Dr Mapa Prabhath Piyasena

Dr Piyasena is a Public Health Ophthalmologist from Sri Lanka, with experience in clinical ophthalmology including vitreo-retinal surgery, eye health research, evidence synthesis and health policy review.

[email protected]

View Dr Piyasena's Google Scholar profile

Background

Dr Piyasena graduated his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Faculty of Medicine University of Peradeniya and entered the In-Service Training Programme in Clinical Ophthalmology at National Eye Hospital of Sri Lanka, under the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine of University of Colombo. He also earned a Diploma in Science at the Post Graduate Institute of Science of University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka.

He went on to pursue an academic and research career pathway in ophthalmology and completed a Masters and a Doctorate in Public Health Ophthalmology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine United Kingdom. He was the first Sri Lankan scholar funded by the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (QEDJT) and the Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium (CEHC).

Dr Piyasena underwent further training in global eye health at Queen’s University Belfast, where he was endorsed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow under the Global Talent route funded by Wellcome Trust United Kingdom. He underwent training in evidence synthesis under the Fellowships of Evidence Synthesis Ireland and Cochrane Ireland.

Dr Piyasena’s research focuses mostly on retinal diseases and conducted a pivotal situational assessment on vitreo-retinal diseases and contributed to establishment of the first dedicated Department of Vitreo-Retina at National Eye Hospital of Sri Lanka.

He led an important situational assessment of availability of services for diabetic retinopathy and conducted a landmark feasibility study of integrating diabetic retinopathy screening using digital retinal imaging at public sector hospitals in Sri Lanka, which informed development of a national level policy brief on diabetic retinopathy screening. He contributed to policy formulation and review of ten national level health sector policies under the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka and contributed to launching the first electronic health sector policy repository.

Dr Piyasena conceptualised and contributed to studying innovative research questions aligned with attaining Sustainable Development goals. One such project concerns impact of vision impairment on traffic safety outcomes in LMICs.

Dr Piyasena was invited and recognised as a research fellow in eye health by HM The Queen Elizabeth II at a Commonwealth Reception held at Buckingham Palace. He is a recipient of the Membership through Distinction from the Faculty of Public Health United Kingdom for his impactful contributions to public eye health.

Spoken Languages

Sinhalese

Research interests

• Retinal diseases: Development of effective strategies for diabetic retinopathy screening in LMICs
• Global eye health: Development of effective screening strategies to identify major avoidable/reversible causes of blindness in resource poor settings
• Evidence synthesis: Generation of high quality evidence through systematic literature review and meta-analysis in eye health
• Health policy development: Development of eye health policies informed by high quality evidence

Areas of research supervision

Co-supervision of MSc in Public Health Eye Care (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

• Sumit Grover (2019-20): Perspective on the provision of diabetic retinopathy screening: Survey of eye health care professional in Haryana-India (Winner of Hooper Prize for the Best Dissertation-LSHTM-UK)
• Pirakalai Manikavasagar (2021-22): Determinants and barriers associated with glaucoma presentation and care at tertiary hospitals in the North, east and South province of Sri Lanka
• Anshul Chawan (2022-23): Uptake of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in a public sector super-sepcialty eye care hospital in India
• Sahani Dias (2023-24): Situational Analysis of Optometry Services in Sri Lanka

Co-supervision of MPH/GH Public Health/Global Health (Queen’s University Belfast)

• Victoria Olvera-Herrera (2020-21): A systematic narrative review of the association between vision impairment and traffic safety outcomes in Sub-Saharan Region
• Pearl Roys-Ugbobuaku (2021-22): Variability in the definitions used for visual impairment in English-speaking countries: A review of blind registries
• Rupali Chauhan (2021-22): Impact of eyeglasses on self-rated driving safety of commercial truckers in India: Assessment before and after vision screening
• Oluwafemi Emmanuel Samuel (2022-23): Exploring the impact of sight and health on agricultural labour productivity in Africa: A scoping review
• Aqsa Tahir (2022-23): Exploring the impact of health on agricultural labour productivity in Asia and Latin America: A scoping review
• Emmanuela Nwoke (2022-23): Global burden of presbyopia and illiteracy, and published evidence for the impact of presbyopic correction on acquisition of adult literacy skills: A scoping review
• Amritha Ashok (2023-24): Treatment for infectious paediatric auricular conditions in low resource settings: A scoping review

