London)

BSc (Hons), MBBS, DO, FRCS (Ed), FRCS (Lond), FRCOphth, PhD

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“There is definitely a need for more resources to be put into this disease, which has been ignored for too long.

Many cases of blindness are preventable by treatment and by referring people early on so you don’t get complications. If a doctor only sees one or two patients a year, he is not aware of the consequences of his actions, of either under or over treating with steroids, both of which have their own perils.

Of the thousands with a strain of uveitis, an estimated half of those will be sight threatening.”

Professor Andrew Dick (London and Bristol)

BSc (Hons), MBBS, MD, FRCP, FRCS (Lond), FRCS (Ed), FRCOphth, FMedSci, FBS

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“It remains a privilege to be asked to serve patient-led charitable movements, and Olivia’s Vision exemplifies the rightful strength of the Patient voice.

Olivia’s Vision is driven by patient wishes that we as professionals are here to advise and respond to.

My hope is that with the increasing vocal and illustrated collective need the recognition for funding specialist services, training and research will be generated.”

Professor Phil Murray (Birmingham)

MBBS, DO (RCS), PhD, FRCP, FRCS, FRCOphth

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“Uveitis comprises a group of potentially sight threatening conditions affecting mainly adults but also children.

Uveitis is puzzling as in many patients we do not know the cause or cannot predict whether the condition will recur or even persist for many years. Some patients need very strong therapies to suppress the body’s immune system. Patients with uveitis require and deserve to see doctors who have an understanding of these conditions.

The establishment of Olivia’s Vision is an exciting development that I am confident will lead to patient benefit. For those doctors wishing to specialise in uveitis there are limited training opportunities.

The generosity of Olivia’s Vision will allow more doctors to have the opportunity to gain an expertise in the management of patients with uveitis. Not only will this be of benefit to the patients they see but also will allow these doctors to train the uveitis specialists of the future.”

Professor A. V. Ramanan (Bristol)

FRCPCH, FRCP

“Uveitis is an important cause of vision loss in children. However, with advances in therapy, no child should really have loss of vision secondary to uveitis.

Trials led in UK with support from Olivia’s Vision have shown the effectiveness of biologics in children with uveitis.

There is still a need for those not responding to currently available biologics for new therapies to be trialled in children.

My hope is that with the support of Olivia’s Vision we can help persuade Industry and Regulators, the importance of doing trials of new agents in children/adults with uveitis, so that more options are available for children/adults with uveitis.”

Professor Alastair Denniston (Birmingham)

MA MRCP FRCOphth PhD

Professor Alastair Denniston is a consultant ophthalmologist specialising in uveitis at University Hospitals Birmingham leading research into the understanding and treatment of uveitis, and the use of imaging and artificial intelligence to improve patient care in the ‘real world’.

He is Professor at the University of Birmingham, and part of the Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital/UCL.

He is a passionate advocate of the ‘patient voice’ and part of the Centre for Patient Reported Outcome Research, University of Birmingham. He has particular expertise in the development of better measures for inflammatory eye diseases for clinical trials and inform day-to-day treatment decisions.