1:30min
Professor Robert Hess (left) from Canada with Professor Barry Collin and the research medal named in his honour
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Professor Robert Hess was presented at SRC with the 2013 H Barry Collin Research Medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of knowledge in optometry.
At the conference, Professor Hess gave his acceptance lecture on his world-leading research in amblyopia.
He has been conducting trials to treat amblyopia in adults and children, comparing a monocular approach with a dichoptic approach while playing video games. His research has confirmed that the accepted notion of patching the ‘good’ eye in patients older than 10 years is not effective.
Speaking last year about his research, Professor Hess said: ‘I like to go on regular long-distance runs, during which time I am uninterrupted and free to think about a particular issue. I find most of my ideas come during such times. Funnily enough, you usually realise you have the solution before you consciously know what the solution is.’
Professor Hess is director of research in the Department of Ophthalmology at McGill University in Canada. He was presented with the medal at the Southern Regional Congress in Melbourne on 3 March.