Associate Professor Elaine Chong is the head of ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and is a consultant ophthalmologist in both the corneal and retinal units at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH).

She is a dual fellowship trained ophthalmologist, who completed sub-specialty fellowship training in Medical Retina at the RVEEH, and Corneal, Cataract and Refractive Surgery at the Singapore National Eye Centre.

A/Prof Chong was awarded the Gold Medal for Excellence at the RANZCO Advanced Clinical Exams in 2011 and has received various international awards for her work in corneal and retinal research.

A/Prof Chong holds a PhD and Masters of Epidemiology from the University of Melbourne. She is a senior research fellow at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, section editor of the Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology journal, and she sits in the RANZCO Victorian Branch committee and Australia New Zealand Cornea Society Executive committee.

She is currently investigating a new treatment for Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, Descemetorhexis without endothelial keratoplasty (DWEK). This new treatment may remove the need for corneal transplantation, allowing the cornea to heal on its own.