Stephanie WATSON, MD
Australia

Professor Stephanie Watson OAM FARVO is a corneal surgeon known for her ground-breaking research in corneal therapies. Prof Watson is Head of the Corneal Research Group and a Deputy Director for Health at The University of Sydney and is Head of the Corneal Unit at the Sydney Eye Hospital. As Chair of Australian Vision Research; Vice Chair of NSW Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, and Secretary to the Asia Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society Professor Watson contributes to global and national policy and advocacy.

Professor Watson is an Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Gold Fellow and Fellow of the Academy of Asia-Pacific Professors of Ophthalmology (AAPPO) and Royal Society of New South Wales. The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) was awarded for services to ophthalmology and an Outstanding Service for the Prevention of Blindness and Achievement Award from the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology. Her research has led to over 200 Scopus publications, over 250 presentations and raised over $14M.

Professor Watson was the only Australian to make the Power List of the Top 100 women in Ophthalmology in 2021 and in 2022 the only Australian woman on the Top 100 Power list for all ophthalmologists. She also featured on the Top 100 Power list in 2023 and 2024.

Professor Watson gave the Doug Coster Lecture for the Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists in 2024 and was awarded the New Zealand's Dorothy Potter Medal and an NSW Premier's Prize for Leadership in Innovation. Clinical appointments include the Sydney Eye, Prince of Wales and Sydney Children's Hospitals and Bondi Eye Doctors.