Talking Eyes with Lien Trinh

Guest: Dr Ben La Hood, specialist refractive surgeon and global education leaderEpisode SummaryLaser vision correction is one of those topics people are fascinated by, but also a bit scared to take the next step on. In this season finale, Lien and Dr Ben La Hood break it down in plain language: what laser eye surgery actually means, how it reshapes the cornea, how modern procedures differ from older techniques, what the day feels like, who is and isn’t a good candidate, and what the real risks look like (including dry eye and rare complications like corneal ectasia). The goal is simple: help you feel clearer, calmer, and better informed if you’re considering the leap away from glasses or contact lenses.Key takeawaysPRK, LASIK and SMILE all have pros/cons, and the “best” option depends on your eyes and lifestyle.The laser change is designed to be permanent, but your eyes still age (especially reading vision).Good screening matters: the safest outcomes come from the right candidates and conservative decision-making.Dry eye is real and should be discussed properly, but severe long-term dry eye is uncommon in appropriately selected patients.Your optometrist can help you choose a trustworthy referral pathway and interpret the pros/cons.Next steps for listenersBook a proper suitability assessment (including corneal mapping/topography and dry eye evaluation).If you have dry eye symptoms, consider treating the surface first, then reassess suitability.Bring your questions to your optometrist first — they see the long-term outcomes and can guide you to reputable refractive care.AcknowledgementsProduced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and Mivision.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 2050, half of the world’s population is expected to be myopic — and that comes with serious risks to lifelong vision. In this episode, host Lien Trinh speaks with Dr Nina Tahhan about how modern lifestyles are reshaping the way our eyes grow, why earlier onset is such a concern, and how cornea-based interventions such as soft myopia-control lenses and orthokeratology can slow progression and protect the next generation from irreversible vision loss.In this episode:The alarming rise of myopia worldwide and its impact on blindness and visual impairmentWhy central vision loss from myopic maculopathy is irreversibleEvidence-based prevention and the role of environmental and lifestyle factors — less time outdoors, more close workHow orthokeratology and specialised soft lenses reshape the cornea and retinal image profile to slow eye growthSafety of contact lenses in children — infection risks, hygiene, and follow-up carePractical advice for families: fitting, wearing time, and clinician partnershipKey takeaways:Myopia is not just about glasses. It’s a structural condition that increases lifetime risk of retinal and macular disease.Outdoor time matters. Even a modest increase in outdoor play significantly reduces risk of myopia onset.Optical treatments work. Myopia-control contact lenses and orthokeratology have robust clinical evidence in slowing progression.Children can safely wear lenses when properly fitted and supervised.Regular reviews are essential — early detection and consistent follow-up protect long-term eye health.Resources:International Myopia Institute (IMI): https://myopiainstitute.org — global research consensus and practitioner resourcesBrien Holden Vision Institute Myopia Calculator: https://bhvi.org/myopia-calculator — estimate risk and treatment effectOptometry Australia Clinical Guidelines: https://www.optometry.org.auInformation for Parents: https://www.mykidsvision.org/ DisclaimersThis episode is for education only and not individual medical advice. Always follow your own eye-care professional’s guidance for lens type, care system, and wear schedule.AcknowledgementsProduced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and Mivision.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Heather Machin, Head of the Lions Eye Donation Service (Melbourne); Chair, Global Alliance of Eye Bank AssociationsEye donation is about science, compassion, and community. Heather Machin lifts the lid on how eye banks honour donors and families, prepare tissue for surgery and research, and help restore sight in Australia and around the world—while navigating ethics, regulation, and the future of bioengineered corneas.Content AdvisoryThis episode includes discussion of eye donation in the context of end of life. Listener discretion advised.In this episode:What eye banks do and why Heather calls them “custodians of the gift.”Donation pathways: organs vs tissue; cornea vs sclera; how consent works with families.How tissue is prepared and