Dr Samuel Dance

MBBS, Master of Surgery (Anatomy), FRANZCO

Dr Dance is a comprehensive general ophthalmologist with sub-specialty training in the medical and surgical management of Glaucoma, Medical Retina and Cataract surgery. He undertook his medical degree at Monash University, Melbourne, graduating in 2009 and completed his Internship and Residency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.

Sam places a strong emphasis on interpersonal skills and developing empathetic relationships with patients through clear and considerate interactions. As a part of the Ophthalmology training program at Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, he provided outreach services to remote, indigenous, and underprivileged communities throughout Western NSW via the Outback Eye Service and the Greater Western Area Health Service. He was appointed to the privileged position of Professorial Senior Registrar in the final year of his training at Prince of Wales Hospital.

In 2012, Dr Dance completed a Master of Surgery (Majoring in Anatomy) at the University of Sydney, graduating as the dux of his class and has continued to demonstrate a strong commitment to technical, professional and educational development. In particular, Sam has authored multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at International, National and State medical conferences. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Glaucoma and has lectured Optometry students at the University of New South Wales, and Medical Students at both Sydney University and the University of New South Wales.

Sam has been heavily involved in research and collaborative eye care models through his work at the Centre for Eye Health, Randwick and has undertaken sub-speciality training in complex Glaucoma and Cataract surgery (including minimally invasive glaucoma devices), and in Medical Retina at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, respectively. Both of these centres are renowned tertiary referral centres, with internationally recognised leaders in Research and Clinical Ophthalmology.

Cataract surgery

Routine and complex cataract surgery
For suitable patients, options of premium intraocular lenses to reduce dependency on glasses after surgery
Surgery under local anaesthetic with sedation, for a comfortable experience

Retinal Physician

Diagnosis and management of diabetic eye disease, vein occlusions and age-related macular degeneration.
Use of eye injections (including steroid implants and novel therapeutics) to manage macular oedema and ‘wet’ age-related macular degeneration.

Glaucoma surgery

Offers a comprehensive glaucoma treatment algorithm, including:
Laser surgery (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty and YAG Peripheral Iridotomy) for open angle and angle closure glaucoma
Minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (as independent procedures or combined with cataract surgery)
Traditional incisional glaucoma drainage surgery (trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage tubes)

Pterygium surgery

Pterygium excision and conjunctival grafting
Surgery under local anaesthetic with sedation, for a comfortable experience

Comprehensive ophthalmology, including the management of:

Glaucoma
Macular degeneration
Diabetic eye disease
Vein occlusions
And other common eye conditions

Current Appointments

Public Hospitals

Dr Dance is a Staff Specialist at Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick and is also a part of the Outback Eye Service (OES) – a program affiliated with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), providing ophthalmic care to the remote communities of Far West NSW.

Staff Specialist Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick
Bourke District Hospital

Private Hospitals

Visiting Specialist Kogarah Private Hospital, Kogarah
Visiting Specialist Chatswood Private Hospital, Chatswood
Visiting Specialist Marsden Eye Day Surgery, Parramatta

Current Private Practice Appointment

Associate, Visionary Eye Specialists; Hurstville and Miranda
Associate, Marsden Eye Specialists; Parramatta, Castle Hill and Penrith

Glaucoma Australia

Ophthalmology/Expert Advisory Committee (2019 – Current)
Glaucoma Australia Research Grant Committee (2021 – Current)

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology

RANZCO Trainee Representative Committee Member (2017)
RANZCO Council – Trainee Delegate (2017)
RANZCO Qualification and Education Committee – Selection Executive Working Group (2017)
RANZCO QEC Committee – Education Strategy Working Group

University appointments:

Lecturer in Optometry at University of New South Wales (2014-2017)
Medical Student Tutor in Ophthalmology, University of New South Wales (2013-Current)
Lecturer in Anatomy at Sydney University (2013)

Qualifications and training

Post-graduate

Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (2018)
Master of Surgery (Anatomy) University of Sydney (2012)

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Medicine – Monash University (2009)
Bachelor of Surgery – Monash University (2009)

Accredited Ophthalmology Training (1999-2003)

2019 Senior Clinical Fellow (Medical Retina) – Moorfields Eye Hospital, London UK.
Diagnosis and management of routine and complex retinal conditions including intraocular injections and implants.

2018 Senior Clinical Fellow (Glaucoma) – Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge UK.
Diagnosis and management of routine, complex and advanced glaucoma patients including:
Laser treatment, minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries and incisional glaucoma surgeries
Laser assisted cataract surgery
Complex cataract surgery
Supervision and training of junior ophthalmic surgeons.

2017 – Professorial Senior Registrar at Prince of Wales Hospital and Glaucoma Fellow at Centre for Eye Healthy, Univeristy of New South Wales
Glaucoma Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Collaborative care clinics, clinical research

2013-2016 Accredited registrar, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney
Cataract surgery
Pterygium surgery
Oculoplastic surgery
Glaucoma
Retina
Cornea
Uveitis
Neuro-ophthalmology
Paediatric ophthalmology
General ophthalmology
Rural and remote ophthalmology

Pre-accredited Ophthalmology Training (2010-2013)

2013 Senior Resident Medical Officer – Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney
2012 Master of Surgery (Anatomy), Sydney University
Dux of Anatomy Stream
2011 Resident Medical Officer, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
2010 Intern, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Conferences and Scientific Meetings