Assisting supervision of PhDs in Global Eye Health (Queen’s University Belfast)

• Katie Curran (2021): Building capacity for diabetic eye screening and management in low-middle income countries: A mixed-methods approach
• Sonia Mavi (2022): The impact of hyperopia on academic performance among children: A systematic review (PhD chapter)
• Dongfeng Li (2022): Impact of vision impairment and ocular morbidity and their treatment on depression and anxiety in children: A systematic review (PhD chapter)

Teaching

• Case Base Learning (CBL) for first- and second-year Medicine MBChB students
• Global Public Health MPH tutorials and lectures
• Selective Student Component (SSC) for fourth-year Medicine MBChB students
• Public Eye Health Programs for Optometry BSc (Hons) students

Qualifications

• MBBS, Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka
• Diploma in Science, Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka
• In-service Training in Ophthalmology, Clinical Ophthalmology, Post Graduate Institute of Medicine Sri Lanka
• Masters in Public Health for Eye Care, International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• PhD in Public Health Ophthalmology, International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Fellow of Evidence Synthesis Ireland, University of Galway, Ireland (trained at Queen’s University Belfast)
• MFPH, Membership through Distinction, Faculty of Public Health UK

Memberships, editorial boards

Memberships

• Medical Practitioner, Sri Lanka Medical Council
• Affiliated Member of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka
• Member of the European Society of Retina Specialists
• Council Member of the Sri Lanka Association of Community Ophthalmologists
• Member of the British Association of Retinal Screening (BARS)
• Member of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Member of Faculty of Public Health UK
• Member of the Scottish Society of Physicians under the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
• Founding council member of the Ethics Review Committee of the National Eye Hospital of Sri Lanka

Editorial boards

• Editorial Board member, BMC Ophthalmology
• Editorial Board member, Eye (Nature)
• Guest Editor, American Journal of Ophthalmology International
• Advisor, Community Eye Health Journal South Asia Edition
• Reviewer for: British Journal of Ophthalmology, BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, ACTA Ophthalmologica, Ophthalmic Epidemiology, Ophthalmic Research, BMC Primary Care, Scientific Reports, Journal of Ophthalmology.

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

• Master’s student (Boulter Fellow), Co-funding scheme from BCPB, Sight Savers, CBM and Sear Family Foundation, 2013-2014 (£35,000)
• Doctoral Research Fellow, Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium UK, 2015-2019 (£175,000)
• Co-Investigator, Health Sector Development Projects – Component II, World Bank and Ministry of Health Sri Lanka, 2014-2018 (£100,000)
• Co-Investigator, Primary Healthcare System Strengthening Project, DDG-NCD Unit of Ministry of Health Sri Lanka, 2019-2022.
• Endorsed Postdoctoral Research Fellow, through a Senior Investigator Award (Awarded to PI Prof Nathan Congdon) of Wellcome Trust UK, 2022-2025 (£3.5 million)
• Co-Principal Investigator, VisionSpring India, 2022-2025 (£170,000)

Selected recent publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Rahmati, M., Smith, L., Lee, H., Boyer, L., Fond, G., Yon, D. K., Lee, H., Soysal, P., Udeh, R., Dolja-Gore, X., McEVoy, M., Piyasena, M. P. and Pardhan, S. (2024) ‘Associations between vision impairment and eye diseases with dementia, dementia subtypes and cognitive impairment: An umbrella review’, Ageing Res Rev., 4, 102523. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2024.102523

Rahmati, M., Smith, L., Boyer, L., Fond, G., Yon, D. K., Lee, H., Soysal, P., Piyasena, M. P. and Pardhan S. (2024) ‘Factors Affecting Global Adherence for the Uptake of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’, Am J Ophthalmol., 268, pp. 94-107. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2024.07.028

Hunter, E., De Moura-Brito, L., Piyasena, M. P., Petrauskiene, E., Congdon, N., Tsakos, G., Virgili, G., Mathur, M., Woodside, J., Leles, C. and McKenna, G. (2024) 'Impact of edentulism on community dwelling adults in low-income, middle income and high-income countries: a systematic review', BMJ Open, e085479. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085479

