Dr John Downie

About Me:

Dr John Downie is a senior vitreoretinal surgeon, medical retina specialist, and complex cataract surgeon. He has particular expertise in diabetic eye disease. Dr Downie is the Head of the Retinal Unit at Sydney Eye Hospital, where he sees  public and private patients.

Dr Downie studied Medicine at the University of Sydney and graduated with Honours in 1987. He trained as an ophthalmologist at the Sydney Eye Hospital, where he was the Professorial Senior Registrar in 1995. He completed sub-specialty retinal fellowships in Southampton and Moorfields Eye Hospital London and was awarded the prestigious Renee and Francis Hock Research Fellowship.

Dr Downie is the first retinal surgeon to work and operate in Sydney’s South and the Wollongong region, and has been caring for patients with retinal and cataract diseases since 1999. He is highly experienced and skilled in retinal and cataract management and surgery.

Teaching & Training:

Dr Downie has twice received the national Trainer of Excellence Award by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

He is involved in patient care, and teaching and supervision of ophthalmology trainees and vitreoretinal surgical fellows at the Sydney Eye Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and Sydney Children’s Hospital.

His interest in training young ophthalmologists extends to work overseas. Under the auspices of the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, Dr Downie regularly travels to Cambodia to teach trainees in the Cambodian Ophthalmology Residents Programme.

Special Interests:

• Diseases of the retina, macula and vitreous, such as: macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, retinal tears and detachment.
• Cataract surgery, complex cataract surgery

Qualifications & Memberships

• Member, the Australian & New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists
• Member, the American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Member, the Asia-Pacific Vitreoretinal Society
• Fellow, Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (FRANZCO)
• Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery, MBBS (Honours), University of Sydney 1987

Surgical Training & Research

• Ophthalmology Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney (Professorial Senior Registrar)
• Medical retina & vitreoretinal surgery fellowship, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London and Southampton General Hospital, Southampton
• Renee and Francis Hock Research Fellowship, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

Consulting Locations

• Hurstville
• Miranda
• Caringbah
• Chatswood
• Maroubra

Hospital Accreditations

• Sydney Eye Hospital (Head of Retinal Unit)
• Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick
• Sydney Children’s Hospital
• Waratah Private Hospital, Hurstville
• Sydney Surgical Centre, Randwick
• Chatswood Private Hospital

Career Achievements

• Chair of the Diabetic Retinopathy Working Group for the NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Community Eye Care Project, which aims to improve the management of retinal problems in patients with diabetes in NSW.
• Chair of the NSW Retinopathy of Prematurity Working Group
• Highest surgical closure rate of contributed cases to the Macula Hole Project – the preliminary findings of which have been published in the May 2016 edition of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Pricing Policy

• Dr Downie offers a consultation discount to pensioners
• Dr Downie offers “known gap” surgery for his patients