Research Group Leads: Dr Hetal Buckhurst and Professor Phillip Buckhurst

Vision is a major contributor to how many people perceive and navigate the world, and it plays an important role in learning, wellbeing, and quality of life. The Eye and Vision Research Group is an inter-professional team of scientists, clinicians, and educators dedicated to advancing understanding of visual function, ocular structure, and the optical and neural mechanisms that underpin vision.

Our research spans fundamental and applied domains, including the optics of visual interventions, myopia management, visual perception, clinical measurement, and the assessment of visual dysfunction. We combine laboratory-based optical modelling, advanced imaging, and bench testing with clinical, behavioural, and population-based studies to generate evidence that informs clinical practice and technological innovation.

In addition, the group undertakes translational and tissue-level investigations into ocular structure, biomechanics, and mechanobiology. This includes ex vivo and in vitro work on ocular tissues and organ-level models, integrated with computational modelling and quantitative imaging to interrogate structure–function relationships across scales and to support the responsible development of new diagnostics and interventions.

The group also contributes to public health, research governance, and bioethics, addressing inequality in eye care access, evidence synthesis, and the ethical and legal dimensions of responsible innovation and translation. A key strength lies in integrating advanced instrumentation, computational methods, and real-world patient data, in close collaboration with academic, clinical, community, and industry partners. We train the next generation of vision scientists and clinicians, with the aim of enhancing eye health, optimising visual performance, and delivering evidence-based, patient-centred eye care.