Piyasena, M. P., Hewage, S. N. and Banduthilake, K. (2024) 'Retinal image quality assessment in diabetic retinopathy screening: Real world evidence from a lower-middle income country', Latin American Journal of Ophthalmology 7(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.25259/LAJO_24_2023

McCormick, I., Tong, K., Abdullah, N., Abesamis-Dischoso, C., Gende, T., Hshim, E. B., Ho, S. M., Jalbert, I., Jeronimo, B., Matoto-Raikabakaba, E., Ono K., Piyasena, M. P. ... Ramke, J. (2024) 'Strategies to address inequity of uncorrected refractive error in the Western Pacific: A modified Delphi process', Ophthalmic Phyiol Opt., 44(6) pp. 1148-1161. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.13348

Das, T., Islam, K., Dorji, P., Narayanan, R., Rani, P. K., Takkar, B., Thapa, R., Moin, M., Piyasena, M. P. and Sivaprasad, S. (2024) 'Health transition and eye care policy planning for people with diabetic retinopathy in South Asia', The Lancet Regional Health South East Asia, 27, 100435. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100435

Li, D., Chan, V. F., Virgili, G., Mavi, S., Pundir, S., Singh, M. K., She, X., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Clarke, M., Whitestone, N., Patnaik, J. L., Xiao, B., Cherwick, D. H., Negash, H., O’Connor, S., Prakalapakorn, S. G., Huang, H., Wang, H., Boswell, M. and Congdon, N. (2024) 'The impact of vision impairment and ocular morbidity and their treatment on quality of life in children: A systematic review', Ophthalmology, 131(2), pp. 188-207. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.09.005

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Dhanapala, M. and Banduthilake, K. (2023) 'Training of physician graders on diabetic retinopathy screening using hand-held digital retinal imaging in a non-ophthalmic setting', Pan American Journal of Ophthalmology 5(1), pp. 31. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4103/pajo.pajo_37_23

Curran, K., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Congdon, N., Duke, L., Malanda, B. and Peto, T. (2023) 'Inclusion of diabetic retinopathy screening strategies in national-level diabetes care planning in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review', BMC Health Res Policy Sys., 21(1), 2. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-022-00940-0

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Daka, Q., Quereshi, R., Li T., Takwoingi, Y., Virgilli, G. and Azuara-Blanco, A. (2022) 'Prognostic factors for predicting progression of open angle glaucoma in adults: Cochrane Prognostic Review Protocol', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 11, CD015436. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015436

Curran, K., Congdon, N., Hoang, T. T., Lohfeld, L., Nguyen, V. T., Nguyen, H. T., Nguyen, Q. N., Dardis, C., Virgili, G., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Tran, H., Salongcay, R. P., Tung, M. Q. and Peto, T. (2022) 'The impact of targeted diabetic retinopathy training for graders in Vietnam and the implications for future diabetic retinopathy screening programmes: a diagnostic test accuracy study', BMJ Open, 12(9), e059205. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059205

Mavi, S., Chan, V. F., Virgili, G., Biagini, I., Congdon, N., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Yong, A. C., Ciner, E. B., Kulp, M. T., Candy, T. R., Collins, M., Bastawrous, A., Morjaria, P., Watts, E., Masiwa, L. E., Kumora, C., Moore, B. and Little, J. A. (2022) 'The Impact of Hyperopia on Academic Performance Among Children: A Systematic Review', Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology, 11(1), pp. 36-51. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1097/APO.0000000000000492

Li, D., Chan, V. F., Virgili, G., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Negash, H., Whitestone, N., O’Connor, S., Xiao, B., Cherwick, D. H., Singh, M. K., She, X., Wang, H., Boswell, M., Prakalapakorn, S. G., Patnaik, J. L. and Congdon, N. (2022) 'Impact of vision impairment and ocular morbidity and their treatment on depression and anxiety in children: A systematic review', Ophthalmology, 129(10), pp. 115201170. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2022.05.020

Mathenge, W., Whitestone, N., Nkurikiye, J., Patnik, J. L., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Uwalirage, P., Lanouette, G., Kahook, M. Y., Cherwek, D. H., Congdon, N. and Jaccard, N. (2022) 'Impact of artificial intelligence assessment of diabetic retinopathy on referral service uptake in a low resources setting: The RAIDERS trial', Ophthalmology Science, 2(4), 100168. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xops.2022.100168