stored (corneoscleral discs, preservation media, timelines).Access & equity: why Australia can pre-book surgeries—and why many countries can’t.Costs & funding: cost-recovery vs “selling” tissue; how pricing actually works.Ethics & safety: the Barcelona Principles; counterfeit risks; regulation (TGA).Training the workforce: education in a niche field; collaborating internationally.The future: precut tissue, injectors, CARES, bioengineering & cell therapies; where AI might help.What listeners can do: register intent and—crucially—tell your family.Key resources for this episode:DonateLife Australia (Eye & Tissue Donation Awareness)Overview of eye & tissue donation in Australia, myths, facts, how donation works. “How Does Donation Work” — explains that eye donation can occur up to 24 hours after death, and steps in registration & family discussion. “Get Involved” page — ways for community, schools, or workplaces to engage. Lions Eye Donation Service / CERAThey are one of Australia’s leading eye banks (Melbourne) that manage donations, evaluation, and distribution.“Why Become an Eye Donor” — discusses eligibility, how donated corneas are used, and the role of research/training.Frequently Asked Questions (CERA Biobank) — details about donations to research, ethics, and contact information.Eye Bank Association of Australia & New Zealand (EBAANZ)The peak body for eye donation and transplantation services in Australia and NZ. Donation & Transplantation section — outlines how eye tissue donation works, including the need for consent and how tissue is used.FAQ: Explains what an eye bank is, donation eligibility, ethics, and standards. AcknowledgementsProduced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Larry Kornhauser, President of Keratoconus AustraliaIn this episode, we flip the usual script and learn about keratoconus through lived experience. Our guest is Larry Kornhauser, co-founder and President of Keratoconus Australia and a tireless advocate for patients nationwide. Larry was diagnosed as a schoolkid in the 1960s, underwent a corneal transplant at 18, and has spent the past two decades helping others navigate a condition that can quietly upend education, work, and daily life.Larry takes us from classroom vision screenings and early hard-lens fittings to the joy of restored sight, the realities of cost and access, and why second opinions with an experienced fitter can be life-changing. We also unpack what keratoconus is—when the normally dome-shaped cornea thins and bulges into a cone, distorting vision. Larry shares practical advice for patients and families, reflects on the mental-health toll of uncertainty, and explains how advocacy, teaching clinics, and modern treatments like corneal cross-linking have transformed outcomes.In this episode:Larry’s diagnosis, transplant, and the bumpy road of early RGP lensesWhat keratoconus actually is, who it affects, and how it progressesCosts, funding hurdles (including NDIS realities), and where to find more affordable careThe power of a proper fit, backup spectacles, and seeking a second (or third) opinionCross-linking as a game-changer—and why avoiding eye rubbing mattersKeratoconus Australia and building a supportive community This is a hopeful conversation. Larry’s story shows that with the right clinicians, the right lenses, and timely treatment, most people with keratoconus can study, work, travel, play sport—and simply get on with living.If you or someone you love has keratoconus, talk to an optometrist experienced in specialty contact lenses and ask about cross-linking assessment and teaching-clinic options in your state.Key resource for this episode:Keratoconus AustraliaThe national patient support, advocacy & information body in Australia withFAQs, downloadable guides, treatment info, and clinic directories Vision Subsidies & Assistance page (lists state/federal schemes, clinics that offer subsidised lenses) Helpline / outreach support, to help people find specialist eye-carers even in regional or remote areas KeraClub webinars / patient forums (updates, Q&A with clinicians) AcknowledgementsProduced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Talking Eyes—a podcast about eye care research, clinical insights, and the everyday experiences of people living with vision conditions. Hosted by optometrist Lien Trinh, the show brings together experts and personal stories to make eye health both accessible and meaningful.Season 1, Talking Retina, took listeners on a journey into the back of the eye—exploring conditions, treatments, and the research shaping how we protect sight. Season 2,Talking Cornea, has taken a little extra time to create—and for good reason. It comes in two streams: one for everyone