Caroline Blackie, PhD, OD, MS, has long believed that “the grass is greener where you water it.” Today, as the newly appointed vice president of medical affairs for vision at Johnson & Johnson, she channels that philosophy into a global strategy for evidence-based eye care. With an impressive academic background spanning optometry, statistics, neurobiology and health informatics—and a career that bridges direct patient care and industry research—Dr. Blackie is uniquely suited to guide her team in translating science into trusted therapies.
Her journey began at Rand Afrikaans University, where she earned her BOptom in optometry and an MS in statistics. She went on to complete an OD at UC Berkeley School of Optometry and a PhD in neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University. Later, she rounded out her education in health informatics and analytics at Tufts University School of Medicine. Her desire to pursue patient care and rigorous investigation drove each step. “When I started optometry school a few decades ago, I had a great desire to serve patients in a direct patient care setting while also pursuing research,” she says. “I’ve spent my entire career ensuring that, whatever job I took, I would be able to do both.”
A CLINICIAN-SCIENTIST IN INDUSTRY
Early in her career, Dr. Blackie worked in primary eye care, where she spent years in the exam lane, connecting with patients and learning about the business of health care. Later on, while continuing to see patients, she joined TearScience as a scientist, rising to head of scientific and professional communication and ultimately director of medical affairs. “My work in the lanes profoundly impacted my career at TearScience,” she says. “There were so many times that I would recognize a particular insight that wouldn’t have been apparent to me if I hadn’t worked with patients.”
Her exposure to real-world dry eye patients solidified her interest in ocular surface disease—a condition she calls “particularly complex,” both in its pathology and in the gaps that exist in testing and care. She’s driven by the paradox that a healthy ocular surface depends on moisture, yet sight demands that the eyes remain open. “It’s an incredible challenge,” she says. “My background in health informatics and analytics has helped me realize that the future of med-tech has expanded well beyond physical products to include digital solutions and clinical decision support tools.”
In 2017, Dr. Blackie embraced industry full-time, joining Johnson & Johnson Vision as global medical director. Throughout her career, she’s carried the principle that no position is an endpoint. “A particular role has never been a goal of mine—for me, it’s about pursuing opportunities as they present themselves, living into the skills I have for that role and expanding my capabilities along the way,” she says.
AT THE HELM OF VISION MEDICAL AFFAIRS
Today, as the vice president of medical affairs, vision, Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Blackie oversees four interconnected pillars: medical education and thought leadership, scientific exchange, evidence generation and dissemination and clinical engagement. “In medical affairs, we are very focused on ensuring that our products are perceived and experienced as evidence-based, trusted and meeting the needs of patients,” she says.
Given the strength and talent of the Johnson & Johnson team and its global network of eye care professionals (ECPs) and scientific collaborators, Dr. Blackie isn’t surprised by the latest innovations—but she remains enthusiastic. The MAX family of contact lenses, specifically the ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day Multifocal for Astigmatism, stands out. “As an ECP who’s spent years talking to patients, this is a tremendous advancement,” she says. She’s equally impressed by the Odyssey IOL, whose outstanding spectacle independence and contrast in low-light conditions meets a critical need in an aging population.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Next year, Johnson & Johnson will introduce TECNIS PureSee IOL, a lens already available in many countries and lauded with the 2025 MedTech Breakthrough Award for Best New Technology Solution in Ophthalmology. Dr. Blackie credits the vision medical affairs and R&D teams at Johnson & Johnson—and their collaboration with surgeons and ECPs worldwide—for bringing these innovations to life.
In the years to come, Dr. Blackie identifies two horizons that fuel her ambition. First, she says, “The holy grail is to replicate the capabilities of the natural eye and achieving that in an IOL would constitute the ultimate breakthrough.” She also highlights the need to protect our eyes, starting with the ocular surface, given our digital lifestyles. “How do we all lean into a culture of proactive eye health management versus reactive disease management? We have a multitude of exciting opportunities to solve for.”
As digital therapeutics, telehealth and AI-driven diagnostics evolve, Dr. Blackie’s interdisciplinary training and patient-first mindset will guide vision medical affairs at Johnson & Johnson into new territory. “I’m humbled and inspired to work in this environment,” she says. “We must keep expanding our thinking because there’s so much more we can achieve in service of our patients and professional eye care community.”
Read more WO stories about women who have found careers in industry and research.
