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UNSW Sydney Associate Professor Nicole Carnt from the School of Optometry and Vision Science was a finalist in the Award for Outstanding Leadership in the .

The award is in recognition of her great capacity for leadership amongst her research team in understanding the major risks associated with contact lens wear, including keratitis.

UNSW Dean of Medicine & Health, Professor Cheryl Jones congratulated A/Prof. Carnt on being elected a finalist.

“Nicole has shown excellent leadership amongst her patients and team. Her dedication and care to her research has been recognised with her involvement in the Engagement Australia 2024 Excellence Awards and will undoubtedly inspire her colleagues to continue the incredible work they are accomplishing,” Prof. Jones said.

A/Prof. Nicole Carnt said she was thrilled to be a finalist for the award.

“Even being nominated as a finalist means an enormous amount to me as it recognises the often invisible work I do to ensure my network can move forward as a cohesive unit, despite different viewpoints and experiences,” she said.

The Engagement Australia Excellence Awards identify and celebrate the most exciting engagement activities undertaken by universities that demonstrate far-reaching impact and innovation in the Australian and New Zealand economy and community.

What is keratitis?

Over 60 per cent of Australians wear spectacles, contact lenses or both. While contact lenses offer significant advantages over spectacles, they pose a major infection risk to the cornea known as Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Keratitis is the leading cause of preventable blindness in developed countries, with one in four people affected by severe keratitis requiring a corneal transplant. The cornea is the clear window at the front of the eye and, though it is rare, the infection can be quite severe.

Acanthamoeba lives in water and attaches easily to contact lenses exposed to this water. Once the lens has made contact with the cornea, it is very difficult to treat, often lasting over 12 months and requiring a corneal transplant.

This severity has inspired A/Prof. Carnt’s research team to understand the major risks of contact lens wear, developing strategies to avoid this blindness, and by extension, corneal transplants, from occurring.

“My research team has championed and shown that a patient designed ‘no water’ symbol for contact lens packaging is effective. We have also shown a text message intervention is successful in changing healthy habit in contact lens wearers,” A/Prof. Carnt said.

These ‘no water’ stickers are now available globally for contact lens wearers and have been shown in the team’s research to have positively changed attitudes and behaviours for the patients.

Engaging leadership to innovation

The award is recognition of A/Prof. Carnt’s leadership for patients, optometrists, ophthalmologists, pharmacists, industry, and regulators, who have all benefited from advancements to reduce the risks posed by keratitis in contact lens wearers.

“I’m inspired by the brave and unlucky people, usually contact lens wearers, who have been affected by Acanthamoeba keratitis. Their motivation to warn others how to minimise the risk of this disease in others such as not swimming or showering in contact lenses has changed the way I approach research,” A/Prof. Carnt said.

“The power of patient engagement has thrust this neglected disease into the spotlight, and I am proud to stand side by side with patients and other stakeholders, to promote healthy contact lens wear.”