Talking Eyes with Lien Trinh

Guest: Dr Ben La Hood, specialist refractive surgeon and global education leader

Episode Summary

Laser vision correction is one of those topics people are fascinated by, but also a bit scared to take the next step on. In this season finale, Lien and Dr Ben La Hood break it down in plain language: what laser eye surgery actually means, how it reshapes the cornea, how modern procedures differ from older techniques, what the day feels like, who is and isn’t a good candidate, and what the real risks look like (including dry eye and rare complications like corneal ectasia). The goal is simple: help you feel clearer, calmer, and better informed if you’re considering the leap away from glasses or contact lenses.

Key takeaways

• PRK, LASIK and SMILE all have pros/cons, and the “best” option depends on your eyes and lifestyle.
• The laser change is designed to be permanent, but your eyes still age (especially reading vision).
• Good screening matters: the safest outcomes come from the right candidates and conservative decision-making.
• Dry eye is real and should be discussed properly, but severe long-term dry eye is uncommon in appropriately selected patients.
• Your optometrist can help you choose a trustworthy referral pathway and interpret the pros/cons.

Next steps for listeners

1. Book a proper suitability assessment (including corneal mapping/topography and dry eye evaluation).
2. If you have dry eye symptoms, consider treating the surface first, then reassess suitability.
3. Bring your questions to your optometrist first — they see the long-term outcomes and can guide you to reputable refractive care.

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and Mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode guests

A/Prof Holly Chinnery – University of Western Australia and Lions Eye Institute Corneal Immunology & Inflammation Research Fellow

Professor Laura Downie – University of Melbourne Ocular Surface & Anterior Eye Clinician-Scientist

Dr CeeCee Britten-Jones – University of Melbourne Senior Research Fellow

Mona – dry eye sufferer

Episode summary

Dry eye is something almost everyone experiences. That gritty feeling, burning, tiredness after screens, or irritation from wind or air-conditioning. But when does it stop being a nuisance and become a disease?

In this episode, Lien speaks with three leading Australian dry eye researchers to unpack:

• What dry eye disease really is
• Why it affects people so differently
• The two main subtypes of dry eye
• What drives symptoms and inflammation
• Current treatments and new research directions
• The emotional and mental health impact of chronic dry eye

We also hear from Mona, who shares her personal journey living with long-standing dry eye, and how it affected her daily life.

Content note

This episode includes discussions of mental health and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Support services are listed below.

Key takeaways

1. Dry eye isn’t one disease, it’s an umbrella term for multiple types of tear film problems
2. Having the right balance at the ocular surface requires a lot of coordination. Even small disruptions can lead to symptoms like burning, stinging, gritty sensation, blurred vision, and fluctuating comfort.
3. Dry eyes can be inflammatory, and chronic. This explains why some people with mild signs experience severe symptoms, and why dry eye is linked with mental health impacts.
4. Post-surgical dry eye is common
5. There is data on Omega3 supplementation, but it is varied.

Finding help:

If you’re struggling with persistent dry eye, there are practitioners who specialise in dry eye diagnosis and management – from advanced imaging to tailored treatments including heat therapy, IPL, gland expression, and prescription options.

Find a specialist via:

• Optometry Australia “Find an Optometrist”
• Dry Eye Directory (Australia/NZ)

Additional resources:

• Healthdirect: Dry Eye Overview
• All About Vision – Dry Eye Resources

Mental Health Support (Australia)

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

This episode is for education only and not individual medical advice. Always follow your own eye-care professional’s guidance for diagnosis and management of your eye condition.

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and Mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 2050, half of the world’s population is expected to be myopic — and that comes with serious risks to lifelong vision. In this episode, host Lien Trinh speaks with Dr Nina Tahhan about how modern lifestyles are reshaping the way our eyes grow, why earlier onset is such a concern, and how cornea-based interventions such as soft myopia-control lenses and orthokeratology can slow progression and protect the next generation from irreversible vision loss.

