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Research

The Bradford School of Optometry & Vision Science research group comprises a cohesive, multi-disciplinary approach to investigating vision and the visual system to address important research questions.

The group continues to build on over 35 years of vision research at the University. Research embraces a broad range of disciplines including; ophthalmology, optics, ocular imaging, psychophysics, biomechanics, visual neuroscience and clinical optometry.

Our aim is to further our understanding of the basic mechanisms of human vision in health and disease, as well as the functional consequences of visual loss and their management. In pursuing this aim we have prioritised a strong translational research dimension and have developed an excellent track record of applying basic research to address clinical problems. The group has achieved a diversity that is naturally collaborative and multi-disciplinary, working with optometrists, ophthalmologists, orthoptists, medical engineers, physicists, psychologists and neuroscientists locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Our research strategy is to pursue fundamental and applied research into the basic mechanisms of human vision with the goal of developing new techniques for the assessment of visual function in disease processes and in provision of novel testing and amelioration strategies to help individuals deal with functional visual loss arising from poor development, ageing or disease in the home, workplace or other environments.

Our research feeds into the wider strategic research themes of the Faculty of Life Sciences and links with the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research.

Research Themes

The School undertakes research, both fundamental and applied, as well as consultancy projects across a wide range of vision- and eye-related topics. 

The Vision Science research group comprises academic staff, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants and PhD students.

The research we conduct is funded by a variety of national bodies, including BBSRC, College of Optometrists, Department for Education, EPSRC, Glaucoma UK, NIHR, Templeton World Charity Foundation, The Thomas Pocklington Trust, The Wellcome Trust and Vision Research Trust as well as support from within the optical industry.

Research by the Vision Science group currently takes place within two main themes:

Photo of someone looking at eye examination images on a computer

What is it like to study for a PhD with us?

Vision Science graduate Samantha Strong explains why she chose Bradford to study for her PhD.

Collaborations & Networks

The research we conduct is funded by a variety of national bodies, including BBSRC, College of Optometrists, Department for Education, EPSRC, Glaucoma UK, NIHR, Templeton World Charity Foundation, The Thomas Pocklington Trust, The Wellcome Trust and Vision Research Trust as well as support from within the optical industry.

Members of the Bradford School of Optometry & Vision Science are partners in collaborative networks with:

UK and International Universities 

  • Cardiff University 
  • City, University of London 
  • Durham University 
  • Glasgow Caledonia University 
  • Leeds Beckett University  
  • Queensland University of Technology, Australia 
  • Shanghai Institute for Neuroscience  
  • Shizuoka University, Japan 
  • Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
  • University College London 
  • University of Aston 
  • University of California, Berkeley, USA 
  • University of Denver, USA 
  • University of Glasgow 
  • University of Houston, USA 
  • University of Huddersfield 
  • University of Indiana, USA 
  • University of Leeds 
  • University of Manchester 
  • University of Melbourne, Australia 
  • University of New South Wales, Australia
  • University of Nottingham 
  • University of Plymouth 
  • University of Waterloo, Canada 
  • University of York 
  • York University, Canada 

 

NHS Hospitals 

Complementing the collaborative links with university academic departments, an important aspect of the School’s clinical research involves local and national NHS Teaching Hospitals: 

  • Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
  • Epsom & St Helier University NHS Trust. 
  • Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 
  • Manchester Royal Eye Hospital 
  • Moorfields Eye Hospital 
  • York & Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Industrial partners

  • Brainbox Research
  • Essilor
  • Haag-Streit AG
  • Heidelberg Engineering GmbH
  • Hoya Vision Care
  • Menicon
  • MSI Global
  • No. 7 Contact Lenses
  • SILMO Academy

 

National and International Professional Bodies

  • British Geriatrics Society  
  • Centre for Applied Health Research Bradford
  • College of Optometrists
  • Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Society 
  • European Council of Optometry & Optics (ECOO)
  • Guide Dogs UK
  • National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)
  • NHS England
  • Optometry Australia
  • Royal College of General Practitioners
  • Royal College of Ophthalmologists
  • Royal National Institute for the Blind
  • Sensory Services Scotland
  • VIEW (Visual Impairment Teachers England & Wales)
  • West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership