Nathan Efron completed his BScOptom and PhD at the University of Melbourne in 1981, and after two years of post-doctoral studies in Berkeley, USA and Sydney, he returned to Melbourne as lecturer then senior lecturer responsible for contact lens education. In 1990 he took up the foundation Chair of Clinical Optometry at the University of Manchester, England, and established a contact lens research and consultancy unit known as Eurolens Research. In Manchester, he served as Head of Department from 1992- 97 and Dean of Research for the university from 2001-2004, and was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Science in 1995. Professor Efron returned to Australia in 2006 and joined the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation in the School of Optometry at the Queensland University of Technology, as Research Professor. He has served as President of both the Contact Lens Society of Australia (1981) and the British Contact Lens Association (1997). He lectures extensively worldwide, particularly in the field of the ocular response to contact lens wear, and has published over 700 scientific papers, abstracts and textbook chapters, and has written/edited 6 books — his most recent being ‘Contact Lens Practice’ (Butterworth-Heinemann, to be published in April 2010). Professor Efron has won a number of prestigious awards, including the Optician journal’s ‘Contribution to Optics’ award (UK, 1997), the Gold Medal of the British Contact Lens Association (UK, 2001) and the Max Schapero Award (USA, 2003).

Dr. Rosenthal, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School is the Founding President, Vice Chairman and Research Director of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Boston Foundation for Sight. He received his Doctor of Medicine from McGill University and completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary where he founded its first Contact Lens Service. Subsequently, Dr. Rosenthal co-founded Polymer Technology Corporation, now a subsidiary of Bausch & Lomb, where he led the development of the Boston Lens polymers and solutions. Not content with the limitations of corneal RGP contact lenses in rehabilitating eyes with corneal disorders, Dr. Rosenthal founded Boston Eye Technology Corporation to develop the patented spline based DTF CAD/CAM program that drives the custom design technology of the Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis and which he subsequently gifted to the Boston Foundation for Sight. A Laureate of the Tech Museum of Innovation for “Technology benefiting humanity” and a recipient of the Dr. Josef Dallos Award for “Outstanding contribution to the development and advancement of the contact lens industry and service to humanity”, Dr. Rosenthal is a frequent guest lecturer at national and international professional meetings.

Professor Wildsoet is currently a full professor in the School of Optometry/ Vision Science Program at the University of California Berkeley where her main teaching responsibilities are Systemic and Ocular Pharmacology as well as Clinical Optometry. She received her optometry training at the Queensland University of Technology and her pharmacology and PhD graduate research training at University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. The focus of research in the Wildsoet lab is myopia (near-sightedness), specifically the mechanisms underlying the development of myopia and the clinical management of the same. On-going research has three main directions: 1. the role of optical aberrations and other influences on retinal image quality in myopia, 2. the local ocular molecular signaling pathways involved in eye (scleral) growth regulation, and 3. optical, pharmacological and tissue engineering approaches to myopia control. Research includes both human- and animal (chick)-based lines and both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Animal model studies combine visual manipulations with lesioning techniques, and apply state-of-the-art measurement and assay techniques including high frequency A-scan ultrasonography and gene arrays. In vivo studies are complemented by cell and organ cultures using animal and human cadaveric tissue. Parallel human-based studies are directed at translating results from animal studies. Working on these projects are 3 post-doctoral fellows and 7 graduate students, whose training backgrounds include Optometry and Bioengineering. Graduate OD and undergraduate students researchers are also involved. Their work is regularly represented at major vision conferences, including ARVO, and they have published widely. Funding is mostly from the National Eye Institute.

Dr. Yoon has expertise on physiological optics of the human eye. Earlier studies focused on developing an adaptive optics system that measures and corrects the eye’s optical aberration in real time. This system allows achieving a high-resolution image of the living retina that could enhance the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases. Evaluation of visual benefit of compensating for the ocular aberrations has been also performed with the adaptive optics system. The results of this work are directly relevant to how much vision improvement can be achieved with customized vision correction methods such as laser refractive surgery and custom made ophthalmic optics. He then focused on developing the large dynamic range wavefront sensor and customized soft contact lenses to improve vision especially for eyes with abnormal corneal conditions such as keratoconus and corneal transplantation. These studies have demonstrated the potential to provide the patients with better than 20/20 normal vision, which enhances quality of life significantly. Real time large stroke adaptive optics developed in his lab recently allows his team to make these highly aberrated eyes optically perfect. This powerful tool has been used to understand interaction between optics of the eye and adaptation effects of the human visual system. His recently initiated research projects include developing high resolution anterior segment imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and MRI to investigate the mechanisms of accommodation and presbyopia. A micrometer axial-resolution ocular surface OCT is being developed to objectively characterize the tear films and to study their impacts on dry eye syndrome.

