Speaker Biography

David Steel is a consultant ophthalmologist at Sunderland Eye Infirmary in the North East of England, Honorary Professor of Retinal Surgery at Newcastle University and the University of Sunderland and visiting Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Liverpool. He has authored over 400 peer reviewed publications with more than 17,000 citations and supervised over 70 trainees in a range of projects and degrees. He was named as the UK NIHR and Royal College of Ophthalmologists Researcher of the year award in 2018. He is a past President of the British and Eire Association of Retinal Surgeons (BEAVRS) and an executive board member of the Club Jules Gonin. He is the international representative for the Fuji Retina meeting and was voted into the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Hall of Fame in 2025. He has taken part as a chief or principal investigator in more than 50 clinical trials on all aspects of retinal disease and compiled over 20 systematic reviews. He has delivered over 100 invited international lectures including the PJ Hay lecture at the North of England Ophthalmology Society in 2025 and the Meyer-Schwickerath Lecture at the German Retinal Society in 2023. He recently chaired the Royal college of Ophthalmologists full thickness macular holes guidelines, in collaboration with the ASRS, Canadian Retinal Society and Euretina. He led the development of the South of Tyne diabetic retinopathy screening service in 1999 and was consultant lead since the first patient was screened in 2001 until 2025. He was a founder and is now co-directing the Northern Ophthalmology Research and Innovation Institute (NORI).