About Me | Dr Emma Sandford | Practitioner of Natural Ophthalmology
Qualifications
MBChB 1992 (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery U.K.)
FRCOphth 1998 (Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists U.K.)
Medical Officer in Ophthalmology
Medical herbalist and naturopath
Practitioner of Natural Ophthalmology.
BNatMed 2021 (Bachelor of Natural Medicine), South Pacific College of Natural Medicine
ph360 endorsed coach
Emma is a doctor of integrative medicine which combines conventional medical practices with complementary and alternative therapies to promote overall well-being. By incorporating pharmaceuticals when necessary, along with herbs, dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and other tools, Emma can provide a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to each individual's needs. Emma did her medical specialist training in the U.K. She came to New Zealand nearly two decades ago now with her Kiwi husband, Jason. They bought a lifestyle block, built a house or two, started a business and have been home schooling their two children from the moment they were born. The farmlet bears fruit, veges, honey, meat and eggs and Jason and Emma are aiming for a more sustainable and self sufficient living.
Emma has gained insights through the “Nourishing Traditions” Weston A. Price way of understanding, growing, preparing and eating food and has integrated a great deal of this wisdom into her practice. Emma is of the firm belief that Hippocrates knew what he was talking about when he said “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine by thy food”. She continues to learn in this arena and substantially uses dietary advice to affect patient health.
She realised that there was a need within the fields of modern medicine and ophthalmology to add these elements to the already large body of modern biomedical knowledge and expertise. Patients responded eagerly to the prospect of being able to affect their own disease course and to do whatever they could to maximise their general and ocular health. She was invited to speak at a Retina NZ meeting and subsequently was asked to write a series of articles for their magazine.
She has also presented at the Ocular Therapeutics Conference Buchannan Ocular therapeutics Unit of the University of Auckland, is an honorary lecturer in Ophthalmology at the Auckland University, is an integrative doctor assisting other General Practices around the country and has been instrumental in directing research projects at Auckland University studying natural treatments for Dry Eye Disease and blepharitis. Papers have been published including Therapeutic potential of castor oil in managing blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye appearing in Clinical Experimental Ophthalmology 2020 and Randomized trial of topical periocular castor oil treatment for blepharitis published appearing in Ocular Surface Journal 2020
Emma has completed a degree course in Natural Medicine, to gain knowledge and insight into both ancient Western and Eastern health knowledge and healing wisdom. The course has a sound scientific base which marries well with Emma's existing knowledge and understanding, but it also contains a great deal of tradition, including Rongoa Maori, and wise woman traditional understanding. The view that “art is long and life is short”, “Ars longa, vita brevis” is the Motto of Sheffield Medical School, where Emma first entered the halls of medicine.
There is a lifetime of learning and knowledge and wisdom to attain and Emma is ready to share what she has learned.
Get in Touch Today
To get in touch with Emma to discuss your health consultation or retreat.
The Philosophy Behind Nourishing Eyes
I want to be the leading practitioner of Natural Ophthalmology in New Zealand and to contribute to that arena in the world of Ophthalmology, bringing this additional tool, as an adjunct, into mainstream clinical Ophthalmology, thus empowering and broadening patient knowledge and choice. I also seek to increase the tools at the disposal of conventional ophthalmologist to increase the effectiveness of conventional treatments.
