Prof Paul J Foster

Doctor's Profile

Professor Paul J. Foster is the Senior Consultant in the Glaucoma Department at SNEC. He graduated from Nottingham University Medical School and obtained his PhD in Ophthalmic Epidemiology from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. He has been an Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Glaucoma Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital since 2004, and has served as Professor of Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Glaucoma Studies at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology since 2011. He has directed key programmes in Population & Data Sciences and Translational Data Sciences in the UK and also conducted major glaucoma trials such as the ZAP Trial in China and the multicentre EAGLE Trial. 

Widely recognised for his contributions to ophthalmic epidemiology and glaucoma research, Professor Foster has achieved significant international impact with his leadership of major population‑based studies in Mongolia, China and was the Ophthalmology Lead for the UKBiobank. His expertise spans clinical, epidemiological and real‑world data integration to address population health challenges, particularly in preventive eye care and early disease detection. 

Through his appointment to SingHealth, Professor Foster will help advance large‑scale, data‑driven population health initiatives in ophthalmology and beyond and further strengthen research capabilities across SNEC, SERI and CPHRI. His global standing and established international networks will enhance the research visibility and competitiveness of the SingHealth Duke‑NUS Academic Medical Centre. In addition, his strong track record in mentorship will support the development of clinician‑scientists and population health research talent.

Researcher's Profile

Professor Paul Foster is a Senior Principal Investigator of SingHealth Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation (CPHRI). He is internationally recognised in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Throughout the 1990s, he carried out seminal population-based research on this condition in Mongolia, Singapore, China, Bangladesh and Thailand. Professor Foster was the first to highlight PACG as a leading cause of global blindness. This culminated in a randomised trial of screening in Mongolia, and a large scale RCT of prophylactic laser treatment in Guangzhou, PRC (Lancet 2019). An additional RCT has defined surgical management of PACG (Lancet 2016). These two RCT’s have informed global policy on the prevention and clinical management of PACG, and have shaped regional policy in Asia, Europe and the Americas. 

Professor Foster has published over 355 peer-reviewed papers, 16 book chapters and 7 journal editorials.  led western hemisphere data collection in large-scale studies of the genetics of PACG (Nature Genetics 2012, 2016; PLoS Genetics 2020; Nature Commun 2025). In 2003, he was elected a member of the Glaucoma Research Society, which is limited to 100 active members worldwide, promoting excellence in glaucoma research. He was also voted among the 100 most influential ophthalmologists worldwide in 2014, 2016, 2023, 2024, 2025.

Professor Foster received awards recognising his contribution to ophthalmology in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore and China. He has a PhD in Epidemiology of Glaucoma in East Asian people. His current research interests include the epidemiology, environmental determinants, surgical management and prevention of glaucoma.

He leads a large operational research project aiming to deliver more efficient, equitable and cost-effective care to people with eye disease. Major research projects include:

• EPIC-Norfolk Eye Study is a cohort of 8,623 people aimed at investigating novel environmental and genetic factors in eye disease
• UK Biobank Eye and Vision Lead is designing the eye and vision testing in 150,000 people, and leading an 85 researcher consortium, analysing the data from the study.
• ZAP study is a randomised, controlled trial which has transformed the approach to preventive treatment for angle-closure glaucoma. 
• MRC EAGLE trial (Moorfields chief investigator) which demonstrated at incisional surgery (clear lens extraction) in primary angle-closure glaucoma gives patients better results than conventional treatment with laser iridotomy.
• HERCULES – (principal investigator) ground-breaking multidisciplinary research examining the optimal design and operational parameters of diagnostic hubs in ophthalmology and other high-volume outpatient specialities. The project has involved health-services researchers, architects, economists, engineers, mathematicians, private sector partners, and a large compliment of NHS staff and patients.

• FRCP (2026)
• FRSPH (2025)
• FRCS(Eng) (2015)
• FRCOphth (2008)
• PhD (2002)
• FRCS(Ed) (1994)
• BMBS (1989)
• BMedSci(Hons) (1987)

• UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Executive Committee - UK (2016-2025)

• Academic Committee - Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK) (2015-2024)

• Chair of Writing Committee - RCOphth Guidelines on Angle-closure Glaucoma (UK) (2018-22)

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - Glaucoma Guidelines Committee, NG81 (2016-17)

• Chair of Writing Committee - RCOphth Guidelines on Virtual Clinics for Glaucoma (UK) (2017)

• Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society International Award Lecture (2026)

• Pei Fei Lee Lecturer, Harvard University, Boston MA, USA (2024)

• Honorary life member, South African Glaucoma Society (2018)

• Alcon Research Institute Prize, USA (2015)

• Frank Claffy Memorial Lecture & Medal, University of Sydney, Australia (2011)

• EPIC-Norfolk Eye Study is a cohort of 8,623 people aimed at investigating novel environmental and genetic factors in eye disease
• UK Biobank Eye and Vision Lead is designing the eye and vision testing in 150,000 people, and leading an 85 researcher consortium, analysing the data from the study
• ZAP study is a randomised, controlled trial which has transformed the approach to preventive treatment for angle-closure glaucoma
• MRC EAGLE trial (Moorfields chief investigator) which demonstrated at incisional surgery (clear lens extraction) in primary angle-closure glaucoma gives patients better results than conventional treatment with laser iridotomy
• HERCULES (principal investigator) ground-breaking multidisciplinary research examining the optimal design and operational parameters of diagnostic hubs in ophthalmology and other high-volume outpatient specialities. The project has involved health-services researchers, architects, economists, engineers, mathematicians, private sector partners, and a large compliment of NHS staff and patients.

1. He M, Jiang Y, Huang S, Chang DS, Munoz B, Aung T, Friedman DS, Foster PJ. Laser peripheral iridotomy for the prevention of angle closure: a single-centre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2019 Apr 20;393(10181):1609-1618.

2. Khawaja AP, Cooke Bailey JN, Wareham NJ, Scott RA, Simcoe M, Igo RP, Jr… Foster PJ et al. Genome-wide analyses identify 68 new loci associated with intraocular pressure and improve risk prediction for primary open-angle glaucoma. Nat Genet 2018; 50(6):778-782.

3. Chan MPY, Broadway DC, Khawaja AP, Yip JLY, Garway-Heath DF, Burr JM… Foster PJ. Glaucoma and intraocular pressure in EPIC-Norfolk Eye Study: cross sectional study. BMJ 2017; 358:j3889.

4. Azuara-Blanco A; Burr JM, Ramsay C, Cooper D, Foster PJ, Friedman DS, Scotland G, Javanbakht M, Claire Cochran C, Norrie J. The effectiveness of early lens extraction for the treatment of primary angle-closure glaucoma: a randomised controlled trial (EAGLE). Lancet 2016; Oct 1;388(10052):1389-1397

5. Khor CC, Do T, Jia H, (et al), Foster PJ, Vijaya L, Tashiro K, Vithana EN, Wang N, Aung T. (PF joint senior author) Genome-wide association study identifies five new susceptibility loci for primary angle closure glaucoma. Nat Genet. 2016 May;48(5):556-62. (PMID: 27064256)