Rick is in private practice in cataract and refractive surgery in Melbourne . He is 57, married with a young family. He enjoys diving, saltwater sport fishing and drinking great wine.

He was a pioneer of phacoemulsification in the eighties performing the first case at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital , where he was formerly head of unit. He performed the first corneal incisions with foldable implants and advocated this in an environment in which intracapsular surgery was still being performed.

Criticism from peers for performing this type of surgery led him, in association with another pioneer, Graham Barrett, to form AUSCRS. Finally there was a forum truly dedicated to the advancement of cataract surgery.