Arthur B. Epstein, OD, FAAO is an internationally recognized contact lens specialist and an acknowledged expert on the medical complications of contact lenses and corneal disease. He is a founding partner of North Shore Contact Lens & Vision Consultants, P.C., a referral based contact lens specialty and primary eyecare practice on Long Island, NY. He also serves as the Director of the Contact Lens Service of North Shore University Hospital, NYU School of Medicine in New York and is a Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor, Northeastern State University College of Optometry, Tahlequah, OK. A prolific author, Dr. Epstein has published hundreds of articles, scientific papers and book chapters. He is a Contributing Editor and Director of Optometric Programs for Review of Optometry and Executive Editor of Review of Cornea and Contact Lenses. He founded, and serves as Chief Medical Editor of Optometric Physician™, the first E-Journal in optometry. Dr. Epstein served on the Editorial Board of Eye & Contact Lens: Science and Clinical Practice, and as a reviewer for numerous journals including: Review of Optometry, Cornea, Optometry (JAOA), Optometry & Vision Science (OVS), Contact Lens & Anterior Eye (BCLA), Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, the American Journal of Ophthalmology (AJO) and the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. A sought after lecturer in the US and abroad, Dr. Epstein, has presented more than 700 invited lectures on a variety of eyecare topics both nationally and internationally. During his travels, Dr. Epstein has been an ambassador for US optometry visiting optometry organizations, schools and colleagues throughout the world. His primary clinical and research interests include contact lens and refractive surgery complications, therapeutic (medical) and specialty contact lenses, dry eye/ocular surface disease, ocular allergy, and a particular interest in corneal ectatic conditions such as keratoconus and corneal ectasia post refractive surgery. Dr. Epstein is a Past Chair of the Contact Lens & Cornea Section of the American Optometric Association and a founder and past President of the Optometric Dry Eye Society. He led the American Optometric Association’s response to the international Fusarium keratitis outbreak and was quoted in newspapers around the world. He is a Distinguished Practitioner of the National Academies of Practice, a Fellow of the American and New York Academies of Optometry and a Full Member of the International Society of Contact Lens Specialists. He serves as Vice President for Communications for the American Optometric Society He belongs to numerous professional organizations including the American Optometric Association, the AOA Contact Lens & Cornea Section, the Arizona Optometric Association, the American Academy of Optometry, the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology, and the Optometric Editors Association. Dr. Epstein was the founding Medical Director of the Surgical Eyes Foundation and Co-Chairman of the Center for Keratoconus. He also serves on numerous professional and industry advisory boards including the Medical Advisory Board of the National Keratoconus Foundation and the Advisory Committee of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute.

Desmond Fonn is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Contact Lens Research at the School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He is a graduate of the School of Optometry in Johannesburg, South Africa and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia where he also served as a consultant for the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a diplomate of the Cornea and Contact Lens section, a member of the Canadian and Ontario Association of Optometrists, and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He is the immediate Past President of the International Society for Contact Lens Research and a founding member of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators in which he served as Vice President for 15 years. In 2003 Desmond Fonn received the prestigious Max Shapero award from the American Academy of Optometry which is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the cornea and contact lens field. He received the Wichterle medal from the Czech Contact Lens Society in 2003, the Kenneth Bell medal from the Australian Contact Lens Society in 2007, is the 2008 British Contact Lens Association Gold Medal recipient and received the Clair Bobier distinguished lecture award from the School of Optometry, University of Waterloo. He currently serves as Editor-In-Chief of Eye & Contact Lens and is on the editorial boards of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics and The Ocular Surface. Professor Fonn is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed papers.

Dr Pauline Cho is currently an Associate Professor of the School of Optometry at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University where she teaches Contact Lens Practice. She obtained her Bachelor of Optometry at the University of New South Wales, Australia and her PhD at the University of Bradford, UK. She obtained her Master in Professional, Vocational and Higher Education at PolyU in 2003. Her current research interests include contact lenses (including orthokeratology), compliance in contact lens wear and care, microbial contamination of lens and lens accessories, tears and dry eye. She has published extensively in optometric and contact lens journals including a book chapter on Orthokeratology with John Mountford in Refractive Surgery (eds: Azar D, Gatinel D). She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association. She is also currently the Regional Editor (Asia- Pacific) for Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, the journal of the British Contact Lens Association.