Grover, S., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Zondervan, M. and Bascaran, C. (2022) 'Perspectives on the provision of diabetic retinopathy screening: Survey of eye health care professionals in Haryana', Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 70(6), pp. 2057-2060. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijo.IJO_2642_21

GBD 2021 Risk Factors Collaborators (Piyasena, M. P.) (2021) 'Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 sub-national locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021', Lancet, 403, pp. 2162-2203. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00933-4

Gilbert, C,, Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Zondervan, M. and Bascaran, C. (2021) 'Why is primary eye health needed?', Community Eye Health Journal, 34(113), pp 67-69. PMCID: PMC9412113

Olawoye, O., Azuara-Blanco, A., Chan, V. F., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Crealey, G. E., O’Neill, C. and Congdon, N. (2022) 'A review to populate a proposed cost-effectiveness analysis of glaucoma screening in Sub-saharan Africa', Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 29(3), pp. 328-338 Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2021.1939887

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Kumarapeli, V. and Abeygunathilake, D. (2021) 'Strategies to improve primary eye care service delivery in public sector health care institutions of Sri Lanka', Community Eye Health Journal, 34(113), s17-s18. PMCID: PMC9412129

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Olvera-Herrera, V. O., Chan, V. F., Clarke, M., Wright, D. M., MacKenzie, G., Virgili, G. and Congdon, N. (2021) 'Vision impairment and traffic safety outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis', The Lancet Global Health, 9(10), e1411-1422. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00303-X (Awarded the JD Williamson Prize at CPH-QUB)

Curran, K., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Congdon, N., Duke, L., Malanda, B. and Peto, T. (2020) 'Inclusion of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Strategies in National Level Diabetes Care Planning in Low and Middle-Income Settings: Protocol for a Scoping Review', BMJ Open, 10, e038647. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038647

Ramke, J., Kyari, F., Mwangi, N., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S. and Gilbert, C. E. (2019) 'Cataract services are leaving widows behind: Examples from national cross sectional surveys in Nigeria and Sri Lanka', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), pp. 3854. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203854

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2020) 'Availability of Eye Care Infrastructure and Human Resources for Managing Diabetic Retinopathy in the Western Province of Sri Lanka', Indian J Ophthalmol., 68. pp. 841-846. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijo.IJO_1754_18

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Zuurmond, M., Yip, J. Y. L. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2019) 'Process of adaptation, development and assessment of acceptability of a health educational intervention to improve referral uptake by people with diabetes in Sri Lanka', BMC Public Health, 19, 614. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6880-4

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Yip, J. Y. L., MacLeod, D., Kim, M. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2019) 'Diagnostic Test Accuracy of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening by Physician Graders Using a Hand-Held Non-Mydriatic Retinal Camera at a Tertiary Level Medical Clinic an LMIC', BMC Ophthalmology, 19, 89. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-019-1092-3

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S., Yip, J. Y. L., Gilbert, C., Peto, T., Premarathne, M. and Zuurmond, M. A. (2019) 'Qualitative Study on Barriers and Enablers to Uptake of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening by People with Diabetes in the Western Province of Sri Lanka', BMC Tropical Medicine and Health, 47, 34. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-019-0160-y

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S, Yip, J. Y. L., Gilbert, C., Zuurmond, M., Peto, T., Gordon, I., Hewage, S. and Kamalakannan, S. (2019) 'Systematic Review on Barriers and Facilitators for Access to Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Services in Different Income Settings', PLoS ONE Systematic Reviews, 14(4), e0198979. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198979

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S., Yip,, J. Y. L., Gilbert C, Peto,, T., Gordon, I., Hewage, S. and Kamalakannan, S. (2018) 'Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy of detection of any level of diabetic retinopathy using digital retinal imaging', BMC Systematic Reviews, 7(1), pp. 182. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-018-0846-y

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Gudlavalleti, V. S. M., Gilbert, C., Yip, J. L, Peto, T., MacLeod D., Fonseka, C., Kulatunga, A., Bandutilake, B., Dhanapala, M., Pathirana, L. and Dissanayake, H. (2018) 'Development and Validation of a Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Intervention Using a Hand-Held Non-Mydriatic Digital Retinal Camera by Physician Graders at a Tertiary Level Medical Clinic: Protocol for a Validation Study', JMIR Res Protoc., 7(12), e10900. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2196/10900

