Konrad Pesudovs

Konrad Pesudovs is an independent ophthalmic researcher and a consultant in research and optometric education. He currently holds the position of SHARP Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of New South Wales. From 2009-2017 he was the Foundation Chair of Optometry and Vision Science at Flinders University where he was responsible for developing and operationalising the optometry program. Prior to that he was an Associate Professor in Ophthalmology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. He has published over 300 research papers, received over 60,000 citations, has an H-Index>70 and given over 200 conference presentations. (Scopus preview - Pesudovs, Konrad - Author details - Scopus). He is the highest ranking optometry research worldwide by H-Index and citations according to optomrankings.com

His main research interest is ophthalmology outcomes research; incorporating optical, visual and patient-centred measurement into the holistic measurement of outcomes in ophthalmology. A key element of this is the development of patient-centred measures including visual disability, quality of life and other latent traits using Rasch analysis. This method provides for interval scaled measurement, improved internal consistency and measurement precision thus facilitating more effective outcomes research. He has developed patient-reported outcome measures for cataract, refractive correction, keratoconus and corneal transplantation, low vision care, ophthalmic pain. He is the leader of an international project, the Eye-tem Bank Project, to develop comprehensive measures of ophthalmic quality of life for all eye diseases in all populations.

Konrad’s other key area of research is in the optics of the eye and visual performance. He is involved in a number of international collaborations: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study; and The Swedish National Cataract Register.

He has held visiting positions at School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health P.R. China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China and Vision and Eye Research, Anglia Ruskin University, UK His career grant funding is over $10million Australian. With over $5million from the NHMRC, he leads optometry researchers in Australia.

Konrad has had 3 primary supervised PhD completions, 5, secondary supervised PhD completions and has supervised 4 post-doctoral fellows.

Konrad’s post-doctoral training was with Prof Ray Applegate at the Visual Optics Institute of the University of Houston. This work concentrated on the measurement of the optics of the eye in cataract, keratoconus and normal eyes. Prior to that Konrad spent two years with Prof David Elliott at the University of Bradford working on potential vision measures, and outcomes measures for refractive surgery. This appointment was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (Australian Government) Sir Neil Hamilton Fairley Fellowship.

Konrad has collaborated widely in areas such as contact lens and psychophysics research, but chiefly his work has been in outcomes research; this has included corneal graft, refractive surgery and contact lens wear outcomes research, but the majority of work has been in cataract surgery outcome. His PhD thesis included looking at the factors influencing patient satisfaction after cataract surgery using path analysis, the development of a questionnaire for the assessment of visual disability and studies of vision in cataract which has led to a new method for predicting visual performance after cataract surgery.

Konrad graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1990 and spent two years in a specialty contact lens practice before joining the Department of Ophthalmology at Flinders University where he completed a PhD in 2000. During his PhD studies he also ran a private optometric practice in Glenelg, South Australia.

Some of his published papers are available here under Publications for easy reference.

To contact Konrad by email, just click on the Contact button.

Glenn Fry Award, 2021. The award is given annually to a distinguished scientist or clinician scientist in recognition of the quality, significance, impact, and relevance to optometry of his or her current research contributions. Awarded by the American Academy of Optometry.

H Barry Collin Medal, 2020. Awarded by Optometry Australia to recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge in optics, vision science or clinical optometry by a person who is an Australian citizen or a graduate of an Australian optometry school, or who has done a significant part of his or her research in an Australian institution.

The International Optometrist of the Year with a ceremony to mark the event in Barcelona, Spain on September 19th 2018. This is bestowed annually to an optometrist of recognised international prestige who has excelled in academic, research, professional and social activity during recent years.

Garland Clay Award, 2011. This award is given by the Academy to the author or authors of the manuscript published in Optometry and Vision Science that has been most widely cited in the world of scientific literature in the preceding five years and by the vote of the Editorial Board of Optometry & Vision Science. Awarded by the American Academy of Optometry.

