Hetal Buckhurst is an Associate Professor in Optometry at the University of Plymouth (UoP). Hetal is a registered optometrist with the General Optical Council (GOC) and holds a PhD in myopia and ocular rigidity. Since 2022, as the Co-Chair of the Myopia Consortium UK, Hetal has actively driven and facilitated collaboration among UK academics, fostering joint research endeavours and establishing bonds between academia and clinical applications concerning human myopia. Hetal serves as an expert member of the College of Optometrists Myopia Management guidance board in the UK, a member of the International Myopia Institute Committee, and an independent advisor for the Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression (CHAMP) study. Since 2011, Hetal has played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for the Optometry program at UoP, contributing significantly to its curriculum development as part of the inaugural team of academics. Within Plymouth, she undertakes leadership responsibilities as the Chair of the Eye and Vision Research Group and as Senior Tutor for the School of Health Professions.

Professor Phillip Buckhurst is a GOC-registered Optometrist and serves as the Academic Lead for Optometry at the University of Plymouth (UoP). Specializing in the evaluation of intraocular lenses and the control of myopia, his research seamlessly bridges clinical assessment with optical bench evaluations. Phill was the Unit of assessment 3 co-ordinator for UoP for the 2021 research excellence framework and his work formed one of the impact statements submitted by the University. He is a committee member of the British Standards Institute and International Standards Organization (Ophthalmic Implants -- Intraocular Lenses) and an Association of Optometrists council member. He has held a variety of Leadership roles within UoP including associate Dean for Research (interim) and Associate head of School (Research) and was part of the founding team that developed the Optometry programme at Plymouth.

Nicola Logan is a Professor of Optometry and Director of Research for the Optometry and Vision Science Research Group, School of Optometry, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.  Nicola’s research interests are the epidemiology of refractive error, mechanisms underlying the development of myopia and myopia control. Her current research projects include clinical trials in myopia control, mechanisms underlying myopia development and risk factors for progression of myopia in children. Nicola leads an active myopia clinic at Aston University, and she collaborates with other researchers as part of the Myopia Consortium UK and internationally as a taskforce chair for The International Myopia Institute.

Lesley is currently a lecturer in Optometry and Vision Science teaching on several undergraduate and postgraduate modules including Paediatric Optometry and the Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eye Care. She regularly assesses patients within a paediatric/special needs visual assessment clinic based in the Ulster University Optometry Clinic. 

Lesley has a special interest in paediatric vision, visual development, and myopia development and management. She coordinated the Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) Study, the largest prospective study of eyes and vision in childhood in the UK and Ireland, funded by the College of Optometrists, from which the Predicting Myopia Onset and Progression (PreMO) risk indicator was developed.

Kathryn Saunders is a Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. Her research interests include the development of refractive error in infancy and childhood in typically developing children and in the presence of developmental disability.  She has led the Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) study, a large longitudinal epidemiological study of refractive error, for the past 18 years. The NICER study has provided new insight into the prevalence, onset, and progression of myopia in modern school age children living in the UK. She remains a practising optometrist with a strong interest in translational research which improves vision care and visual outcomes for people with and without special needs.

Neema is an optometrist and lecturer at the University of Bradford. He joined the university in 2019. He is an editorial board member for the College of Optometrists Acuity magazine and an associate editor of BMJ Open Ophthalmology. He is the Vice Chair of the British and Irish University and College Contact Lens Educators (BUCCLE), which promotes collaboration and dissemination of evidence-based contact lens knowledge, and holds fellowships for the BCLA IACLE and FHEA. His research interests include myopia development and management, contact lenses and applied myopia genetics, and has won awards such as the 2015 Newly Qualified Optometrist of the Year award, 2021 Association of German Contact Lens Specialists and Optometrists (VDCO) Peter Abel research prize and the College of Optometrists George Giles prize.

Learn more about Neema's work here. 

