Optometrist and Contact Lens
Specialist Varny Ganesalingam has commenced a Master of Health Science (MHSc),
joining the Department of Ophthalmology as a Masters Student.
This will
be Varny’s third degree, Varny spent three years at
the University of Otago completing a Bachelor of Biomedical Science majoring in
Anatomy and Biochemistry. Varny then obtained direct entry into the University
of Auckland Bachelor of Optometry programme and spent a further four years
completing her second degree, graduating with Honors.
Whilst
practicing at Mortimer Hirst Varny has come to learn the harsh impact ocular
disease can have on an individual’s lifestyle, independence, their ability to
work and take care of others. She said this was the motivation behind
undertaking her third degree, a Master of Health Science
(MHSc)
Varny says
the most satisfying aspect of her position at Mortimer Hirst is finding real
solutions for her patients’ vision problems, whether it is in the form of
spectacle correction, a custom contact lens, a therapeutic prescription, or
advice on nutrition and regimes for day-to-day ocular health and hygiene. The
flip side is of course experiencing the distress caused by conditions which are
not as straight forward to fix, those that can be chronic or episodic which will
often hinder the ability to comfortably perform daily tasks and meet the visual
demands of life in this day and age.
One issue
that has often phased Varny and her patients is the impact of dry eye and
associated ocular surface inflammation. Research into the field of dry eye
disease is of particular interest to Varny as it will have a very practical
implication to the existing clinical approach.
Varny will be
working under the supervision of Associate Professor Jennifer Craig where she
will be continuing on with the investigation into a novel lid hygiene
preparation which has the potential to limit ocular surface inflammation. The
research will involve measuring the presence of inflammatory markers via
quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) from
ocular surface samples obtained by impression cytology.
Varny will be
working a half day a week for the next two years in the Ophthalmology
Department’s research laboratory conducting the study.
To read more
about Varny please visit her professional website: www.varnyganesalingam.co.nz
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