Pirie, Antoinette (1905–1991)
Pirie, Antoinette (1905–1991)
English ophthalmologist. Name variations: Tony Pirie. Born Antoinette Patey, Oct 4, 1905, in UK; died Oct 11, 1991; Cambridge University, PhD, 1933; m. Norman Wingate Pirie (university demonstrator), Mar 11, 1931 (died Mar 29, 1997); children: son and daughter.
Combining interests in ophthalmology and biochemistry, was committed to the prevention of blinding eye disease; researched vitamins; during WWII, worked with Ida Mann to study the effects of gases on eyes as well as eye development and metabolism; invited international scientists to symposium, "Lens Metabolism in Relation to Cataract," which led to the establishment of the International Society for Eye Research; was its committee chair (1968–72); invited by Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (later Sightsavers International) to help prevent nutritional blindness (xerophthalmia) as a consultant in Tamil Nadu (southern India); taught Indian women to grow and use vegetables to support eye health; was Oxford University Margaret Ogilvie Reader in Ophthalmology (1947–73); writings include (with Ida Mann) The Science of Seeing (1946), (with Ruth van Heyningen) The Biochemistry of the Eye (1956). Was 1st woman recipient of Proctor Award (1968).