Nick Astbury

Nick trained in ophthalmology at Moorfields and worked for 6 months in Botswana before his appointment in 1983 as a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich, specialising in paediatric ophthalmology until 2013 when he retired from clinical practice.

Nick was elected president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists from 2003-6 having served as vice president and chair of professional standards. Nick has worked at ICEH since 2006, particularly involved with the VISION 2020 LINKS Programme and the Journal of Community Eye Health.

He has initiated LINKS between Sudan and Norwich and the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa with the RCOphth and chairs the Diabetic Retinopathy Network. He led the Commonwealth Clinical Fellowship Programme funded by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust from 2013-2018.

Nick was chair of VISION 2020 UK until 2014 and is on the board of the Impact Foundation. He has recently stepped down as Medical Adviser to the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital after a six-year term. Other current roles include chair of the Duke-Elder Fund and member of the RCOphth International Committee.