Finalists for the OV/SA 2025 Rising Star Award announced

 

We congratulate the finalists of the OV/SA 2025 Rising Star of the Year Award: Simi Sarin and Dr Ching Yi Wu. From Ching Yi’s groundbreaking discovery of a new immune cell to Simi’s pioneering work in equitable access to eye care and advanced glaucoma management, their innovative approaches and commitment to mentorship are forging a dynamic future for optometry in Australia.

Meet these inspirational young optometrists, and find out how they have demonstrated excellence in the first ten years of their career.

Ching Yi Wu

Dr Ching Yi Wu’s journey from clinical practice to discovering a new type of immune cell in the mouse eyelid showcases a career defined by innovation and a commitment to advancing eye care. She is an accomplished optometrist and researcher, with an impressive list of achievements at such an early stage of her career.

Ching Yi graduated in 2015 and then worked full-time in clinical practice for five years, also teaching at the Australian College of Optometry (ACO). She recently completed a joint PhD program at the University of Melbourne and the University of Manchester as a Cookson Scholar. Her research explored the relationship between daily changes in ocular surface immune cells and eye discomfort, leading to the discovery of a new type of immune cell, which she named meibomian gland orifice immune cells (MOICs). MOICs may have significant implications for understanding the development of meibomian gland dysfunction and new anti-inflammatory treatments.

Currently, Ching Yi is leading collaborations across various medical disciplines to study the human ocular immune system, in the context of systemic diseases. She recruits participants for studies that collaborate with clinicians and researchers in neurology, neuroimmunology, endocrinology, psychology, immunology, and ophthalmology, thereby cultivating interdisciplinary research and advancing the field of optometry.

Ching Yi readily communicates complex science to broader audiences, resulting in her winning Melbourne University’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences’ PitchFest. She is an author on three peer-reviewed publications and currently has four manuscripts under review or in preparation. She has presented at multiple national and international conferences and secured her first independent research grant from the International Society of Contact Lens Researchers to investigate contact lens discomfort, just months after submitting her PhD thesis.

As a graduate researcher advisor, co-supervisor and highly regarded demonstrator, Ching Yi is committed to mentoring the next generation of eye care professionals and researchers.

Simi Sarin

Since graduating in 2018, optometrist Simi Sarin has made remarkable contributions to advancing equitable access to eye care and pioneering collaborative care models, all while rapidly developing her expertise in glaucoma management.

Early in her career, while working in the regional town of Albany, Western Australia, Simi recognised a critical gap in low vision services. She worked closely with the not-for-profit organisation VisAbility to establish regular clinics for patients—particularly those from Aboriginal and low-socioeconomic backgrounds—while also collaborating with ophthalmologists via Telehealth to deliver accessible, high-quality care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Simi demonstrated further innovation by drawing the skills acquired in Albany to create a Skype-based telehealth service, enabling remote management of ocular emergencies and chronic eye conditions at a time of heightened need.

A defining feature of Simi’s career has been her strong commitment to advancing glaucoma care. She completed the ACO Advanced Certificate in Glaucoma and was recognised as one of Optometry Australia’s first credentialled Advanced Practitioners – Glaucoma (OACAP-G). More recently, she was appointed to develop assessment materials for the credentialing of advanced glaucoma practitioners, helping to shape the standards and training of the next generation of optometrists in this field.
Simi now independently leads an optometry-run glaucoma clinic within a private ophthalmology practice, exemplifying a forward-thinking collaborative care model that significantly enhances patient outcomes.

Beyond her clinical work, Simi is also a passionate educator. She is a lecturer at Flinders University, where she is involved as a lead educator for the Collaborative Eyecare Project for Ophthalmology at SALHN (CEPOS), mentoring final-year students in hospital-based glaucoma care.

Members are invited to celebrate the winners at the OV/SA Awards presentation on 17 November at the South East Melbourne Regional Series. Book here.