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Silver Medals 

The Fincham Medal: Past Winners

The Silver Fincham medal was introduced in commemoration of the contribution to ophthalmic optics of brothers Walter and Edgar Fincham. The medal honours exceptional work by those who may be described as being “mid-career.” Six Fincham medals have been awarded, to:

Professor Neville McBrien PhD, FAAO, MCOptom, FBDO (1995) – for his research into myopia, and in particular how the abnormal growth of the eye is controlled in pathological myopia.

Dr Ian Flitcroft MA, DPhil, FRCOphth (2002) – for his research on human accommodation, especially the nature of the visual stimuli that drive accommodation and the relationship between binocular vision and accommodation reflex.

Professor Robin Ali PhD (2004) – for his pioneering work on gene therapy, which revealed that animal vision could be sustained and improved in animals with inherited retinal diseases by introducing normal genes using a viral vector.

Dr James Bainbridge PhD FRCOpth (2009) – for his successful trial of gene therapy in treating a particular form of genetically induced blindness in humans.

Professor Alan Stitt PhD (2017) – for his research on diabetic retinopathy and age-related retinal disease and his pioneering work on re-vascularising ischaemic retina.

Professor Shahina Pardhan (2024) – for her research into the global visual impact of diabetic retinopathy on eye health and vision and how vision loss affects navigation through environments; and for her continuing work championing equity and diversity in science.

Changes to the Silver Medal criteria and process for 2025

Submissions are invited each year for WCSM Silver Medals. The criteria have changed from 2025 so please read this section carefully.

From 2025, the WCSM Silver Medal will be awarded to the person who, in the opinion of our judging panel of professors, can most clearly demonstrate a sustained commitment to better vision with a national or international impact over a  period of at least 7 years since achieving a doctorate or reaching an equivalent senior status in clinical practice, ie this will be a mid-career award.  Applicants may be nominated by department heads, or can self-nominate. Each application must explain clearly the individual's personal contribution to alleviating or preventing vision impairment, in at least one of four categories: Education, Research, Innovation or Clinical Leadership. The impact of their work must be able to be evidenced through publication of a body of research, a record of success in higher level teaching and education, development and roll-out of an innovative product or therapy or a record of leadership in clinical practice.  Additional weighting may be given to work which has involved work across different professional eyecare disciplines and has had, or will have, multi-disciplinary impact. Applicants will be expected to show continuing involvement in their field, building on past achievements.  


An on-line application form for the WCSM Silver Medal appears below.