Professor Allison McKendrick

Professor Allison McKendrick is the Lions Eye Institute UWA Chair in Optometry Research. She is an AHPRA registered optometrist and has over 20 years of research experience related to vision and visual disorders. Her current research interests aim to improve clinical tests for measuring and monitoring vision disorders. She has specific interests in improving and developing new diagnostic techniques (particularly visual field assessment and its links to structural measures of the eye from ophthalmic imaging), in addition to improving understanding and management of the consequences of vision loss on performance in natural visual environments and day-to-day tasks.

Her research is applied to a variety of clinical disorders including glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular disorders, in addition to improving our understanding and measurement of age-related changes to vision with healthy ageing. She also has interests in neurological conditions that affect vision such as migraine and visual snow syndrome.

Education/academic qualifications

2007: Postgraduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics, University of Melbourne
1999: Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne
1994: Master of Science (Optometry), University of Melbourne
1992: Bachelor of Science (Optometry), University of Melbourne

Current roles

Lions Eye Institute / University of Western Australia Chair of Optometry Research
Professorial Fellow, Optometry & Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne
Secretary, Imaging and Perimetry Society
Associate Editor for journal Vision Research
Editorial Board Member for journal Translational Vision Science & Technology

Prior academic and professional service roles

2018 – 2019: Medicare Benefits Schedule Review – Optometry Clinical Services Committee
2017 – 2020: Deputy Head, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
2016 – 2022: Professor, Optometry & Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne (teaching and research)
2014 – 2021: Head of Department, Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne
2010 – 2016: Director, Optometry Australia, National Board
2010 – 2014: ARC Future Fellow, University of Melbourne
2007 – 2022: Director, Optometry Victoria/South Australia
2005 – 2010: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Optometry & Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne
2001 – 2004: NHMRC Australian Clinical Research Fellow, School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia
1999 – 2000: Postdoctoral fellow, Devers Eye Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA

Grants/Fellowships/Funding overview

Nationally competitive grants

ARC Discovery DP190103141. Using visual science to reduce the dangers of night driving. 2019-2023 CIB $399,458
ARC Discovery DP180102596. Neural plasticity in older adult human vision. CIA 2018-2022. $406,258
ARC Linkage LP150100815 New, efficient tests that map both central and peripheral vision. CIB. 2015-2018. $299,118 (ARC), $105,000 (industry partner)
NHMRC Project GNT 1081874 Cortical excitation in migraine: using vision to understand and track brain excitability. CIA, 2015-2017, $502,000
ARC Discovery DP140100157 Centre-surround interactions in ageing human vision. Sole-CI. 2014-2016, $321,000
ARC Linkage LP130100055 Exploiting high resolution images of the retina to customise vision tests. CIB. 2013-2016, $211,000 (ARC); $90,000 (Industry partner)
ARC Future Fellowship FT0990930. Resolving multisensory conflict as we age: audio-visual integration and the role of normal and abnormal sensory decline. Sole-CI. 2009-2013; $688,000
ARC Linkage LP100100250. Smart algorithms for visual field assessment. CIB. 2010-2012. $210,000 (ARC), $75,000 (industry partner)
NHMRC Project GNT509208. Visual processing in migraine. CIA. 2008-2010. $322,000
ARC Discovery DP0877923. Understanding the consequences of normal aging on visual form perception. Sole-CI. 2008-2010. $100,000
NHMRC Project GNT353567. Characterising the changes in regulation of visual contrast sensitivity in glaucoma. CIA. 2005-2007. $334,000.
ARC Discovery DP04500820. Design and analysis of optimised algorithms for automated perimetry. CIB. 2004-2006. $151,000
NHMRC Australian Clinical Research Fellowship. FMRI and behavioural investigation of visual dysfunction in migraine. Sole-CI. 2001-2004. $220,000.

Philanthropic funding

Dementia Australia Research Grant. “Breaking down barriers to accessing dementia friendly eyecare”. Co-Investigator. 2021-2023. $90K
Victorian Optometry Training and Education Grant: “Improving Headache Screening in Optometry Practice”: Co-Investigator, 2018-2019, $7K
Kenneth Myer Charitable Fund: $110,000. 2017-2018. CIA.
Melbourne Neuroscience Institute Seeding Grant: “7T imaging of the eye”, 2018. CIA. ($26,000)
ANZ Medical Technology Victoria: 2006: CIA $26K
Raine Medical Research Foundation Priming Grant: “Vision after migraine: time course and localisation of deficits” CIA: 2003-2004 $52,000.
UWA Research Grants Scheme: “Do visual motion processing deficits in people with migraine influence their perception of where they are going?” 2004: CIA $17K
Kaye Merlin Brutton Bequest, University of Melbourne. “Adaptation effects involved in frequency doubling perimetry” 2005: CIB $17K

Industry funding

Allison has been engaged in contractual research with ophthalmic industry partners, to the value of approximately $650,000 in the past 10 years.

Leading publications

1. Variability components of standard automated perimetry and frequency-doubling technology perimetry
PGD Spry, CA Johnson, AM McKendrick, A Turpin

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 42 (6), 1404-1410
1. Properties of perimetric threshold estimates from full threshold, ZEST, and SITA-like strategies, as determined by computer simulation
A Turpin, AM McKendrick, CA Johnson, AJ Vingrys

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 44 (11), 4787-4795
1. Visual field losses in subjects with migraine headaches
AM McKendrick, AJ Vingrys, DR Badcock, JT Heywood

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 41 (5), 1239-1247
1. Contrast sensitivity changes due to glaucoma and normal aging: low-spatial-frequency losses in both magnocellular and parvocellular pathways
AM McKendrick, GP Sampson, MJ Walland, DR Badcock

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 48 (5), 2115-2122
1. Motion processing deficits in migraine
AM McKendrick, DR Badcock

Cephalalgia 24 (5), 363-372

IPPOS - Individualised Perimetry Progression Observations in Glaucoma Study

The Individualised Perimetry Progression Observations in glaucoma Study (IPPOS) is a longitudinal study following people with glaucoma every 4 months over 3 years at the Lions Eye Institute. The main novel measurement is an implementation of the ARREST visual field testing approach which adds locations for testing to the visual field without increasing test times.

Key facts

Commenced October 2023 with scheduled completion late 2027
Collecting at each visit: ARREST fields, 24-2 fields, OCT, OCTA
Collecting at baseline visit: On-Off Macular Sensitivity, Frequency of Seeing Curves, Quality of Life Survey

See our OSF IPPOS page for more information.