Dr Monika Pradhan is an ophthalmologist specialising in vitreoretinal surgery, and one of only three female vitreoretinal surgeons in New Zealand. She places great emphasis on personalised, patient-centred eye care.
Areas of expertise
Dr Pradhan’s clinical focus encompasses retinal detachment and retinal tears, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, complicated cataracts, uveitis, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions and floaters.
Training and background
Her medical education began at the University of Mumbai and King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where she also completed her postgraduate ophthalmology training — a Master of Surgery in Ophthalmology, a Diploma in Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery and Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bombay. After relocating to the UK in 2003, she obtained Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in London. She subsequently completed subspecialist fellowship training in Auckland covering ocular genetics, medical retina, uveitis and vitreoretinal surgery. She has also obtained the Fellowship of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
Academic achievements
Dr Pradhan earned gold medals in multiple ophthalmic examinations, including the Combie Medal and Harcourt Prize for the highest grades worldwide in the MRCOphth exams. She serves as a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Greenlane Clinical Centre, where she also mentors vitreoretinal and medical retina fellows, registrars and medical students. She is a Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland’s Ophthalmology department through which she maintains her research interests in inherited eye disorders, diabetic retinopathy and diabetes-related corneal and peripheral neuropathy. She has published several papers in international peer-reviewed journals. She is also part of the Visionary alliance through the Sight for All Foundation that is dedicated to training future Ophthalmologists through the Pacific region, specifically mentoring Vitreoretinal surgeons in Fiji to set up the first retinal surgical service in the Pacific Islands.
Outside the clinic
Originally from India, Dr Pradhan has lived in Auckland for around two decades and is multilingual in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. She devotes her spare time to her two children and pet dogs, and loves music, reading, going to concerts or the ballet, and travelling.
Memberships
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists of London
- Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
- Australian and New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists
- Fellow of the American Society of Retina Specialists
- Association of Salaried Medical Specialists of New Zealand