David Southgate graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1981 and has practised in Collins Street for over 30 years.  He attained his Post Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2003, becoming one of the first optometrists in Victoria permitted to prescribe S4 drugs to treat eye disease.  For most of David’s time in the city he was the co-director of a long-standing practice in Collins Place.

Outside his full-time work in private practice in the city, David has also worked in rural Victoria and for a time served as Director of Professional Services in the National Secretariat of Optometry Australia.  For the years 1992-94 David was elected President of the Victorian Division of Optometry Australia.  Since 2000 he has consulted to Bupa as an Optical Advisor in their audit division and for a similar time has been a member and more recently Deputy Director of the Medicare Participation Services Review Committee in optometry.

David is the author or co-author of half a dozen research papers covering topics as diverse as the role of vision in sport to papers on the state of the optometric workforce.  His lifelong interest in sport and expertise in vision has seen David provide services to Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria, the Victorian Institute of Sport, Tennis Australia, the Carlton and Essendon Football Clubs, and many Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes in disciplines such as shooting.  When away from the practice David can often be found at his amateur football club or at the MCG where he has served as a volunteer guide and put that love and knowledge of sport to good effect!