We caught up with Anish Jindal, joint associate director for education for allied health professionals and honorary associate professor at University College London.
Anish’s role involves supporting the next generation of advanced practitioners. He also has a number of research interests, including glaucoma, artificial intelligence and ocular emergencies.
Anish graduated as an optometrist and has been working at Moorfields for 14 years. He has also published a number of papers that expanded on his PhD, focusing on the accuracy of technology in diagnosing eye conditions.
be flexible with your working patterns and prioritise tasks, but also to recognise if it affects your personal time and health.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given and how has this helped you?
‘You can’t be an expert in everything.’
I got to a point where I was at a crossroad in my career and I had to recognise not only what my strengths were but also what I enjoyed doing. I reflected on my career and I realised I wanted to be more involved in research and education for both undertaking but also leading, which led me being appointed in my respective roles at MEH and UCL.
When you’re not working what do you like to do?
I would like to relax with a cup of tea, but there is never a dull moment with a young family after a busy day of work.
How do you personally try and create a better work/life balance? Do you have any top tips to share with staff?
I always feel there is too little time, but this is also my main motivator. It is all too easy to take on more than you can handle. My tip is to be flexible with your working patterns and prioritise tasks, but also to recognise if it affects your personal time and health. If that happens, seek help from your line managers or colleagues, or talk it through with family or friends.
What makes you happy?
Being with family, dancing, experiencing new adventures and of course food.
Can you share an example of innovation in your role or area that has stemmed from yourself or your team? Please could you also share what impact this has made?
The biggest project of my PhD was the production of the systematic review. I worked with the Cochrane collaboration, a not-for-profit organisation, with a team of international experts in their respective fields for over three years. The topic of the review was a priority area for the Cochrane - given people with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) accounts for 50% of glaucoma blindness.
The College of Optometrists (CoO) PACG clinical management guideline, European Glaucoma Society Guideline Committee and Royal College of Ophthalmologists guideline on the management of angle closure have cited the Cochrane review, which will inform clinical decisions of clinicians internationally.
I received praise by internationally renowned experts beyond expectation, and this impacted me profoundly to further develop my research both nationally and internationally.
I was also recently awarded the Innovation grant by Moorfields Eye Charity to evaluate the impact of education on optometrists in PACG, that could lead to improved referral accuracy by community based optometrists.
Do you have a work story you’d like to share? It could be one you think back on from the lessons learnt or one you have a fond memory from?
One memorable case was a patient that presented with a blunt traumatic injury where there was evidence of lid swelling as well as damage to the anterior structures of the eye and waterlogging of the retina. On careful questioning, it was revealed that a Ferrero Rocher was the culprit. It had been thrown at the patient's eye.
The key takeaway here is the importance of taking a comprehensive history and beware of the danger of throwing chocolate.
What would your colleagues be surprised to discover about you?
I learnt Spanish and travelled around the world for six months independently.