Dr Caroline MacEwen, head of the Ophthalmology Department, has become the first Scot to be awarded the prestigious Sir Norman McAlister Gregg medal for medical science. The medal has been awarded annually since 1958 in memory of Gregg, who discovered the link between german measles in the mother and birth defects in her unborn child.
Caroline was presented with the medal in recognition of her work on watery and sticky eyes in children. She has been investigating this problem for a number of years in Tayside studying 5,000 children, 20% of whom she found were affected by the condition. Previously all children with watery and sticky eyes underwent surgery but Caroline has discovered that 96% of children who are affected recover after a year, negating the need for surgery.
To improve success rates for the children who do need operations, Caroline has developed a new surgical technique. Entry is now made through the nose with a nasal endoscope. The new technique has seen a high success rate in the children who need the operation.