UNITED KINGDOM NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY SOCIETY

To Advance Neuro-Ophthalmology Learning Practice Research in the UK & Beyond

DAYS TO

UKNOS 2025

Theme: Anatomical Antagonists

Venue: International Student House Venues, 1 Park Crescent, London W1B 1SH

Date: 27th February 2025

Time: 09:30 - 17:30

The theme is 'Anatomical Antagonists', based on our President Dr Gordon Plant’s adage that “the brain sits on the nose” & addresses all the potential enemies to the optic nerves and oculomotor nerves that lurk in the adjacent anatomical areas

Our annual conference has been oversubscribed for three years running. Don't delay, register today

We are also pleased to announce our first ever Neuro-Ophthalmology Training Day, which will take place the day after the annual meeting on 28th February 2025 at the same venue.This will be aimed towards Neurology and Ophthalmology trainees. Book at the main link above.

ABOUT US

UPCOMING EVENTS

From Neuro-ophthalmology organisations from the UK and beyond

Current Month

PARTNERS

We have a strong collaborative history with the Association of British Neurologists & The Royal College of Ophthlamologists, as well as several Neuro-Ophthalmology organisations worldwide

COMMITTEE

The UKNOS committee is comprised of specialists and trainees in Neuro-Ophthalmology from across the UK

Click on portrait to read more...

President

Dr Gordon Plant

Vice-President

Dr Sui Hsien Wong

Meeting / Scientific Programme Director

Dr Simon Hickman

Administrator

Tricia Davey

Treasurer

Mr Steve Madill

Abstract Director

Dr Elizabeth Hill

Service Director

Miss Margaret Dayan

Society Liaison (Ophthalmology)

Mr Eoin O’Sullivan

Society Liaison (Neurology)

Dr Arani Nitkunan

Industry Liaison

Dr Jonathan Virgo

Training

Dr Luke Bennetto

Education

Miss Brinda Muthusamy

CPD Representative

Dr Sarah Cooper

Website & Social Media

Dr Ailbhe Burke

Ophthalmology Trainee Representative

Dr Emma Spowart

Neurology Trainee Representative

Dr Anna Francis

Ophthalmology Trainee Representative

Mr Neil Clough

Academic Ophthalmology Representative

Mr Michael Gilhooley

Neurology Educational Representative

Dr Sunjay Parmar

President

Dr Gordon Plant

Dr Plant founded UKNOS, originally UKNOSIG, to meet the need for a national organisation in the UK committed to research and continuing professional development in Neuro-Ophthalmology.

He is an Emeritus Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, St Thomas’ Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.

Dr Plant is a Fellow of the College of both Physicians and Ophthalmologists and has particular clinical and research interest in neurological disorders that affect vision.

Vice-President

Dr Sui Hsien Wong

Dr Sui Hsien Wong is a Consultant Neurologist and Neuro-Ophthalmologist based in London, UK. She completed her Neurology specialist training in the UK, supplemented by training sabbaticals in Australia and USA. This was followed by a Neuro-Ophthalmology clinical fellowship in Moorfields Eye Hospital and an MD (research) into Ocular Myasthenia Gravis (OMG) awarded by University College London. She continues with research on OMG and other euro-ophthalmological conditions. She is on the editorial boards for the Neuro-ophthalmology and Eye journals.

Her NHS clinical practice is based at Moorfields Eye Hospital, and Guys & St Thomas’ Hospitals, where she sees unselected Neuro-ophthalmological conditions, ranging from urgent to tertiary care referrals. She also runs specialist services for Ocular Myasthenia and Pseudotumour Cerebri Syndrome / Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. Dr Wong is currently leading a number of research projects on her specialist topics of interests, as well as Visual Snow.

Meeting / Scientific Programme Director

Dr Simon Hickman

Simon Hickman is a Consultant Neurologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield. He is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield. He graduated from the University of Cambridge.

He trained in Neurology in Nottingham and London and obtained a PhD in magnetic resonance imaging in optic neuritis.

He helps to run a regional Neuro-Ophthalmology clinic in Sheffield.

He is also the co-editor in chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology.

Administrator

Tricia Davey

Tricia is our primary point of contact for all initial UKNOS related queries click here to get in touch via email

Treasurer

Mr Steve Madill

Steve Madill is the founding treasurer of UKNOS. He is Consultant Neuro-Ophthalmologist based at Princess Alexandra Eye Pavillion, Edinburgh, UK. Mr Madill has practiced, published and taught on Neuro-ophthalmology throughout his career and is a founding member of UKNOS.

Abstract Director

Dr Elizabeth Hill

Elizabeth (Liz) is due to commence her consultant post as a Neuro-ophthalmologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. She also has a specialist interested in eye emergency care.

Liz initially trained as an Optometrist in Manchester. She worked as a Research Optometrist at Manchester University, and during this time she completed her MPhil. She completed her medical training at Newcastle University. She completed her Ophthalmology training in the Northern Deanery.

She completed a Neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. She is just finishing her second fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus at Moorfields. Outside of work she is a keen runner.

Service Director

Miss Margaret Dayan

Margaret (Mags) Dayan is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, Neuro-ophthalmology Clinical Service Lead at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and an Associate Clinical Lecturer, Newcastle University. She is also the Secretary of the British Isles Neuro-ophthalmology Club (BINOC).

Mags graduated from Oxford and trained in Leeds & the Northern Region before undertaking a fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and ocular motility in Oxford. Her subspecialist interests are neuro-ophthalmology, adult ocular motility and botulinum toxin treatment. She also works closely with the regional neurorehabilitation service and sees patients with visual impairment (including higher cognitive visual dysfunction) secondary to brain injuries. She has a large and complex clinical practice and understands first hand the competing demands of limited resources and increasing referrals. She is interested in identifying new ways of meeting service demands, the use of virtual and paramedical clinics and the changing makeup of the teams delivering neuro-ophthalmology services.

Mags previously instigated and ran the Newcastle Course on Orbital and Neuro-Imaging for Ophthalmology, teaches on the Newcastle Cadaveric Strabismus course, has convened Seminars and Annual Congress sessions for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and is a regular speaker on neuro-ophthalmology at national meetings. She is the Neuro-ophthalmology Section Editor of the Health Education England eLearning for Health Website.

Society Liaison (Ophthalmology)

Mr Eoin O’Sullivan

Mr Eoin O’Sullivan trained in Ophthalmology before sub-specialising in Neuro-Ophthalmology.

He is an established Consultant Neuro-Ophthalmologist at King’s College London, one of the busiest acute trusts in the UK, and has a core role with the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

Mr O’Sullivan has taught and published widely in Neuro-Ophthalmology and supported emerging Neuro-Ophthalmologists in their training. He is a member of the UK Biobank Eye & Vision Consortium.

Society Liaison (Neurology)

Dr Arani Nitkunan

Dr Arani Nitkunan was appointed as consultant neurologist at Croydon University Hospital in 2013.

She is chair of the South West London Acute Provider Collaborative Neurology stream whose aim is to provide equitable accessible care in the region.

She read medicine at Newnham College, Cambridge and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London. She was awarded a PhD for stroke research at St George’s Hospital, London in 2007. Her neurology training was in southwest London with stints at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, as well as one month in Jaffna Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka.

Dr Nitkunan runs general neurology clinics at Croydon University Hospital and a specialist neuro-ophthalmology clinic at St George’s. She is clinical lead at Croydon with a particular focus on transforming acute neurology. She is part of the team managing patients on the Hyperacute Stroke Unit at St George’s and has inpatients at the regional neuroscience centre, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George’s Hospital.

Dr Nitkunan was appointed as council member of the Association of British Neurologists in July 2018.

Industry Liaison

Dr Jonathan Virgo

Jonny Virgo is a Consultant Neuro-Ophthalmologist at Guy’s & St Thomas’ having trained in Medical Ophthalmology in the London Deanery and completed the Neuro-Ophthalmology post-CCT Fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

Before studying Medicine Jonny did a Genetics BSc at Nottingham University. He then studied Medicine at Brighton & Sussex Medical School where he graduated top of his year. Since then he did Foundation Training in the South Thames Foundation School and Core Medical Training in the London Deanery. He has also done a Clinical Neurology MSc at the UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square.

Throughout Medical Ophthalmology training Jonny attended regular Rheumatology clinics and worked at consultant level managing a Scleritis and Biologics clinic at St Thomas’ Hospital. He updated the Moorfields Clinical Handbook of Adult Immunosuppressive Therapy for Ocular Inflammatory Diseases in 2018

Training

Dr Luke Bennetto

Luke Bennetto is a Consultant Neurologist in Bristol since 2008. He qualified in 1997 from Southampton University.

He was awarded an MD at the University of Bristol for research into Multiple Sclerosis in 2004.

He runs a weekly neuro-ophthalmology clinic at the Bristol Eye Hospital and an IIH clinic at Southmead Hospital.

He is the Neurology Training Programme Director for the Severn Deanery and member of the UK Neurology Specialist Advisory Committee

Education

Miss Brinda Muthusamy

Brinda Muthusamy received her medical degree from the University of Edinburgh. After completing her senior house officer rotation at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals, she obtained Membership to the Royal College of Physicians. She completed her ophthalmology higher surgical training at the Bristol Eye Hospital, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. She obtained fellowship training in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. This was followed by a fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology also at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.