on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and a practitioner-only edition through Optometry Australia and Mivision, packed with technical pearls for clinical practice.We’ll be exploring what the cornea is, why it matters, and what happens when it loses transparency, changes shape, or simply dries out.Episodes shine a light on keratoconus, transplants and eye banks, contact lenses, myopia, and dry eye disease.Follow the release of the show on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 8: Fixing the Code for Inherited Retinal DiseasesHow does Lego relate to Genetics? In our final episode of our Talking Retina series, we have a very interesting chat with Dr. Tom Edwards, head of the Gene Therapy Research unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia about how gene therapy works, how it might look in people receiving treatment, and the process from research to clinical delivery. According to Dr. Tom, multiple gene therapies are expected to roll out over the next 5 to 10 years, so genetic testing and signing up to registers is more important now than ever.Dr. Tom Edwards and A/Prof Lauren Ayton work closely with the Australian and global community on Inherited Retinal Diseases.Research sites specialising in IRDs in Australia are:The VENTURE Registry is a collaboration between the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the University of Melbourne which collects both clinical and genetic information on people living with IRDs in Victoria. This registry also includes female carriers of X-linked IRDs. The Australian Inherited Retinal Disease Register and DNA Bank is Australia’s largest DNA ban collecting family history and genetic samples, but not comprehensive clinical data (which is captured by state-based registries – below). The AIRDR has proudly been funded by Retina Australia since its inception in 2009. The Save Sight Institute IRD Registry is based in NSW and led by an ophthalmologist (Prof Grigg) and geneticist (Prof Jamieson), collecting both clinical and genetic data on people living with IRDs.The Western Australia Retinal Disease (WARD) study is based at the Lions Eye Institute in Perth, collecting clinical and genetic information on people with IRDs. The Lead Investigator, A/Prof Fred Chen, is also the Head of the Ocular Tissue Engineering Laboratory at Lions, developing new treatments for IRDs.Additional resources can be found at:Retina Australia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever wondered what sort of nutrition advice is best for vision, for eye health and importantly, to prevent eye disease? Feeding your eyes is the very beginning of a conversation on nutrition for eye health. Professor John Nolan, the founder and director of the Nutrition Research Centre in Ireland, joins me to discuss the ingredients needed to improve and retain our vision. We deep dive into John’s areas of expertise: the role of nutrition for vision, cognitive function and the prevention of age-related diseases like macular degeneration. And we dare to venture into provocative territories that challenge the status quo. Food for thought.The late Michael Moseley is mentioned in this episode, related to his work investigating the legitimacy of Prof. John’s work. We’d like to acknowledge not only his tragic passing this year, but his brilliant contributions to the field of science translation. Vale Michael.Additional resources:The Brain and Ocular Nutrition Conference aims to connect the global scientific community as well as nutrition enthusiasts, for the advancement of eye and brain function through nutrition. It is planned for June 2025 in Massachusetts, USA.Nutritional therapist Hannah Nunn’s channel can be found at www.youtube.com/@nutritionforamdMichael Moseley’s “Trust Me I’m a Doctor” review of macula pigment supplementation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1f4vsRpHghwGWZcSvRN72xM/can-i-improve-my-eyesightFollow us on social mediaFacebookInstagramIf you enjoyed today's episode we'd love for you to leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm joined by special guest Associate Professor Lauren Ayton to discuss inherited retinal diseases.One time not long ago, there was very little we could do to change the prognosis of inherited retinal diseases. People with Retinitis Pigmentosa. Choroideremia. Leber congenital amaurosis. Stargardt's disease. To name but a few. All conditions we previously monitored, and could only counsel on. But critical advances in research over the last decade now provide hope to people with such conditions.Resources Retina Australia: https://retinaaustralia.com.au/An optometrist guide to the top candidate inherited retinal diseases for gene therapy: https://doi.org/10.1080/08164622.2021.1878851The