Stephanie Watson

Professor Stephanie Watson OAM is a corneal surgeon and academic at the University of Sydney, leading the Corneal Research Group and serving as Head of the Corneal Unit at Sydney Eye Hospital. She holds leadership roles in Sydney Nano as co-Deputy Director for Industry, Innovation, and Commercialisation, and chairs key professional organizations including the Australian Vision Research Committee and the Asia Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society. Her clinical practice focuses on corneal and cataract surgery, with appointments at Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney Children’s Hospital, and Prince of Wales Hospital. She is a RANZCO trainer and actively contributes to policy advocacy through roles in ARVO and other global bodies.

Her research spans corneal therapies, keratoconus treatment via corneal cross-linking, dry eye disease management, and nanotechnology applications in ophthalmology. She leads the Save Sight Keratoconus and Dry Eye Registries, analyzing real-world patient outcomes and informing clinical guidelines. Her work bridges basic science (e.g., stem cell therapies) and clinical innovation (e.g., chitosan-based surgical adhesives), with notable contributions to antimicrobial resistance strategies in ocular infections and ocular trauma epidemiology.

Professor Watson has been recognized with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM), the 2019 NSW Premier’s Prize for Science & Engineering, and global accolades including being named among the top 100 female ophthalmologists. Her research has driven advancements in corneal cross-linking techniques, dry eye quality-of-life metrics, and nanoparticle drug delivery systems. She actively engages in public education through media appearances, patient webinars (e.g., KeraClub series), and policy advocacy to address ocular health disparities.

Her grants include projects on breast cancer chemotherapy’s ocular impact, AI-driven diagnosis of infectious keratitis, and high-throughput nanoparticle synthesis systems. She collaborates with industry partners like Brandon Capital and the Sydney Nano Institute, translating research into clinical solutions. Her leadership in international trauma registries (e.g., IGATES) advances global understanding of ocular injury patterns and preventive strategies.