Since 2013 she has practised as a consultant paediatric and adult neuro-ophthalmologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

CPD Representative

Dr Sarah Cooper

Sarah trained in Southampton, London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. She works as a Consultant Neurologist in Brighton.

As part of the team at the Sussex Eye Hospital she provides specialist clinics for patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, myasthenia gravis and other neuro ophthalmic disorders.

Website & Social Media

Dr Ailbhe Burke

Ailbhe Burke trained in psychology and undertook research in genetics at King’s College London before returning to study Medicine.

Ailbhe (pronounced Alva) went on to train in Neurology and Neuro-Ophthalmology in London and Australia. She now works as a consultant in Neurology & Neuro-Ophthalmology at Moorfields.

Ailbhe was a research editor for the BMJ for 7 years alongside specialty medical training. She retains a longstanding interest in improving access to and equity within healthcare, as well as exercise and extreme environments.

Ophthalmology Trainee Representative

Dr Emma Spowart

Emma Spowart is an Ophthalmology trainee in the Northern deanery. She studied medicine with an intercalated BSc in neuroscience at UCL in London, then completed her foundation training in Essex and East London.

During the past few years, Emma has completed a PGCert in medical education at Newcastle university and is currently involved with the editorial committee for setting up the RCOphth Inspire e-learning platform

Neurology Trainee Representative

Dr Anna Francis

Anna is a Neurology trainee in Bristol and is currently out of programme while reading for a DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences at Oxford University.

Anna has an interest in neuroinflammatory disease and is the Neuromyelitis Optica Clinical Fellow at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where she looks after patients with autoimmune diseases of the brain, optic nerve and spinal cord.

Her research aims to determine whether individuals with these conditions are at increased risk of cognitive impairment and to identify potential triggers for disease onset.

Ophthalmology Trainee Representative

Mr Neil Clough

Neil is a Paediatric Ophthalmology/Strabismus Fellow at Guy’s & St Thomas’, London. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Optometry before studying medicine at St George’s University of London. He undertook specialty training in Ophthalmology at Moorfields & King’s before completing a clinical teaching fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

Academic Ophthalmology Representative

Mr Michael Gilhooley

Michael is an Academic Clinical Lecturer at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London and is completing his training via a post-doctoral fellowship in the USA currently.

Michael’s research centres on the intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells and their photopigment (melanopsin), for which he was awarded a PhD from the University of Oxford.

Prior to this, Michael studied medicine at Cambridge and worked in Glasgow before moving to London for ophthalmology training. He represents academic trainees internationally on the ARVO members in training committee.

Neurology Educational Representative

Dr Sunjay Parmar

Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellow | Neurologist at Moorfields

