PROFILE

Dr Uppal is a friendly and extremely experienced ophthalmic cataract surgeon and vitreo-retinal specialist (retinal surgery and medical retina) with a special interest in refractive and complex cataract surgery and age related macular degeneration (AMD).

Dr Uppal holds multiple honours doctorate degree qualifications from the University of London in biomedical sciences (physiology, biochemistry and molecular genetics), medicine, and ophthalmology. His professional fellowships and memberships include:

• Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
• Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK)
• Australian and New Zealand Society of Retina Specialists
• American Association of Ophthalmology

Believing it is important to remain internationally and domestically up to date with best practice, Dr Uppal regularly presents at local, national and international ophthalmic meetings.

Currently an examiner for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, including the examiner-in-charge role, enables him to give back to his community and share his wealth of knowledge with trainees.

EXPERIENCE

Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

Dr Uppal trained in London at leading teaching hospitals and undertook his ophthalmic training at the the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital, the largest eye centre in Europe.

Sydney Hospital and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney

Thereafter he completed a retinal fellowship (a specialist training year) in vitreoretinal surgery and medical retina at Sydney Eye Hospital and Sydney Hospital. Working alongside leading Australian retinal surgeons he developed an expertise in surgical and medical treatment of retinal diseases and macular disorders. Dr Uppal followed this up with a second vitreo-retinal fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London further enhancing his experience in retinal disorders, trauma as well as complex cataract surgery.

CATARACT SERVICE

Dr Uppal, in addition to undertaking extensive retinal surgery, also performs high-quality cataract procedures, having performed over 10,000 successful procedures with excellent results that are benchmarked against the best published international standards. Cataract surgery is usually available within 2 weeks of a consultation and offers the latest state-of -the-art implant lenses:

• Multi-focal: Combined far, mid range and near vision
• Extended Mono-Vision: Distance with near vision for most daily tasks
• Distance Monofocal: Distance vision requiring reading glasses
• Mono-vision: The dominant eye is set for distance vision, the nondominant eye is set for near vision

Implant options are discussed during a comprehensive and friendly consultation which allows for an individual approach and a tailored outcome to suit the needs of each person.

Furthermore, due to his extensive retinal experience, he also performs complex cataract surgery where additional expertise is required to deal with exisiting medical and ophthalmic problems, including taking on complications from fellow cataract surgeons.

RETINA SERVICE

Dr Uppal provides a fully comprehensive retinal service including:

• Emergency Retinal Detachment Surgery: Within 24-48h
• Macular Hole Repair: Within 2 weeks
• Removal of Macular Membranes + Traction
• Surgery for Floaters
• Macular Degeneration Treatment: Injections Within 24-48h
• Diabetic Eye Disease and Retinal Vascular Disorder

A range of treatments (laser treatment, eye injections and surgery) are offered that are the most suited to the condition and the individual.

Dr Uppal performs sutureless micro-retinal and cataract surgery resulting in less trauma and disruption to the eye, faster recovery and better visual outcomes for his patients.

Moreton Eye Group and Moreton Day Hospital

Dr Uppal utilises the most up-to-date and cutting-edge ophthalmic and microsurgical surgical equipment based at the Moreton Eye Group and Moreton Day Hospital.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr Uppal completed a doctorate research degree at the prestigious Moorfields Eye Hospital (London, UK) and Institute of Ophthalmology (part of University College London). His research examined novel surgical treatments for AMD including transplantation surgery and more recently stem-cell treatments for this condition and he has published extensively in this field. The research was completed under the guidance of Professor Lyndon da Cruz, one of the worlds leading retinal specialists and originally from Perth, WA.

Current research activities include involvement in recent multi-centre trials for AMD, vitreo-macular traction disorders and publications related to scarring following retinal detachment surgery. He is also a reviewer of research articles for a number of international academic journals.

Dr Uppal is founder of the Orbitology Project which is developing a computer generated photo-real interactive virtual eye for the purposes of patient and clinician education, demonstration of ocular diseases and treatments and surgical simulation (www.orbitology.co.uk). The eye is called the interactive-zero-time eye or IZE!

Further information can be obtained from Dr Uppal’s website (www.macularsurgeon.com) including published research, a range of eye disorders, what surgery involves for patients, the hospital visit, and post operative care. There are a number of very useful images, videos and animations.

HOBBIES

Dr Uppal spends his spare time with his wife raising two young daughters who attend local Brisbane schools. His pastimes include soccer and has coached both junior and senior teams, as well as playing for a local club. Another hobby is classic cars and he is currently learning to play the piano.