In this episode:

• The alarming rise of myopia worldwide and its impact on blindness and visual impairment
• Why central vision loss from myopic maculopathy is irreversible
• Evidence-based prevention and the role of environmental and lifestyle factors — less time outdoors, more close work
• How orthokeratology and specialised soft lenses reshape the cornea and retinal image profile to slow eye growth
• Safety of contact lenses in children — infection risks, hygiene, and follow-up care
• Practical advice for families: fitting, wearing time, and clinician partnership

Key takeaways:

• Myopia is not just about glasses. It’s a structural condition that increases lifetime risk of retinal and macular disease.
• Outdoor time matters. Even a modest increase in outdoor play significantly reduces risk of myopia onset.
• Optical treatments work. Myopia-control contact lenses and orthokeratology have robust clinical evidence in slowing progression.
• Children can safely wear lenses when properly fitted and supervised.
• Regular reviews are essential — early detection and consistent follow-up protect long-term eye health.

Resources:

• International Myopia Institute (IMI): https://myopiainstitute.org — global research consensus and practitioner resources
• Brien Holden Vision Institute Myopia Calculator: https://bhvi.org/myopia-calculator — estimate risk and treatment effect
• Optometry Australia Clinical Guidelines: https://www.optometry.org.au
• Information for Parents: https://www.mykidsvision.org/ 

This episode is for education only and not individual medical advice. Always follow your own eye-care professional’s guidance for lens type, care system, and wear schedule.

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and Mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summary

Contact lenses have come a long way. In this episode, Martin Robinson — practicing optometrist of 30+ years and National President of the Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia — joins Lien to unpack the journey from early glass and hydrogels to today’s breathable silicone hydrogels, multifocals, toric multifocals, and what’s coming next. We get real about comfort, dryness, hygiene, allergies, risk, and how to match a lens (and a wear schedule) to real life.

Guest

Martin Robinson — Optometrist; National President, Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia (CCLSA)

https://www.cclsa.org.au/about/cclsa-board | https://www.martinseyecare.com.au/about-us/ 

In this episode:

• Why contact lenses = freedom for kids, teens, adults and older adults
• How modern lenses “breathe” and why oxygen matters for corneal health
• Daily vs fortnightly vs monthly vs extended wear: how to choose and the risk profiles
• Comfort & safety: dryness, allergies, makeup, “jelly bumps,” biofilms, case care
• Myths busted: “a lens can go behind the eye” (nope), “tap water is fine” (hard no)
• Scleral and water-gradient lenses for tricky dry eye cases
• Smart lenses on the horizon: pressure and glucose sensing, new optics designs
• The #1 mindset shift: tailor lenses to how you actually live

Key resources for this episode:

Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia (CCLSA): https://www.cclsa.org.au/contact-lenses/contact-lenses/

Better Health Channel: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/eyes-contact-lenses 

Contact Lens Resource guide for Optometrists: https://www.optometry.org.au/guidelines_practice_notes/contact-lens-resource-guide-free-for-members 

This episode is for education only and not individual medical advice. Always follow your own eye-care professional’s guidance for lens type, care system, and wear schedule.

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Share this episode with a glasses-wearing friend 😉

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Heather Machin, Head of the Lions Eye Donation Service (Melbourne); Chair, Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations

Eye donation is about science, compassion, and community. Heather Machin lifts the lid on how eye banks honour donors and families, prepare tissue for surgery and research, and help restore sight in Australia and around the world—while navigating ethics, regulation, and the future of bioengineered corneas.

Content Advisory

This episode includes discussion of eye donation in the context of end of life. Listener discretion advised.

In this episode:

• What eye banks do and why Heather calls them “custodians of the gift.”
• Donation pathways: organs vs tissue; cornea vs sclera; how consent works with families.
• How tissue is prepared and stored (corneoscleral discs, preservation media, timelines).
• Access & equity: why Australia can pre-book surgeries—and why many countries can’t.
• Costs & funding: cost-recovery vs “selling” tissue; how pricing actually works.
• Ethics & safety: the Barcelona Principles; counterfeit risks; regulation (TGA).
• Training the workforce: education in a niche field; collaborating internationally.
• The future: precut tissue, injectors, CARES, bioengineering & cell therapies; where AI might help.
• What listeners can do: register intent and—crucially—tell your family.