EDUCATION

FELLOWSHIP

UK Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowships Locations

Manchester Eye Hospital

Bristol Eye Hospital

Moorfields Eye Hospital

King College & St Thomas' Hospital

Addenbrookes Hospital

University Hospitals Birmingham

Leicester Royal Infirmary

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

Leeds General Infirmary

Queen Square

Oxford Eye Hospital

HISTORY

See our previous events

September 2005
ABN Meeting, Torquay
Breakfast Meeting during ABN Meeting in Torquay. Dr Plant proposes a Special Interest Group in Neuro-Ophthalmology to the Association of British Neurologists. 20 people attended, where unanimous consensus was reached for the need for a National group
September 2005
2006
RCOphth Special Interest Group Proposal
Dr Plant proposes Special Interest Group in Neuro-Ophthalmology to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
2006
April 2007
ABN Spring Meeting, Cambridge
Breakfast Meeting during ABN Spring Meeting in Cambridge. Patrick Chinnery presented information regarding Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy and the Idebenone trial in Newcastle.
April 2007
June 2007
RCOphth Congress Meeting, Birmingham
Breakfast Meeting during RCOphth Congress Meeting in Birmingham. Phil Griffiths spoke about the Newcastle LHON trial and two thought-provoking case presentations. 40+ attendees.
June 2007
November 2007
ABN Meeting, London
Two-hour Bedside Neuro-Ophthalmology teaching course by distinguished Ophthalmologists and Neurologists
November 2007
22nd May 2008
RCOphth Congress Meeting, Liverpool
Breakfast Meeting during RCOphth Congress Meeting in Liverpool. Neil Miller presided over a “Meet the Expert” session. Atypical optic neuritis and Intracranial Hypertension associated with anaemia cases were presented, evoking considerable interest from the 200+ attendees
22nd May 2008
18th March 2009
1st Annual Meeting, St Thomas’ Hospital
1st All-day annual meeting held at Governors’ Hall, St Thomas’ Hospital. Consisted of update on Neuro-Ophthalmology investigation techniques, followed by Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension and papilloedema management symposium. Guest speakers were Francois Boruet and Aki Kawasaki from Lausanne, who spoke on papilloedema and pupillometry respectively. Annual meeting of MOSUK took place at the same venue the following day.
18th March 2009
20th May 2009
RCOphth Congress Meeting, Birmingham
“Meet the Expert” Breakfast Meeting during RCOphth Congress Meeting in Birmingham with our guest Professor Deborah Friedman. Orbital schwannoma case from Darwin, Australia and cognitive impairment with hallucinations case from Newcastle were presented. Session followed by Migraine symposium, with contributions from Professor Friedman, Professor Holger Kaub, Niaz Islam, Pari Shams and Gordon Plant. These two sessions each attracted 300+ attendees
20th May 2009
22nd June 2009
ABN Meeting, Liverpool
Two-hour update session on special techniques in Neuro-Ophthalmology teaching course by distinguished Ophthalmologists and Neurologists. This was the first of the new-style annual meetings.
22nd June 2009
17th March 2010
Annual Meeting, St Thomas’ Hospital
2nd All-day Annual meeting held at Governors’ Hall, St Thomas’ Hospital. Consisted of Paediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology session, contributed by David Taylor, Gordon Dutton, Bill Newman and Creig Hoyt, our Guest speaker. Later on research and case reports were presented. There were 200+ attendees, including overseas including Holland, Denmark and the Ukraine. Creig gave a fascinating talk on “Blindness in Literature” in the evening.
17th March 2010
26th May 2010
RCOphth Congress Meeting
“Meet the Expert” Breakfast Meeting during RCOphth Congress Meeting with Professor David Zee as our guest. Tim Matthews and Mike Burdon joining David as discussants. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and cavernous sinus syndrome misdiagnosed as Duane syndrome cases were presented. Over 200+ attendees.
26th May 2010
5th December 2018
Joint UKNOS and The Colour Group Meeting, London
“Colour in the clinic” Workshop-style meeting jointly with the Centre for Applied Vision Research and hosted at City University, London. Discussions included translation of scientific research in testing vision and visual processing, particularly colour vision, into clinical practice. Well attended followed by a drinks reception
5th December 2018
1st and 2nd March 2019
Joint UKNOSIG and NeNOS Meeting, Amsterdam
Joint Annual Meeting hosted by Dr Jan Willem Pott (University of Groningen). Day 1 led by Dr Gordon Plant, with talks on higher cognitive visual function, followed by sessions on optic neuropathies and vascular neuro-ophthalmology. Dr Axel Petzold ran parallel practical sessions on the use of OCT and pocket solar powered ophthalmoscopes (Arclight) throughout the day. Day concluded with conference drinks and dinner. Day 2 looked at the Glymphatic system, Autoimmune-mediated Optic Neuropathies, Patients’ Perspectives and Novel assessments and therapies in Autoimmune Neuro-Ophthalmology. Meeting was rounded off with a discussion of interesting and illustrative case studies from across Europe. UKNOS was founded as the successor to UKNOSIG. Heavily oversubscribed.
1st and 2nd March 2019
3rd April 2019
Joint UKNOS and The Colour Group Meeting, London
“Neuroscience, Colour and the Visual Arts” - First in a series of meetings to bring clinicians and vision scientists to discuss the influence that visual disorders, normal brain function and psychophysical phenomena have on the generation and appreciation of visual art.
3rd April 2019
27th September 2019
Joint UKNOS and Danish Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Meeting, Cambridge
Theme was Optic Neuritis, by our Guest Speaker Mr Andrew Lee, Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology & Neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, USA
27th September 2019
25th March 2021
UKNOS Annual Meeting: Dr Plant’s Festschrift
Virtual Meeting via the Royal Society of Medicine. Homage to Dr Plant from colleagues from around the world who have worked with and been trained by Dr Plant.
25th March 2021
17th March 2022
UKNOS Annual Meeting, Sheffield
Annual Meeting hosted by Dr Simon Hickman at Cutler’s Hall, Sheffield. Theme was Functional Visual Symptoms, presented to a sold-out audience
17th March 2022
23rd March 2023
UKNOS Annual Meeting, St Thomas’ Hospital
Annual Meeting hosted by Dr Sui Wong. Theme was Eye Movements & the Vestibular System, again to a sold-out audience
23rd March 2023
8th February 2024
UKNOS Annual Meeting, Newcastle
Annual Meeting hosted by Dr Mags Dayan. Theme was Uncertainty in Neuro-Ophthalmology. Sold out attendance for three years running.
8th February 2024