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Teaching and research
Dr O'Donnell is a familiar figure to most in optometry. Her regular appearances at the BCLA for example have made her a recognisable expert in cornea and contact lens research. Her PhD, under Professor Nathan Efron, was concerned with the impact of diabetes on anterior ocular structures and, on completion, she went on to become the clinic manager for the Eurolens Research Unit at Manchester University. From 2002 until 2011, Dr O'Donnell was a lecturer and then senior lecturer in the optometry teaching department before being offered her new position with Optegra.
Dr O'Donnell sees her role as part of Optegra's bid to establish itself 'at the forefront of research and a champion of innovation'. Having a role within the company dedicated to research is a new thing and I was keen to find out what it entailed. 'I will be working with the surgeons and optometrists in our hospitals and also in partnership with universities, mainly in the UK,' she explains. Optegra has five hospitals in the UK and is looking at expansion in Germany since its acquisition of Augentis. Within each of the UK sites, a resident optometrist works with Dr O'Donnell in league with the surgeons to develop research projects and analyse results of trials and so on. To complement her research programme with Optegra, Dr O'Donnell also has an academic post for one day a week at Aston University, where she is a reader, and maintains an honorary senior post at Manchester University.
Current areas of interest in her research include, not surprisingly, looking at intraocular lens developments and there are currently two studies at a late stage relating to IOL design and surgical technique which should result in publications soon. Dr O'Donnell is keen to stress, however, that the door is open to research into other areas, bearing in mind Optegra's broad brief. Femtosecond assisted surgery, glaucoma treatment implantation, collagen cross-linking in keratoconus and new treatments for age-related macular degeneration are all of potential interest. She sees her role as not simply gathering information for the company but also ensuring the dissemination of knowledge through publication and via collaboration.
Training professionals
As attendees of the recent workshop run by Optegra at the Aston Hospital during the BCLA will have realised, Optegra is also keen to become involved in education. That workshop allowed Dr O'Donnell, with colleagues, to teach delegates a variety of techniques including surgical. She has set up a training programme for final year students where undergraduates at Aston, Bradford and Manchester can benefit from experience at the various Optegra hospitals and she also runs pre-registration sessions and currently is supervising a student dissertation at one of the hospitals. She works closely with a number of professional partnership managers who help train and strengthen links with other professionals.
Overall, as more research projects come on line and the education programme develops, Dr O'Donnell is looking forward to the challenges to come. ?