Kate Gifford, Ph.D., BAppSc(Optom)Hons, is a force in myopia management. In 2021, she was named a top myopia influencer by EB sister publication Contact Lens Spectrum. Her experience includes a Ph.D. in contact lens optics in myopia, four professional fellowships, 100-plus peer-reviewed and professional publications, and more than 200 conference lectures. 

“Childhood eye care is fulfilling and rewarding for your mind, heart, and practice,” she says. “Clinical challenges solved can have huge impacts on small people. There’s no better builder of patient and family loyalty.”

Myopia Profile, which the Australian eyecare pro co-founded with her husband, Dr. Paul Gifford, started out as a single-page communication tool developed for her own practice more than a decade ago. Today, it’s a leading global platform for professional education, resources, and public awareness. 

Here, the internationally renowned optometrist, who is a visiting research fellow at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, dishes on calmness and helping colleagues.