The American Public Health Association Vision Care Section 2014 Outstanding Scientific Paper Award. Shared with the Vision Loss Expert Group of the Global Burden of Disease 2010 for the paper Stevens GA, White RA, Flaxman SR, Price H, Jonas JB, Keeffe J, Leasher J, Naidoo K, Pesudovs K, Resnikoff S, Taylor H, Bourne RR, Vision Loss Expert Group. Global Prevalence of Vision Impairment and Blindness: Magnitude and Temporal Trends, 1990–2010. Ophthalmology 2013;120(12):2377-84. Awarded by the American Public Health Association.

Cataract Poster Award at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in Barcelona, Spain, September 2009 for the poster Pesudovs K, Ullrich K. Predicting visual performance from wavefront quality metrics in cataract.

Garland Clay Award, 2009. This award is given by the Academy to the author or authors of the manuscript published in Optometry and Vision Science that has been most widely cited in the world of scientific literature in the preceding five years and by the vote of the Editorial Board of Optometry & Vision Science. Awarded by the American Academy of Optometry.

Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award, 2008. This award is given by the Academy to provide public recognition for an individual who has demonstrated exceptional promise to conduct independent optometric research directly related to etiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, or management of clinical eye disorders. Awarded by the American Academy of Optometry.

Young Tall Poppy Science Award, South Australia, 2007-2008. Awarded by the Australian Institute of Policy Science to outstanding young Australian researchers each year in different states, the award recognises and celebrates Australian scientific and intellectual excellence. The Tall Poppy is a metaphor for excellence and endeavour, symbolizing Australia's pride in outstanding achievers in all fields.

Waring Medal, 2006. Awarded by the Journal of Refractive Surgery for the paper: Pesudovs K, Garamendi E, Elliott DB. A quality of life comparison of people wearing spectacles, contact lenses or having undergone refractive surgery. J Refract Surg 2006;22:19-27.

Peter-Abel Preis, 2006. Awarded by Die Vereinigung Deutscher Contactlinsen-Spezialisten e.V. (VDC) for the paper: Marsack JD, Parker KE, Pesudovs K, Donnelly WJ III, Applegate RA. Uncorrected wave-front error and visual performance during RGP wear in Keratoconus.

Best Free Paper Presentation, 7th International Congress of Wavefront Sensing and Optimized Refractive Corrections, Paradise Island, Bahamas, 29 January, 2006.

J Lloyd Hewitt Award, 1994. Awarded by Clinical and Experimental Optometry (Australian Optometrical Association) for the paper: Pesudovs K. Terriens marginal degeneration: case reports and literature review. Clin Exp Optom 1994; 77: 97-104.

1. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, Vision and Hearing Loss Expert Group.
   With R Bourne, H Hoffman, C Michaud, J Tielsch, M Maguire, D Musch, H Kuper, J Jonas, T Wong, S Ellwein, K Frick, J Leasher, H Quigley, R Dandona, L Dandona. 2008-

1. A Prospective Study of Satisfaction Level and Quality of Life after LASIK.
   With KD Solomon, RL Lindstrom, S Masket, SE Vitale, E Rorer, GN Hilmantel, T O’Brien, R Abbott, S Schallhorn, J Morse. Sponsored by FDA, NEI, ASCRS and AAO. 2008-2010.
2. The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) Ophthalmology Group. Health Outcomes Measurement for Cataract Surgery.
   With With M Lundström, J Sparrow, H Aravind, PP Goh, M Aziz, N Morlet, S Pershing, I Mahmud, C Stowell, L Massey. 2012-2015.
3. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Cataract Surgery Clinical Care Standard, 2017-2019.
4. 2011-2012 Committee Member, Publications Committee, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
5. 2011-2012 Committee member, Steering Committee for the Australian College of Optometry Ocular Therapeutics Course, Australian College of Optometry.