Australian Inherited Retinal Disease Register and DNA Bank is Australia’s largest DNA ban collecting family history and genetic samples, but not comprehensive clinical data (which is captured by state-based registries – below). The AIRDR has proudly been funded by Retina Australia since its inception in 2009. https://www.scgh.health.wa.gov.au/Research/DNA-BankThe VENTURE Registry is a collaboration between the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the University of Melbourne which collects both clinical and genetic information on people living with IRDs in Victoria. This registry also includes female carriers of X-linked IRDs. https://www.cera.org.au/research/venture-study/The Save Sight Institute IRD Registry is based in NSW and led by an ophthalmologist (Prof Grigg) and geneticist (Prof Jamieson), collecting both clinical and genetic data on people living with IRDs. https://www.sydney.edu.au/save-sight-institute/our-research/eye-genetics-inherited-retinal-diseases/inherited-retinal-diseases.htmlThe Western Australia Retinal Disease (WARD) study is based at the Lions Eye Institute in Perth, collecting clinical and genetic information on people with IRDs. The Lead Investigator, A/Prof Fred Chen, is also the Head of the Ocular Tissue Engineering Laboratory at Lions, developing new treatments for IRDs. https://www.lei.org.au/research/clinical-trials/the-western-australian-retinal-degeneration-ward-study-lions-eye-institute-retina-australia/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode explores the intersection of eye health, technology and artificial intelligence with Professor Andrew Turpin, the Chair of Ophthalmic Data at the Lions Eye Institute jointly appointed at Curtin University. Andrew is a computer scientist with niche skills in eye health, whose research adds a unique perspective to eye care and the advancement of eye care technologies.Together, we delve into the fusion of eye health and computer science, with an emphasis on AI-driven healthcare solutions. Key topics include:Evolution of Visual Acuity Testing: Challenges and innovations in clinical practice.Advancements in Testing Technologies: Potential of virtual reality headsets and handheld OCT devices.Perimetry Testing: Improvements needed for efficiency and reducing unnecessary tests, with a focus on real-time eye tracking and head-mounted perimeters.Objective Testing Methods: Role of fundus imaging and AI analysis, highlighting deep learning applications and the importance of data quality.AI in Clinical Practice: Augmenting clinicians and automating tasks like fundus photography and OCT imaging. We highlight collaborations such as Google DeepMind and Lions Eye Institute's work on detecting diabetic retinopathy in remote communities.Data Privacy and Integration: Challenges in data protection, managing personal information, and legal responsibilities of AI technologies.Emerging Technologies: The future of AI and retinal imaging, including the use of VR headsets and advancements in both hardware and software.Here are some of Andrew’s recommendations for interesting insights into AI:Artificial Intelligence and Human Life: Five Lessons for Radiology from the 737 MAX Disasters: https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/ryai.2020190111 Lessons learned from translating AI from development to deployment in healthcare: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02293-9And an interesting diabetic retinopathy project: https://docs.aireadi.org/ because they have created a new license for data use that restricts sharing the data but also includes text about identifying individuals and sharing the data inadvertently. Anyone who is thinking of using/releasing data should look at it.Follow us on social media!FacebookInstagramIf you enjoyed today's episode we'd love for you to leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m Lien Trinh, your host of Talking Eyes, a groundbreaking Australian podcast dedicated to exploring the latest advancements in eye research. We’ll be translating these golden nuggets into tangible clinical practices, and help non-clinicians navigate your own interests in eye health and future possibilities.You, may be a vision tester. You, may be experiencing vision impairment. You, may have a loved one losing their sight. For you, I am thrilled to launch Talking Retina, the first of our podcast series, to offer an inside look into the dynamic world of retinal research. Our guests are true visionaries, dedicated to bridging the gap between scientific discovery and real-world impact. Vision and vision research is complex, but there are endless possibilities.  Follow the show on Instagram and Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.