Key resources for this episode:

DonateLife Australia (Eye & Tissue Donation Awareness)

• Overview of eye & tissue donation in Australia, myths, facts, how donation works. 
• “How Does Donation Work” — explains that eye donation can occur up to 24 hours after death, and steps in registration & family discussion. 
• “Get Involved” page — ways for community, schools, or workplaces to engage. 

Lions Eye Donation Service / CERA

• They are one of Australia’s leading eye banks (Melbourne) that manage donations, evaluation, and distribution.“Why Become an Eye Donor” — discusses eligibility, how donated corneas are used, and the role of research/training.
• Frequently Asked Questions (CERA Biobank) — details about donations to research, ethics, and contact information.

Eye Bank Association of Australia & New Zealand (EBAANZ)

• The peak body for eye donation and transplantation services in Australia and NZ. 
• Donation & Transplantation section — outlines how eye tissue donation works, including the need for consent and how tissue is used.
• FAQ: Explains what an eye bank is, donation eligibility, ethics, and standards. 

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Professor Mark Daniell, Head of Corneal Research, Centre for Eye Research Australia

In this episode, we unpack what a corneal transplant actually involves, why rejections happen, and how modern “layered” (lamellar) techniques like DSAEK/DMEK are changing recovery and outcomes.

Mark also lifts the curtain on tissue-engineered corneas—how expanding a single donor could help treat more people worldwide—and a new hydrogel scaffold that aims to make delicate endothelial surgery faster, safer, and easier to perform in more places.

In this episode:

• Why corneas fail: common reasons include keratoconus and endothelial failure (e.g., Fuchs dystrophy), where the inner cell layer can’t keep the cornea clear.
• From “open-sky” to layers: Full-thickness grafts (penetrating keratoplasty) once dominated, but today many patients get lamellar transplants—replacing only the diseased layer—improving vision quality and lowering rejection risk.
• Endothelial techniques:
• DSAEK/“DSEK” adds a thin stromal slice + endothelium.
• DMEK transplants just Descemet’s membrane + endothelium for the sharpest optics and the lowest rejection rates.
• Why rejections dropped: Fewer stromal immune cells (like dendritic cells) in lamellar grafts mean fewer immune alarms.
• Tech & tools matter: Microscopy, ultra-fine sutures, and air-bubble “sticking” steps are critical. Mini-scleral contact lenses also help post-graft vision.
• Global need: Millions need corneal surgery, but many regions lack eye banks and surgeons. Expanding endothelial cells from one donor into many grafts could be a game-changer.
• What’s next:
• A dissolving hydrogel scaffold that “pops open” like a tent to simplify DMEK-style surgery.
• Trials exploring cell-only injections of lab-grown endothelium.
• Longer-term efforts to bioprint stroma and generate cells from iPSCs (reprogrammed skin cells).

Key resources for this episode:

Centre for Eye Research Australia: Corneal Transplants: What you need to know 

Keratoconus Australia: Corneal Transplantation 

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Larry Kornhauser, President of Keratoconus Australia

In this episode, we flip the usual script and learn about keratoconus through lived experience. Our guest is Larry Kornhauser, co-founder and President of Keratoconus Australia and a tireless advocate for patients nationwide. Larry was diagnosed as a schoolkid in the 1960s, underwent a corneal transplant at 18, and has spent the past two decades helping others navigate a condition that can quietly upend education, work, and daily life.

Larry takes us from classroom vision screenings and early hard-lens fittings to the joy of restored sight, the realities of cost and access, and why second opinions with an experienced fitter can be life-changing. We also unpack what keratoconus is—when the normally dome-shaped cornea thins and bulges into a cone, distorting vision. Larry shares practical advice for patients and families, reflects on the mental-health toll of uncertainty, and explains how advocacy, teaching clinics, and modern treatments like corneal cross-linking have transformed outcomes.

In this episode:

• Larry’s diagnosis, transplant, and the bumpy road of early RGP lenses
• What keratoconus actually is, who it affects, and how it progresses
• Costs, funding hurdles (including NDIS realities), and where to find more affordable care
• The power of a proper fit, backup spectacles, and seeking a second (or third) opinion
• Cross-linking as a game-changer—and why avoiding eye rubbing matters
• Keratoconus Australia and building a supportive community 

This is a hopeful conversation. Larry’s story shows that with the right clinicians, the right lenses, and timely treatment, most people with keratoconus can study, work, travel, play sport—and simply get on with living.

