CHAIR OF PROGRAMMES EXPERT COMMITTEE

Professor Matthew Burton

Director of the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH)

Professor of Global Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Matthew Burton is the Director of the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) and Professor of Global Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He leads a large international research group of clinicians, scientists and public health specialists. He has worked in the field of global eye health since 2000, when he joined ICEH. He was based in The Gambia (2001-2003), whilst doing his PhD on trachoma, and was later was based in Tanzania (2008-2012). He is also an Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist in Cornea and External Eye Disease at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.

His major research focus is infectious eye diseases, working closely with multiple partners in African and Asian countries. He also works on cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, population-based surveys and the development of affordable mobile technology for eye health programmes. He has led 12 international clinical trials and published >250 scientific papers on ophthalmology and eye health. Professor Burton was the co-chair of the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health, published in 2021.

Professor Burton was the Director of Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium (2014-2019). This was a large international collaboration of eye health organisations, training institutions and regional Colleges of Ophthalmology working together to strengthen eye health services, funded by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.