Our Commitment to Advancing Eye Care Through Research at the Wellington Eye Clinic
Why ongoing research matters for your vision, outcomes, and long-term eye health
January 25, 2026
At the Wellington Eye Clinic, we believe that excellent patient care is built on a foundation of rigorous research and continuous learning. While our primary focus is always on helping patients achieve their vision goals, we are also deeply committed to advancing the field of ophthalmology through sustained involvement in peer-reviewed research and clinical innovation.
Our research activity runs in parallel with clinical practice. The two are inseparable. Every study we publish, every technique we evaluate, and every innovation we test feeds directly back into how we assess patients, plan treatment, and manage outcomes.
Why Research Matters to You
It is reasonable to question why academic research should matter when the goal is clearer vision and an improved quality of life.
The connection is straightforward. Research shapes how procedures are performed, how risks are understood and mitigated, and how outcomes improve over time. Surgeons who actively contribute to the scientific literature are continually testing assumptions, refining techniques, and validating results against long-term data.
Choosing a surgeon who publishes and contributes to peer-reviewed research means choosing someone who:
Remains engaged with emerging technologies and evolving techniques
Has their work independently scrutinised and validated by international peers
Understands not only what works, but why it works
Bases clinical recommendations on evidence rather than marketing claims
Our Areas of Research Focus
Over the past three decades, our team has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications across several key areas of vision correction.
Laser Vision Correction
We have published extensively on LASIK and PRK, including long-term safety data and outcome analysis. This work has contributed to refinements in surgical technique and improved predictability for patients with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
In particular, we have published and presented the pivotal studies on Digital Twin ray-tracing LASIK, helping to establish more precise, individualised treatment planning approaches.
Lens-Based Procedures
Our research also extends to lens-based vision correction, including phakic intraocular lenses (ICLs) and advanced cataract surgery using premium intraocular lenses.
Recent publications include international consensus guidelines on ICL surgery, as well as research into AI-powered tools designed to improve surgical planning and predict postoperative outcomes. This work supports more accurate patient selection and decision-making, particularly in higher-risk or more complex cases.
Keratoconus and Corneal Cross-Linking
We have been closely involved in research on corneal cross-linking, publishing studies on both standard and accelerated protocols. This work has contributed to the development of treatment strategies aimed at slowing or halting disease progression in patients with progressive keratoconus.
Presbyopia Solutions
Our research into presbyopia has focused on corneal inlays, including both synthetic and allogenic tissue-based options. These studies have examined safety, efficacy, and patient selection, helping to inform more structured approaches to near-vision correction.
Innovation in Diagnostics
Accurate diagnosis underpins all refractive decision-making. Our work in ocular biometry and AI-assisted surgical planning has contributed to more precise diagnostic assessment and improved alignment between patient characteristics and treatment choice.
Recent Highlights
Recent contributions include:
International Consensus Guidelines (2025)
Co-authoring comprehensive guidelines on implantable collamer lens surgery with the Academy of Asia-Pacific Professors of Ophthalmology, helping to standardise best practice internationally.AI-Powered Surgical Planning (2025)
Contributing to multicentre research evaluating artificial intelligence tools used to predict surgical outcomes, supporting more informed preoperative planning.IOL Procedure Planning (2024)
Publishing comprehensive reviews of global approaches to implantable lens procedures, synthesising international experience to refine clinical practice.
What This Means for Your Care
When patients attend the Wellington Eye Clinic, they benefit from decades of research experience translated into everyday clinical decision-making.
We do not simply adopt protocols. In many cases, we have helped to shape them. We do not use technology uncritically. We evaluate, validate, and refine it through ongoing research. As a result, clinical recommendations are informed by evidence, experience, and long-term outcome data, often including our own published work.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
Progress in medicine depends on collaboration. Over the years, we have worked with researchers and clinicians worldwide, contributed to textbooks, presented at international conferences, and served on editorial boards.
This broader perspective ensures that clinical practice reflects not only local experience, but the evolving consensus and best thinking within ophthalmology internationally.
Looking Forward
Our commitment to research remains ongoing. As technologies evolve and our understanding of vision correction continues to deepen, we will continue to contribute to the scientific literature while keeping our primary focus where it belongs: delivering safe, evidence-based care to patients.
Alongside this peer-level work, we also publish patient-focused articles that translate research findings into practical information for those considering vision correction.
Recent Peer-Reviewed References
Lam DSC, Cummings AB, et al. Controversies, consensuses and guidelines on posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens surgery. Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology. 2025.
Zaldivar R, Cummings AB, Cummings BK, et al. Evaluating the predictive accuracy of an AI-based tool for ICL outcomes. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2025.
Thompson V, Cummings AB, Wang X. Implantable collamer lens procedure planning. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2024.
Looking for the patient perspective?
We’ve also created a companion blog that explains what our research means for patients in everyday terms from how it improves outcomes to how it guides our care.