Dr. Bernal graduated with a degree in Chemistry in 1969 from the University of Illinois. From 1966 to 1969, he conducted research in the area of Synthetic Organic Chemistry. From 1969 to 1974 he continued his research in Protein Synthesis at the University of Chicago, earning a Ph.D. degree in Biochemical Pathology in 1974. In 1975, he completed his medical studies and obtained an M.D. degree from the University of Chicago. Early in his career, Dr. Bernal conducted experiments in nanotechnology involving protein synthesis in vitro and stem cell growth and differentiation. At the Johns Hopkins Hospital, while continuing his research in the Human Biochemistry, he underwent medical specialty training in Internal Medicine from 1976 to 1979. Dr. Bernal is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 1979, he continued his training as fellow in Internal Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and as fellow in Medicine at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. From 1979 to 1981, he underwent medical subspecialty training in Oncology (Cancer Medicine) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard. Dr. Bernal is Board Certified in Medical Oncology and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cancer Specialists. From 1981 to 1983, he was a post-doctoral research fellow in Cancer Biochemistry, while appointed as Instructor at Harvard Medical School. From 1983 to 1989, he was Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, where he was conducting research in the Differentiation and Maturation of Human Cancer Cells. From 1989 to 1992 he was Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University, where he examined Drug Resistance of Cancer Cells. Dr. Bernal transferred to University of California, Los Angeles in 1992, where he is currently Professor of Medicine, Director Emeritus of the Cancer Center of the Greater Los Angeles VA Health Care System, Chief of Cancer Research Laboratory, and Attending Physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He has an active clinical practice, treating patients with new biotherapies including stem cells. Dr. Bernal completed his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1997 at the Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles. He specializes in Regulatory Law, particularly FDA and FTC regulations and in Medical Malpractice. He also completed a program in Comparative and International Law in Trinity College, Cambridge University, in England. He is a licensed attorney in California State Courts and the U.S. Federal Court. Dr. Bernal completed his M.B.A. degree in a business program for company presidents at Pepperdine University, in Malibu, California, specializing in biotechnology business strategies. He is a founder and chairman of Strata Lucida, a biotechnology company based in California, LA-Boston Bioresearch Fund, a biotechnology research and consulting organization, and GlobeTekPro technology services and products. Dr. Bernal published numerous scientific journal articles and several books including books on Lung Cancer Differentiation and Drug Resistance in Oncology. He is an active member of the International Association of Stem Cell Researchers, American Association of Clinical Oncologists, a researcher-member of the American Association of Cancer Researchers, and a recognized cancer investigator with the National Institutes of Health. He has served as consultant and panel presenter for FDA and FTC cases involving medical devices, nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals. Upcoming books include Drug Resistance: Uses of Immune Stem Cells and Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine. His laboratory continues to create advances in stem cell growth and differentiation.

Dr. Robert Edward T. Ang, specializes in cornea, laser refractive surgery, cataract treatment and glaucoma at the Asian Eye Institute. He underwent residency training in Ophthalmology at the Philippine General Hospital. He finished two subspecialty programs at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School (Cornea and Refractive Surgery and Glaucoma). Dr. Ang has authored numerous journal publications and book chapters on refractive surgery, glaucoma and the management of complicated cataracts. He has participated in international clinical trials including the Zyoptix XP microkeratome, the Aspheric versus Personalized Aspheric LASIK and the Acufocus Corneal Inlay. His current research interests are combined wavefront and aspheric LASIK, presbyopic treatments such as the Acufocus corneal inlay and Intracor laser treatment and the Crystalens accommodating intraocular lens.

Dr. Harvey Uy is the Director for Research at the Asian Eye Institute. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines, he completed his ophthalmic residency at the Philippine General Hospital and fellowships in medical and surgical retina at St. Luke’s Medical Center, and in ocular immunology and uveitis at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, where he received the Immunology award. He is currently a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal at the University of the Philippines. Dr. Uy has authored several papers on cataract surgery and ocular inflammation as well as book chapters on uveitis and retinal pharmacotherapy. He has served as principal investigator for several clinical trials including those on accommodating intraocular lenses, contact lenses, viscoelastic devices, intraocular implants for uveitis/retinal disease and ocular antibiotics. He is currently Secretary of the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology, associate editor of the Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology, councilor of the Vitreo-retina Society of the Philippines, adviser to the AAO Academy Express, and representative to the AAO World Ophthalmic Leaders Forum in Education (WOLFE).