biomedical sciences research institute - Research - University of Ulster

During the period of the annual report data collection for the externally funded epidemiological study of refractiveerrors in school children in Northern Ireland was completed, and follow-on funding (£50,466) was secured from theCollege of Optometrists. These important studies will provide the first description of refractive error in school agechildren in the UK and Ireland since the 1960’s. These novel data are not only valuable for researchers investigatingthe factors associated with the onset and progression of myopia; a ‘hot topic’ in vision science at present, they willbe an important resource for the eye care professions, the NHS and UK and Irish government agencies. In particularaccruing data may be used to inform decisions about the utility of screening for myopia and in implementing futureservice provision for the visually impaired.Ongoing work to develop further Down syndrome studies and to initiate work on visual development in albinisminvolved new collaborative links with DHSSPS colleagues and resulted in two DEL studentships (‘Ocular aberrationsin Down syndrome’, KJS primary supervisor and ‘Refractive development in Albinism’, KJS second supervisor (both£48,540)) for which students were interviewed and recruited.Dr Saunders is a Member of the Research Committee of the UK College of Optometrists; the Executive Committeeof the NI HPSS R&D Office Recognised Research Group in Vision; and the Executive Committee of the Vision Groupof the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network.Publications:Little JA, Woodhouse JM, Lauritzen JS, Saunders KJ; The Impact of Optical Factors on Resolution Acuity in Childrenwith Down Syndrome; Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 48: 3995-4001, 2007McClelland JF, Saunders KJ, Hill N, Magee A, Shannon M, Jackson AJ; The changing visual profile of children attendinga regional specialist school for the visually impaired in Northern Ireland; Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 26: 556-560, 2007McCulloch DL, Mackie RT, Dutton GN, Bradnam MS, Day RE, McDaid GJ, Phillips S, Napier A, Herbert AM, SaundersKJ, Shepherd AJ; A visual skills inventory for children with neurological impairments; Developmental Medicine andChild Neurology, 49: 757-763, 2007Saunders, KJ, McClelland JF, Richardson PM, Stevenson M; Clinical Judgement of near pupil responses provides a usefulindicator of ocular accommodation (focusing ability) in children with cerebral palsy; Developmental Medicine andPaediatric Neurology, 50: 33-37, 2008Wolsley CJ, Saunders KJ, Silvestri G, Anderson RS; Investigation of changes in the myopic retina using multifocalelectroretinograms, optical coherence tomography and peripheral resolution acuity; Vision Research, 48:1554-1561, 2008115