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2017) 'A situation analysis and mapping of availability of services for diabetic retinopathy in health care institutions in the Western province-Sri Lanka', Ceylon Medical Journal, 62(3). pp. 205-206. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4038/cmj.v62i3.8527

Book chapters

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Tunde, P. and Congdon, N. (2023) 'Diabetic Eye Screening Using a Hand-held Non-mydriatic Digital Retinal Camera: Experience from a Lower Middle-Income Country'. In: Yogesan, K., Goldschmidt, L., Cuadros, J. and Ricur, G. (Eds.) (2023) Digital Eye Care and Teleophthalmology. Cham: Springer. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24052-2

Chan, V. F., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Reddy, A. P., Olawoye, O. and Congdon, N. (2022) 'Community Intervention Trials in Eye Health'. In: Cheng, C.-Y. and Wong, T. Y. (Eds) (2022) Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 1st edn. London: Taylor and Francis. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315146737

Olawoye, O., Chan V. F., Reddy, A. P., Piyasena, M. M. P. N. and Congdon, N. (2022) 'Cataract and cataract surgical coverage'. In: Cheng, C.-Y. and Wong, T. Y. (Eds) (2022) Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 1st edn. London: Taylor and Francis. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315146737

Health policies

Dr Piyasena has contributed as a review to a number of national level health policies under the Directorate of Policy Analysis and Development of Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka:

• Diabetic retinopathy screening using digital retinal imaging in Sri Lanka - Policy brief (first in the country, developed under the guidance of CDC-USA and the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka)
• The National Policy and Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Sri Lanka (Enacted)
• School Health Policy of Sri Lanka (Enacted)
• National Policy on Organ, Tissue and Cell Transplantation Of Sri Lanka (Enacted)
• National Mental Health Policy of Sri Lanka (Enacted)
• National Medicine Policy of Sri Lanka
• Review of the National Statistical System of Sri Lanka
• National Oral Health Policy of Sri Lanka
• Medium Term National Economic Plan (Integrated Health Strategy)
• A Service Delivery Model for The Provision of Services in Shared Care Cluster System
• National Guidelines on Policy Formulation, Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Sri Lanka
• Action Framework for the Implementation of the Policy on Healthcare Delivery for Universal Health Coverage
• National Strategic Framework for Palliative Care Development in Sri Lanka

Recent presentations and conferences

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S., Yip, J. Y. L, Gilbert, C., Zuurmond, M., Peto, T., Gordon, I., Hewage, S. and Kamalakannan, S. (2024) 'Barriers and enablers to access diabetic eye care: a systematic review', Global Evidence Summit, Prague, Czech Republic, 12-13 September.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2024) 'Development of an integrated diabetic retinopathy screening program using digital retinal imaging in a lower-middle income country: data to policy', Clinical Academic in Training Annual Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland, April. (Awarded the Best Poster)

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Development of an Integrated Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme Using Hand-held Digital Retinal Imaging in Sri Lanka: Data to Policy', 23rd EURETINA Congress, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5-8 October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Development of a Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme in a Lower Middle-Income Country: A Situational Analysis to a Policy Brief', Postdoc Research Symposium, Queen’s University Belfast, 29 September.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Daka, Q., Quereshi, R., Li, T., Takwoingi, Y., Virgilli, G. and Azuara-Blanco, A. (2023) 'Prognostic factors for predicting progression of primary open angle glaucoma in adults: A Cochrane prognostic review', 10th World Glaucoma Congress, Rome, Italy, 28 June-1 July.

Senarath, L. L. C., Chandrasiri, A., Siriwardhana, P. K., Aryasinghe, D. and Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Prevalence and risk factors of glaucoma in Sri Lanka, 10th World Glaucoma Congress, Rome, Italy, 28 June-1 July.

Chauhan, A., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Bascaran, C. and Zondervan, M. (2022) 'Uptake of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in a public sector super-speciality eye care hospital in India', IDF World Diabetes Congress, Lisbon, Portugal, 5-8 December.

