"I was surprised and wondered who nominated me and for what specific reasons," said Professor Morgan, reflecting on the unexpected royal honour.
Perth Ophthalmologist Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia
Perth ophthalmologist Bill Morgan has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the King's Birthday honours, recognising his distinguished service to ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmic physiology, space medicine, and tertiary education.
A Career Spanning Three Decades
Professor Morgan has worked in the field for over 30 years. After graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1983, he became a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists in 1994. His path to the specialty was partly shaped by personal experience: his grandmother went blind from a retinal problem. "I found the technology and impact on patients' lives very appealing," he recalls.
Global Impact and Community Service
Since 1994, Morgan has been based at the Lions Eye Institute, serving as its managing director from 2019 to 2024. He holds teaching positions at multiple universities and works as a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital.
His humanitarian work is extensive. He has treated trachoma in Indigenous communities in the central desert and, since 1994, has made annual trips to Indonesia. On his first visit there, he encountered a child with advanced glaucoma causing total corneal opacity—a moment that galvanised his focus on the disease in the region. In collaboration with an Indonesian ophthalmologist, he co-designed a glaucoma drainage device that prevents blindness in about 90% of patients.
Pioneering Space Medicine Technology
Currently, Professor Morgan is part of a team developing a handheld device that measures intracranial pressure by scanning the retina. The goal is to reduce the need for invasive lumbar punctures. The device will first be trialled at Royal Perth Hospital before being tested on a zero-gravity flight to address intracranial pressure issues in astronauts. Both NASA and the European Space Agency have expressed interest in the results.
"Over 90% of patients with advanced glaucoma retain their sight thanks to a drainage device co-designed by Morgan and an Indonesian colleague."