Ian Francis

macular degeneration specialist ian francis

Associate Professor Ian Francis  is an Ophthalmologist specialising in Neuro-Ophthalmology, general opthahlmology and Temporal Arteritis. 

Associate Professor Ian Francis  is an Ophthalmologist specialising in Neuro-Ophthalmology, general opthahlmology and Temporal Arteritis. 

Ian manages all ophthalmological patients, but especially those with Neuro-ophthalmological problems and visual failure. He also manages retinal disorders such as wet macular degeneration and retinal vein occlusions.

While no longer performing cataract surgery, he now operates largely to obtain Temporal Artery biopsy specimens. He is particularly interested in Temporal Arteritis, and in its co-management with Rheumatologists and Histopathologists, and in surgery for improving the techniques of Temporal Artery biopsy.

He welcomes seeing acute Ophthalmological conditions at short notice, and is happy to consult on such cases and on patients with problematic diagnoses on a daily basis. Out of hours he may be readily contacted on his mobile phone, and is happy to discuss patient management over the telephone, and more than happy to see emergent patients any day of the week.
He is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Northern Beaches Hospital and Prince of Wales Hopsital, Sydney, in conjunction with Sydney Children’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women.

He graduated from Sydney University with Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, with named prizes in Ophthalmology in Medicine V, and in Medical Therapeutics in Medicine VI. Completing his training at Royal North Shore Hospital as a Medical student, he was a Resident at North Shore Hospital, followed by Ophthalmology Registrar training at Concord Hospital, and Sydney Eye Hospital.
He then trained overseas in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, and the Oxford Eye Hospital. He toured centres of excellence in Ophthalmology in England and North America while overseas. He worked and taught as the Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.
On return to Australia, he was appointed Visiting Ophthalmic Surgeon at Concord Hospital, from 1980-1996. He was then appointed head of the Ocular Plastics Unit at Prince of Wales Hospital in 1996.

He now consults in General Ophthalmology at Chatswood Eye Specialists, Northern Beaches Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, where he majors in Neuro-ophthalmology and assessment of visual failure, as well as acute visual problems.
By examination and thesis, he obtained a Fellowship of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1999. He was awarded a PhD at the University of New South Wales on “The Watery Eye” in 2007.

He currently is a director of Sydney Ophthalmology Writers Group, which produces publications for medical students and younger doctors attempting to improve their CV, aiming to facilitate their entry to training in Ophthalmology.
Ian is a reviewer for many journals, including Ophthalmology, the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the British Journal of Ophthalmology, and Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. Between 1987-1991, he was Australian Editor of the Australian Journal of Ophthalmology. He is a consultant on the Editorial Board of Medicine Today.

He was awarded the prize for the best paper at the 1999 Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists Annual Scientific Meeting, and was awarded an OPSM Travelling Fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery in 1990. He won the prize for the best teacher in Ophthalmology at Prince of Wales Hospital in 2005, and received a College Award for Excellence in Registrar Teaching in 2007. For Services to Medicine and Ophthalmology, he received an OAM in 2009.
In 2022 and 2023 he lectured and led ground rounds at Prince of Wales Hospital and Northern Beaches Hospital on topics of Neuro-ophthalmology, Temporal Arteritis and Obstructive Sleep Aponea.

Ian regularly attends conferences in Australia and internationally.

As of January 2024, Ian has 325 publications in peer-reviewed journals and as textbook chapters, and currently has more than 10 articles in various states of preparation for submission for publication.

To make an appointment with Dr Francis, call 9411 5000.