If you or someone you love has keratoconus, talk to an optometrist experienced in specialty contact lenses and ask about cross-linking assessment and teaching-clinic options in your state.

Key resource for this episode:

Keratoconus Australia

The national patient support, advocacy & information body in Australia with

• FAQs, downloadable guides, treatment info, and clinic directories 
• Vision Subsidies & Assistance page (lists state/federal schemes, clinics that offer subsidised lenses) 
• Helpline / outreach support, to help people find specialist eye-carers even in regional or remote areas 
• KeraClub webinars / patient forums (updates, Q&A with clinicians) 

Acknowledgements

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Dr. Karl David Brown, Chief Scientist, Centre for Eye Research Australia

The cornea might look simple—a clear “window” at the front of the eye—but it’s one of the most complex and vital parts of vision. In this episode, host Lien Trinh is joined by Dr. Karl Brown, a leading researcher in corneal biology and tissue engineering, to unpack what the cornea really is, how it works, and why it matters.

We cover:

• The five layers of the cornea and their unique roles.
• How the cornea protects the eye and focuses light.
• Why transparency is maintained, and what happens when it’s lost.
• The cornea’s sensitivity and nerve supply—why even tiny changes are felt so strongly.
• Cutting-edge research into corneal tissue engineering and donor cell expansion.

• Centre for Eye Research Australia — Corneal Research
• Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia
• American Academy of Ophthalmology — Cornea Basics
• The Cornea Society

Produced with support from Humdinger Studio (Melbourne), Gulwa Recording Studio (Darwin), the University of Melbourne, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, Optometry Australia, and mivision.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Talking Eyes—a podcast about eye care research, clinical insights, and the everyday experiences of people living with vision conditions. Hosted by optometrist Lien Trinh, the show brings together experts and personal stories to make eye health both accessible and meaningful.

Season 1, Talking Retina, took listeners on a journey into the back of the eye—exploring conditions, treatments, and the research shaping how we protect sight. Season 2,

Talking Cornea, has taken a little extra time to create—and for good reason. It comes in two streams: one for everyone on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and a practitioner-only edition through Optometry Australia and Mivision, packed with technical pearls for clinical practice.

We’ll be exploring what the cornea is, why it matters, and what happens when it loses transparency, changes shape, or simply dries out.

Episodes shine a light on keratoconus, transplants and eye banks, contact lenses, myopia, and dry eye disease.

Follow the release of the show on Facebook and Instagram @talkingeyespodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you for tuning in to Season 1 Talking Retina. This season, we’ve covered so many things, so a quick recap. Ass Prof Lauren Ayton and I introduced you to the retina and inherited retinal diseases. Prof Andrew Turpin and I discussed vision testing, what AI is and its potential roles and setbacks in eye care. Prof Robyn Guymer helped us understand where research for macular degeneration is at and best practice clinical management. This means, not forgetting to offer clinical trials as an option, if no treatments are currently available to prevent vision loss. Ass Prof Penny Allen took us through the story of bionic eye development in Australia. Prof John Nolan took us through the research for macula protection and the use of macula pigment supplementation. And Ass Prof Anai Gonzalez-Cordero and Dr. Tom Edwards introduced us to the incredible work in vision restoration that is happening now.

It’s been a huge learning journey for me and I hope it’s been one for you as well. As an optometrist, public health practitioner, amateur athlete, globetrotter, and mother in pursuit of living my best life, I set out to create something to make it easier to learn about and put into practice, our most latest understanding of the human eye. A stand out for me recording this season was hearing directly from people who have been affected by vision conditions that we diagnose and treat. I learnt as much from them as I learned from the experts in the field.

So, with this season under my belt and so much learning, not only about the research on eyes, but about podcast creation as well, I’m aiming to bring you something more exciting next season. It’s currently in R&D stage so I can’t say too much, but for Season 2, we will be Talking Cornea. If you’d like to get involved as a contributor or a sponsor, you can reach me on my socials via Instagram and Facebook @Talking Eyes. Follow and share, and subscribe to Talking Eyes to stay updated. I’m Lien Trinh, your host of Talking Eyes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.