Photograph of Sydney optometrists attending a demonstration of retinal photography by David Cockburn
 Catalogue Number: 2404 Photograph of Sydney optometrists attending a demonstration of retinal photography by David Cockburn Category: Photographs Sub-Category: Photograph People and events Year Of Publication/Manufacture: 1957 Time Period: 1940 to 1999 Place Of Publication/Manufacture: Sydney Description Of Item: Digital monochrome photograph (1818 x 1201 pixels, 300 dpi) of Melbourne optometrist David Cockburn (seated right) and Sydney optometrists who attended his demonstration of retinal photography using an adapted Bausch and Lomb binocular ophthalmoscope. Identified among the Sydney optometrists are Brian Leyland, later a national President of the OAA (seated left), Penryn Thomas, leader in contact lenses in the 1960s and 1970s (Standing middle with pipe) and Josef Lederer, then senior lecturer in optometry at the University of New South Wales and later professor of optometry (standing to right of Thomas with moustache) Historical Significance: David Cockburn was a leader of change in optometry for the whole of his career and had a profound influence of the development of the profession from 1955 to 1995. He was one of the first LOSc graduates of the Australian College of Optometry (1950, Diploma No 18). His first foray into proposing change was to show that retinal photographs could be taken by adaptation of a Bausch and Lomb binocular ophthalmoscope. He gave a talk and demonstration of this in 1956 in Melbourne and repeated it in Sydney, where this photograph was taken. At the time retinal photographs were rare: clinicians drew line diagrams of abnormalities of the fundus on the their record cards and eye hospitals employed artists to create illustrations of retinal conditions. Dr Cockburn was later foundation Chairman of the Board of the National Vision Research Institute 1971 to 1988 and foundation Chairman of the Board of Continuing Education 1976 - 1992. He was a distinguished clinical teacher and researcher for 40 years and was a central figure in the fund raising that enabled the NRVI to be established. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1982 and an honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Melbourne, the first awarded to an optometrist by the University in 1987 . See his profile Clin Exp Optom 2003; 86: 1: 57-62 which is on this web site under the tab 'People who made history' How Acquired: Donated by David Cockburn, honorary life member of the College Date Acquired: Feb 2014 Location: Archive computer iPhoto |