Glaucoma – stents and shunts: The 5 W's?

Anthony Khawaja is Associate Professor at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Honorary Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. He is currently a UK Research & Innovation Future Leaders Fellow. Anthony completed his medical training at the University of Cambridge and University College London and has undertaken the majority of his ophthalmic residency training at Moorfields Eye Hospital. His research training began with a Welcome Trust funded PhD programme at the University of Cambridge, including a Masters in Epidemiology for which he won the Nick Day Prize. He was also awarded the Berkeley Fellowship which supported a research period at Harvard Medical School.

Anthony’s research interests concern the genetic and environmental epidemiology of glaucoma, and learning about disease pathogenesis and optimal care pathways by probing routinely collected data. His ultimate aim is to develop clinical tools to personalise screening and treatment of glaucoma. Anthony is an active member of international multidisciplinary consortia for eye diseases, including the International Glaucoma Genetics Consortium and the European Eye Epidemiology consortium. Anthony established the Young Ophthalmologists section of the European Society of Ophthalmology and is director for the European Leadership Development Programme.

He was recently voted in The Ophthalmologist's top 100 most influential thought leaders in ophthalmology globally. Anthony is chair of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Informatics sub-committee. In his spare time, Anthony is passionate about music: he plays the piano, composes, and enjoys listening to broad range of music. His favourite record of 2020 so far is Suddenly by Caribou.

Karl Mercieca was appointed as a consultant ophthalmologist with special interest in glaucoma at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital (MREH) in August 2015. He undertook his medical degree at the University of Malta graduating in 2001 and moved to the U.K. in 2005 to pursue a career in ophthalmology. He successfully completed Ophthalmic Specialist Training in the North West deanery in 2014 and subsequently undertook two one-year advanced glaucoma fellowships in Manchester and Cheltenham, working and collaborating with established and internationally renowned glaucoma experts.

Karl has been highly active in ophthalmology research as evidenced by more than 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has received several research prizes including best poster prize at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Congress and the Peter Watson medal for joint highest score in the FEBOS-GL glaucoma sub-specialty exam. His glaucoma research portfolio includes studies on CSF pulsatility and vascular biomarkers, non-penetrating glaucoma surgery, uveitic glaucoma, and mobile technology for harnessing glaucoma service delivery.  Over the years he has also been significantly involved in Medical Education, obtaining a Post-graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Clinical Practice and also representing the Ophthalmic Trainees’ Group on the RCOphth Education committee and NHS Eyes and Vision.

Karl is also honorary senior lecturer at Manchester University and glaucoma co-lead for the MSc in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences degree in addition to being co-chair of the European Glaucoma Society sub-specialty training and exams committee. He combines his passion for long distance running with fund-raising for ophthalmic charities. 

Mr Imran Masood is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist at University Hospital Birmingham and The Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and Co-director of the Birmingham Institute for Glaucoma Research based at the centre for Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham. He specializes in complex glaucoma, anterior segment and glaucoma surgery.

He has a particular interest in angle closure glaucoma, complex cataract surgery, cataract surgery in glaucoma patients, complex trabeculectomy, aqueous shunt procedures and in minimally invasive glaucoma operations. He has a keen interest in the basic science of wound healing, trabecular meshwork biology and glaucomatous optic neuropathy and is conducting research into these areas at the University of Birmingham.

He is a recognised leader in MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery), he was the first surgeon in the UK to use the Hydrus Schlemm’s canal aqueous implant and introduced the GATT procedure to the UK. He was one of the first surgeons in the UK to use the revolutionary Istent device and has the largest series in the UK of Istent procedures in complex glaucoma patients.  He has also had considerable experience in the use of the Preserflo microshunt, Xen micro-fistula and Supra-choroidal devices. He is continually involved in the development and refinement of these new techniques at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.

Mr Faisal Ahmed received his MBBS from St George's Hospital Medical School, London University, and his BSc (Hons) from Imperial College London. He was a trainee and glaucoma research fellow at Moorfields Eye Hospital and undertook a glaucoma fellowship at the Western Eye Hospital.

Mr Ahmed was the national coordinator for World Glaucoma Day and is a member of the UK and Eire Glaucoma Society Scientific Advisory committee. He is a keen surgical trainer and recently published a novel wet lab model for trabecuelctomy. Faisal has a special interest in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) including the iStent and the new micropulse diode laser and is one of the authors for the Emerging Laser and Surgical Treatments for Glaucoma national website, which is an award winning website and is the standard for all Royal College trainees.

Mr Ahmed is the first in the World to use the Eyeplate implant as a standalone glaucoma drainage device. Faisal is active in research and was an investigator on the MRC funded TAGS and Eagle trials as well as the Welcome funded DARC studies. Faisal was part of a team that won a national award for development of an electronic patient record system is currently Imperial IT lead for Ophthalmology