MBBS(Hons), FRANZCO
Dr John Downie is a senior Vitreoretinal Surgeon at Waratah Private Hospital. Dr Downie specialises in the medical and surgical care of retinal and macula diseases, particularly retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. He is a highly regarded teacher of ophthalmology trainees and has twice been awarded the Trainer of Excellence – awarded by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
Dr Downie studied Medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating with Honours in 1987. He trained as an ophthalmologist at the Sydney Eye Hospital, and was the Professorial Senior Registrar at the Sydney Eye Hospital in 1995. He undertook further training as a retinal specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, and was a Vitreoretinal Surgical Fellow and Renee and Francis Hock Research Fellow during his time at Moorfields.
His interest in training young ophthalmologists extends to work overseas. Under the auspices of the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, Dr Downie regularly travels to Cambodia to teach trainees in the Cambodian Ophthalmology Residents Programme.
He is currently the Chairman of the Diabetic Retinopathy Working Group for the NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Community Eye Care Project, which aims to improve the management of this increasingly common retinal problem in NSW.
Dr Downie cares exclusively for patients with diseases of the retina, macula and vitreous, including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, macular hole, epiretinal membrane and retinal tears and detachment.
– Management of patients with diabetic retinopathy