A new alliance will bring together organisations working across patient care, research, training, and clinical trials to coordinate resources and provide a platform to translate vision science innovations into real-world outcomes for patients.
More than 13 million Australians have one or more chronic eye conditions, and over 500,000 live with vision impairment or blindness. Ninety per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable, yet many people still go undiagnosed or without medical help.
The Vision Science Innovation Alliance (VSIA) will support Australians with chronic eye conditions, and was launched on 8 October by Danny Pearson, Victorian Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs at the Centre for Eye Research Australia's Vision Expo.
"This new initiative will strengthen Victoria's position as a hub for vision science innovation, driving economic growth and job creation through new technologies and investment that will benefit both patients and the Victorian community," Minister Pearson said.
"Victoria is the medical research capital of Australia, and this alliance builds on that leadership, bringing together world-class institutions to deliver life-changing outcomes for people with vision loss."
Partners of the alliance include the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, the Australian College of Optometry, Cerulea Clinical Trials, and affiliate partner The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
The alliance will open up major cross-sector funding opportunities and commercial pathways.
Professor Keith Martin, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne and Managing Director at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, will chair the alliance's steering committee.
"This marks a bold step forward in how we collaborate across institutions. By combining our strengths, we can deliver research and clinical innovations in vision science that would be impossible for any single organisation to deliver on its own," Professor Martin said.
The alliance will work across four focus areas to address chronic eye conditions, including building collaborative research, partnering with government and community leaders to drive policy change and health equity, translation and scale-up of new technologies, and talent and training.
"Vision loss affects millions of Australians and has a profound impact on quality of life," said VSIA steering committee member Professor Lauren Ayton, who is also Associate Dean Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
"This new alliance will allow us to work hand-in-hand with consumers, researchers and clinicians to ensure the research we do meets real community needs."
The alliance will initially focus its efforts on identifying cross-partner projects and research priorities, with the view of delivering tangible patient impact within the next five years.