Hema is a qualified optometrist and teaches clinical optometric skills to undergraduate students and Advanced contact lenses and Refractive Management to postgraduate students.  She has held several leadership roles and has received Making a Difference award form University of Manchester (2016), Northern Power Women Award for transformational Leadership (2020) and McJannet Prize for Global Citizenship from Tallloires Network (2021). Hema is a member of the International Myopia institute  and has contributed to the IMI Accommodation and Binocular Vision White Paper and European guidance of Myopia Management. She is an associate editor for Translational Vision Science and Technology and has edited special issues on Myopia for various journals.

James S Wolffsohn, a Professor of Optometry at Aston University since 2000, formerly Deputy Executive Dean for Life Sciences and then associate Pro-Vice Chancellor, is the Head of the School of Optometry and also Head of the Department of Audiology. He is a National Teaching Fellow, has published more than 300 full peer-reviewed papers and presented at numerous international conferences. He is the academic Chair of the British Contact Lens Association, having previously being President and was chair of the BCLA Contact Lens Evidence-based Academic Reports (CLEAR). He holds the BCLA Medal (2021) and AAOptom Glenn Fry Award (2022).

Katie Williams is a Clinical Lecturer from Kings College London and a Paediatric Ophthalmologist working at Moorfields Eye Hospital. She undertook a PhD examining the prevalence and risk factors for myopia, and now continues to research the underlying aetiology and evolving treatments for progressive myopia.

Dr Mhairi Day, senior lecturer in the Vision Sciences Department at Glasgow Caledonian University. Mhairi started the Myopia Management Clinic at the Vision Centre in January 2016, where she continue to see a wide variety of children with myopia. Mhairi is currently involved in research projects investigating the roles of the accommodation response, of pupil size, of choroidal thickness and of light in myopia, how to evaluate the effectiveness of myopia management treatments, the effectiveness of treatments in our Clinic, the risk of visual impairment from myopia and the cost effectiveness of myopia management treatments.

Niall is an optometrist and Professor of Vision Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University. He joined the university in 2003 having previously worked at the University of Bradford and Queensland University of Technology. Research interests include refractive error development, public health, vision screening and retinal image assessment (find out more here). Niall is currently working on the CHAMP UK clinical trial and the SCONe retinal image project. Teaching interests are predominantly in the areas of binocular vision and optics.

Peter is the Director of the Vision and Hearing Sciences Research Group at Anglia Ruskin University. His areas of expertise include refractive error development, vision and reading, vision in sports, physical activity and its effect on physical and mental wellbeing and visual function in specialist populations.

Sara McCullough is a Lecturer in Optometry and Vision Science at Ulster University. Her research interests include the development of refractive errors.  She has a particular interest in the epidemiology of myopia, its risk factors, progression, and management options.  Sara is currently leading an observational trial on myopia management spectacles for children living in the UK.  She was awarded the College of Optometrists’ Neil Charman Award for her contributions to research into distinct classes of refractive development leading to the identification of predictive factors for myopia. She is also Research Advisor for the College of Optometrists’ Small Grants Scheme and is an assessor and examiner for the College’s Scheme for Registration. 

Jeremy is a Professor of Optometry & Vision Sciences at Cardiff University, UK. He received his BSc in Optometry and PhD from Cardiff University, and was formerly an Associate Professor and Associate Head at the School of Optometry, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Professor Guggenheim is a member of the CREAM Consortium of myopia genetics researchers and a member of the UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium. He is an Associate Editor of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science and an Editorial Board Member of Translational Vision Science & Technology, and Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics. He serves on the Grants Assessment Panel of Fight for Sight, UK.

Stephanie is an optometrist and lecturer in Vision Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University. She graduated with a degree in Optometry from Ulster University in 2012. Stephanie returned to Ulster University in 2013 and completed a PhD by 2016 in Myopia and its association with environmental factors. She then spent 2 years working in the community as an optometrist before completing her Independent Prescribing diploma at GCU in 2018. At GCU, Stephanie then undertook postdoctoral research in the Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression study in 2018 and took up the role as a lecturer in 2019. Stephanie has a particular interest in myopia pathogenesis, its management and more recently, the public health aspects of eyecare.