Interview: Alex Shortt, ophthalmologist

When did eye health become an area of special interest?

Alex Shortt When I was seven years old. My great aunt had type 2 diabetes, very advanced cataracts and was visually quite disabled. I experienced her admission to hospital for cataract surgery and the experience of seeing the bandages removed from her eye and the impact cataract surgery had on her life and our family made me want to help people in this way for a living.

What was your path to becoming an ophthalmologist?

AS I grew up in Dublin, Ireland and studied medicine at University College Dublin between 1993 and 1999 graduating top of my class. I was already committed to becoming an ophthalmologist and this led me to study for an MSc in physiology investigating the response of the retina to hypoxia at UCD (2000-2001). I then spent two years training as an ophthalmologist in Dublin followed by 11 years training at Moorfields Eye Hospital.