About Us

Funding

The Lions Save-Sight Foundation (LSSF) is committed to supporting the Lions Eye Institute (LEI) by awarding Scholarships to enable world class medical scientists and researchers to work at the Institute.  This support consists of the Dr Jack Hoffman Scholarship for an appointee to conduct a sight project for three years at the LEI, and the LSSF and LEI jointly funded Brian King Post Doctoral Fellowship.

The LSSF and Curtin University jointly fund the Lions-Curtin Chair of Ophthalmic Big Data Research, this is a new Chair established in 2022.

The LSSF also provides ongoing funding for research and equipment for the world class scientists conducting groundbreaking research at the Institute.

The Brian King Post Doctoral Fellowship

Functional Molecular Vision Group: Michelle Carey, Sang Yoon Moon, Ben Ezzy (WAZERC), Jessica Mountford and Molly Langdale.

The prestigious Brian King Post-Doctoral Fellowship awarded to Dr Jessica Mountford, the 6th Brian King Post-Doctoral Fellow, began her work at the Institute in early March 2021. Her research funded by The Lions Save-Sight Foundation and Lions Eye Institute is “The Myopia Generation – Exploring the rise of early-onset myopia following the digital age and a world post COVID-19 lockdown.”

The incidence of myopia is rapidly becoming one of the world’s leading causes of distant visual impairment. In fact, modelling has predicted approximately 50% of the world’s population will become myopic by the year 2050. Current research indicates that the sharpest rise is occurring in school age children as young as 6 years old.

Dr Mountford’s research project has been producing some great results and LSSF are pleased to say that the Fellowship has been extended to the end of 2026.  Dr Mountford will continue to investigate the role of both genetics and environmental factors in the development of myopia and in particular early-onset myopia.  The Functional Molecular Vision group combines experimental research using the established zebrafish screening platform alongside genome wide association studies in myopic Perth school children to further investigate myopia progression with the aim of discovering novel ways to treat it.

Professor Andrew Turpin

Inaugural Lions-Curtin Chair of Ophthalmic Big Data Research

The Chair in Ophthalmic Big Data Research was established in November 2022, jointly funded by Curtin University and The Lions Save-Sight Foundation.   Professor Andrew Turpin is our inaugural Chair based at the Lions Eye Institute.

2025 saw Professor Turpin examining ways of using AI in several areas where the technology may help research into eye disease.   These include using AI to find biomarkers of disease in images of the eye, to use AI to extract key information from the large volumes of medical records for research, and to lastly develop ways that LEI can use AI safely to ensure sensitive data is kept secure.

However, the majority of time in 2025 has been spent devising new visual field tests with LEI.  As a result of this work, an international patent has been filed for a user-friendly field test, particularly useful for testing kids.   Another area has been researching home testing and the complications associated with data i.e., how to transfer of the data, who looks at the data, is the data reliable, do people want to home test?  This area will continue to be researched in 2026.

The 4-year IPPOS study testing a new visual field algorithm for glaucoma is now in its third year in 2026 and results are looking promising.  This project will provide a large amount of data which will be used to show how this unique approach to collecting data will detect change, due to glaucoma, earlier than current techniques.

Professor Turpin also joined the LEI Board as a Director in 2025 and hopes to help LEI achieve its mission of “better vision for all”.

Dr Danial Roshandel

LSSF-Funded Postdoctoral Research Project

Dr Daniel Roshandel is a researcher at the Lions Eye Institute, and he is partly funded by LSSF.  Dr Roshandel is an overseas trained ophthalmologist who has specialised in ocular surface diseases and stem cell transplantation. He obtained his PhD in inherited retinal diseases from The University of Western Australia (UWA) and joined the Lions Eye Institute as a postdoctoral research fellow to continue his research on advanced cell therapies for end-stage ocular surface diseases and pursue his career as a clinician-scientist.

Dr Danial Roshandel has played a key role in shaping the cornea and ocular surface research program at LEI.  He has been a co-investigator in groundbreaking research on corneal nerves and immune cells using vivo confocal microscopy.   In addition, he has a close collaboration with stem cell scientists and clinicians from Spain which has led to a co-authored manuscript on stem cell therapy for eye surface injuries.

His ongoing projects include the congenital aniridia biobank with genetic testing on patients which will help design personalised gene therapy in the future.  This research includes testing stem cells to produce corneal stem cells to be used for corneal repair.

Recycled Spectacles

Reading glasses (in good condition) are donated from far and wide in Western Australia and collected by the Lions Clubs throughout the State from a range of collection points including optometrists and funeral parlours.  Until recently all these glasses were sorted and packed by dedicated volunteers of the Foundation and then sent on to many Third World countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Ghana and Uganda.

As sorting and dispatching facilities at The Lions Save-Sight Foundation is limited, Lions Clubs are now encouraged to sort and send their collected spectacles directly to Lions Recycle for Sight in Queensland. Glasses sent to Queensland are graded and sent to countries in need. The Queensland hub has developed into a major centre, and in a joint venture with the Queensland Department of Correction, much of the maintenance and grading of glasses is undertaken by prisoners under day release. This is to great advantage for both parties.

For more information go to: www.lionsclubs.org.au/our-impact/recycle-for-sight-australia/

Perth Half Marathon – Run for Sight

This event takes place in August each year and is organised by the West Australian Marathon Club with the proceeds donated to The Lions Save-Sight Foundation to support research into eye diseases and blindness at the Lions Eye Institute.  Local Lions Clubs run the water stations along the course and assist as marshals as required.  Participants have the option of a 21.1 km or 5 km walk or run.  The 5 km option has been designed for those who want to be part of this great community event but feel 21.1 kms is too far.  It is ideally suited for walkers or the young with their parents.  Make a note to be part of this great fun run!

For more information go to: www.wamc.org.au