Saw Seang Mei and Nicole Fram: Revolutionizing Eye Research & Health
Meet two indefatigable women who brought ophthalmology into focus
Saw Seang Mei: One of the World’s Most Influential Ophthalmologists
To refer to Saw Seang Mei as a pioneer in the field of ophthalmology is somewhat of an understatement. After an intense education that included an undergraduate degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS), followed by both a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Saw has steadily risen to international renown in the field of eye health research.
One of her many significant contributions has been to the study and understanding of myopia, or nearsightedness. Specifically, Dr. Saw pinpointed some of the genetic, anatomical, and environmental predictors of myopia in children and adults across the globe while serving as lead investigator of the Singapore Cohort Study of the Research Factors for Myopia (SCORM). To date, Dr. Saw has published over 550 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and has been published in well-respected journals, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the Lancet—all of this while overseeing more than $15 million in grants, and teaching epidemiology, biostatistics, and research skills.
Currently, Dr. Saw serves as a professor and the head of the Myopia Unit at the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), an epidemiology professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (part of NUS), and as the biomedical deputy co-chair of the NUS review board.
You can read more information about Dr. Saw and see her impressive list of awards and accolades here.
Nicole Fram: Paying it Forward & Championing Women
An ophthalmologist focusing on corneal and external disease, Nicole Fram, MD, serves as a clinical instructor of ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dr. Fram first earned her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society. She went on to the highly respected Wills Eye Institute for her residency (while also serving as chief resident) before completing a fellowship in corneal, external disease, and refractive surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
According to Fram, “I was drawn to ophthalmology because the field is constantly evolving. This year alone, I have introduced five new procedures into my practice: laser cataract surgery; a glued IOL technique for secondary and malposition PCIOL management; descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty or DMEK; femtosecond laser-enabled keratoplasty; and corneal collagen cross-linking or CXL for corneal ectasia. Although there is a steep learning curve with many of these procedures, they all add the hope of progress and a layer of elegance to the way we treat current pathology.”
An active member of the Cornea Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), Dr. Fram’s greatest love is teaching, especially teaching other women. She says, “Every time women are represented on the podium, we are showing another colleague that they can do the same! We pay it forward through education and representation. Most committees I am a part of in AAO and ASCRS are committed to keeping diversity top of mind. Mentorship and honest conversations are key to this continued success.”
You can read more information about Dr. Fram’s work here.
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