The 2016 Patricia Lance Lecture – 50 years: The Development of Research and Publication in the Australian Orthoptic Journal

Linda Santamaria, DipAppSc(Orth) MAppSc

Ophthalmology Department, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Australia

This lecture was presented in honour and memory of Patricia Mary Lance in recognition of her contribution to orthoptics in the fields of research, education and the association, both in Australia and internationally. After seven years of publishing the transactions of the annual scientific meetings, the first titled edition of the Australian Orthoptic Journal was published in 1966 as Volume 8, which means that 2016 marked 50 years of our journal with its current name. This anniversary provided an opportune time to look back over the journal and its development over the decades, from the very first orthoptic paper in the transactions of the 1959 meeting, which was by Patricia Lance, to the latest research publications in 2015. Over this time the changes in society, culture, education and technology have all affected the development of research and this has been reflected in our journal.

Keywords: orthoptic history, education, research, professional development