2021 Australian and New Zealand Glaucoma Society Conference (Virtual)
2020 COSSOM – Prince of Wales Hospital Ophthalmology Conference (Virtual)
2020 RANZCO Webinar Series
2019 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology Congress (Sydney)
2019 World Glaucoma Association Congress (Melbourne)
2018 European Glaucoma Society Congress (Florence)
2018 European Retinal Society Conference (Vienna)
2018 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Conference (Vienna)
2017 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology Congress (Perth)
2017 COSSOM – Prince of Wales Hospital Ophthalmology Conference (Sydney)
2016 RANZCO Tasmanian Branch Scientific Meeting (Hobart)
2015 COSSOM – Prince of Wales Hospital Ophthalmology Conference (Sydney)
2013 COSSOM – Prince of Wales Hospital Ophthalmology Conference (Sydney)
2013 RANZCO NSW Branch Scientific Meeting (Sydney)
2012 Emergency Management of Severe Trauma (EMST) Course (Sydney)
2011 Australian and New Zealand Society of Vascular Surgeons Conference (Brisbane)

Publications and Presentations

2021
‘Fighting Glaucoma; The Treatment Cascade’ Mivision. March 2021
2020
‘Glaucoma: Where are we today?’ Mivision. March 2020
2019
‘A collaborative care pathway for patients with suspected angle closure glaucoma spectrum disease’ Clin Exp Optom. 2019 May; 103: 212-219. DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12923
2018
‘Automated analysis of optic nerve head change in patients with glaucoma’ – Co-Author of Poster at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Hawaii, USA.
2018
‘Development of an effective Collaborative Ophthalmic System for Effective Triage – insights from the COSET study’ – Co- Author of Presentation at Scientific and Educators Meeting in Optometry, Melbourne, Australia.
2016
‘Oral Thalidomide in the Management of Epidermolysis Bullosa’ – presentation at the RANZCO Tasmanian Branch Scientific Meeting
2015
‘Spontaneous hyphaema secondary to bleeding from an iris vascular tuft in a patient with a supratherapeutic International normalised ratio: case report.’ BMC Ophthalmol. 2015 Jun; 14: 15:60. DOI: 10.1186/s12886-015-0050-y.
2013
‘Endovascular and Surgical Management of a Cirsoid Aneurysm’ J Vasc Surg. 2013 Oct;1(4):415-6 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2012.09.004
2011
‘Autologous chrondrocyte implantation; an overview of technique and outcomes’ ANZ J Surg. 2011 Jan; 81(1-2): 18-25. DOI: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2010.05495.x.
2011
‘How safe is preoperative embolisation of suspected carotid body tumours?’ – Author of presentation at Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery Conference in Brisbane.

Clinical Trial Experience

Sub Investigator for International Multicenter Randomised Clinical Trials:

Wet AMD

Bayer 20968 –Pulsar - Randomized, Double-Masked, Active-Controlled, Phase 3 Study of the Efficacy and Safety of High Dose Aflibercept in Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (2020-ongoing)

Novartis Research and Development - CRTH258B2303- Talon -A 64-week, two-arm, randomized, double-masked, multi-center, phase 3b study assessing the efficacy and safety of brolucizumab 6 mg compared to aflibercept 2 mg in a treat-to-control regimen in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (2019 ongoing)

Chengdu Kanghong Biotechnology Co., Ltd - KHB-1801- Phase 3, A Multicenter, Double-Masked, Randomized, Dose-Ranging Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Conbercept Intravitreal Injection in Subjects with Neovascular Agerelated Macular Degeneration.(PANDA) 2018-ongoing

Roche Products Pty Limited (Roche) GR40844 - Phase 3, Multi-Center, randomized, double-masked, active comparator controlled study to evaluate RO6867461 in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (LUCERNE) (2019-ongoing)

Dry AMD

Apellis – A Phase 3, Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Masked, Sham-Controlled Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal APL-2 Therapy with Sham Injections in Patients with Geographic Atrophy (GA) Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (OAKS) (2019 – ongoing)

ISIS 696844-CS5 - Phase 2, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Masked Study to Assess Safety and Efficacy of Multiple Doses of IONIS-FB-LRX, an Antisense Inhibitor of Complement Factor B, in Patients with Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (IONIS) (2019-ongoing)

ISEE2008 A Phase 3 Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial To Assess The Safety And Efficacy Of Intravitreal Administration Of Zimura™ (Complement C5 Inhibitor) In Patients With Geographic Atrophy Secondary To Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Oct 2020-ongoing)

Diabetes – DME

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Limited - Kestrel A Two-Year, Three-Arm, Randomized, Double Masked, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Brolucizumab versus Aflibercept in Adult Patients with Visual Impairment due to Diabetic Macular Edema (KESTREL) (2018-ongoing)

Opthea Limited - OPT-302-1003 - Phase 1b/2a study of OPT-302 in combination with aflibercept for persistent central-involved diabetic macular edema (OPTHEA) (2018-ongoing)

RVO

Novartis Research and Development - CRTH258C2302 An Eighteen-Month, Two-Arm, Randomized, Double- Masked, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Brolucizumab versus Aflibercept in Adult Patients with Visual Impairment due to Macular Edema secondary to Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

(RAVEN) (2019-ongoing)

Completed Trials

Allergan Artemis Trial – Randomized, 20-month, multicenter, subject- and efficacy evaluator-masked, parallel-group, phase 3 clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of a bimatoprost sustained release implant administered intracamerally, compared with timolol eye drops, in subjects with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension (2018-2020).

Allergan Athena Trial – Randomized, multicenter, subject- and efficacy evaluator-masked, parallel-group, clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of a bimatoprost sustained release implant administered intracamerally compared to selective laser trabeculoplasty in subjects with open angle glaucoma or ocular

COVID