Chauhan, A., Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Bascaran, C. and Zondervan, M. (2022) 'Uptake of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in a public sector super-speciality eye care hospital in India', American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, 6-9 November.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S., Yip, J. Y. L., Gilbert, C., Peto, T., Premarathne, M. and Zuurmond, M. A. (2021) 'A Qualitative study on barriers and enablers to uptake of diabetic retinopathy screening by people with diabetes in the Western province of Sri Lanka', European Association for Diabetic Eye Complications [EASDEC], Odense, Denmark, 28-30 October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2021) 'Diagnostic test accuracy of detection of diabetic macular signs using a hand-held digital retinal camera at a non-ophthalmic setting', European Association for Eye and Vision Research (EVER-Virtual), 27 September-2 October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2021) 'A feasibility study to develop an integrated diabetic retinopathy screening programme in the Western province of Sri Lanka', Biennial National Postdoc Conference of the United Kingdom [NPDC], Virtual Twitter Competition, 22-23 September. (Winner of Best Poster - 3rd Place).

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Yip, J. L. Y., MacLeod, D., Kim, M. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2021) 'Diagnostic Test Accuracy of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening by Physician Graders Using a Hand-held Non-Mydriatic Retinal Camera at a Tertiary Level Medical Clinic', 21st European Society of Retina Specialists (Virtual Congress), 10-12 September.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2021) 'A feasibility Study to Develop a Screening Programme to Prevent Blindness due to Diabetic Eye Disease in Sri Lanka', Research symposium organised by Sri Lanka High Commission in the United Kingdom and Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom, August. (Winner of Best Oral Presentation)

Fernando, K. A. E., Weerasinghe, M. D. K. B., Piyasena, M. M. P. N. and Dissanayake, H. T. R. W. (2020) 'A Descriptive Analysis of Patients’ Fundus Photographs Presenting for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening at University Hospital of KDU - Sri Lanka', International Research Conference KDU, September.

Wewalwela, D., Fonseka, C., Aryasinghe, J. A. D., Amarasinghe, B. and Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2020) 'Training of medical officers in peripheral medical clinics to screen for diabetic retinopathy using direct ophthalmoscopy', 133rd Anniversary International Medical Congress of the Sri Lanka Medical Association [SLMA], 24-26 July.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N., Murthy, G. V. S., Yip, J. Y. L., Gilbert, C., Peto, T., Premarathne, M. and Zuurmond, M. A. (2018) 'Barriers to access diabetic retinopathy screening services in Sri Lanka', Research Congress of International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology [25th ISGEO] at IIPH-PHFI, Hyderabad, India. 11-12 September.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. and Murthy, G. V. S. (2014) 'A Situational analysis of availability of services for diabetic retinopathy', Research congress of International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology [23rd ISGEO] at LSHTM, London, UK, September.

Invited talks

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2024) '“From Here to There”: My Global Eye Health Research Journey', Alumni Meeting of International Centre for Eye Health, London. 6-7 March.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Association of Vision and Hearing Impairments with Encounters in the Judicial System among Children and Young People', World Sight Day of Queen’s University Belfast and Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Conference 2023, 12-13 October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Feasibility Study of Integrating Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Using Digital Technologies in Sri Lanka', APAN56 Asia Pacific Advanced Network Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21-25 August.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2023) 'Vision impairment and the risk of early incarceration among youth', 23rd Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress [APAO]. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23-26 February.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2022) 'Vision and Road Traffic Safety', World Sight Day of Queen’s University Belfast and Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Conference 2022, October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2021) 'A new approach to assess global burden of eye care needs', Evidence in Public Health Research Ophthalmology Cluster (E-PHROG), Belfast, Northern Ireland, October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (Panel Member) (2019) 'Beyond 2020 – Future Directions in Global Eye Health', conducted by Dr Alarcos Ceiza, Lead of Disability and Rehabilitation (WHO), LSHTM, UK. 29 October.

Piyasena, M. M. P. N. (2019) 'Feasibility study to develop an integrated diabetic retinopathy screening programme in the Western province of Sri Lanka', Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium Five Year Meeting – in presence of Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, London, United Kingdom, 26-29 March.

Media experience

Piyasena, P., 'Driver Eyesight and Traffic Safety in Developing Countries: Exploring the Link', Evidence Synthesis Ireland blog, 5 July 2024.