Dorothy Field Usher Potter

Dorothy Field Usher Potter (27 August 1922 – 11 August 2009) was a New Zealand ophthalmic surgeon. She was the second woman ophthalmic surgeon in New Zealand, and the first woman president of the Ophthalmological Society of New Zealand.

Early life and education Born in Auckland in 1922, Potter's father was Victor Usher, a surgeon. She attended Hilltop School for Girls and Woodford House in Havelock North, before completing her medical intermediate studies at the University of Auckland. She then studied medicine at the University of Otago, graduating in 1948. She applied for a position at Auckland Hospital, but despite being short staffed they declined to employ a woman. She worked instead as a locum at Hamilton Hospital. Settling in Masterton, she found "the people of Masterton could not handle" her using her maiden name, and so from 1965 she was known by her married name.

In 2019 RANZCO established the Dorothy Potter Medal lecture in Potter's honour.

Personal life Potter's husband died in 2008. Potter died in 2009, and was survived by her son.

Selected works Potter published on ocular allergies, and edited an edition of Ida Mann's autobiography: