All vision and eye research at Anglia Ruskin comes under Vision and Eye Research Unit (VERU), part of our Postgraduate Medical Institute.

We collaborate with departments, including Vision and Hearing Sciences, Life Sciences, Psychology and Computing and Technology an our current research projects include:

Epidemiology

• Population-based surveys of eye disease in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
• Coordination of the vision group of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD Study).
• The impact of age, disease duration and socio-economic/lifestyle factors on diabetic retinopathy in South Asians.

Glaucoma

• Imaging techniques in glaucoma.
• Early detection of glaucoma using new sampling methods.
• Multicentre trials on glaucoma progression and management.
• New models of community care of glaucoma patients.

Keratoconus

• Corneal structural changes in keratoconus.

Contact lenses

• Contact lens properties in controlled environments.
• Therapeutic efficacy of new contact lenses.
• On-eye/off eye performance contact lenses.

Low vision

• Effects of low vision on patients quality of life and rehabilitation.

Ocular surface disease

• Avoidance of cross-infection in clinical practice.
• Image analysis of corneal endothelium.

Myopia research

• Factors decrease the progression of myopia.

Supervision and support

All researchers in VERU have completed supervisory training and are established researchers in their own research fields. If required, you will be placed in the appropriate collaborative department. All students will have adequate departmental support and access to full support services, including mandatory training events held by Anglia Ruskin.

Facilities

VERU has state-of-the-art research facilities, including OCT (posterior/anterior), environmental chamber, aberration measuring equipment, specular microscope, motion analysis system and two high resolution eye trackers. We will ensure that all research projects have the necessary equipment before the study starts.

Funding

Aside from self-funding or funding by your employer, charities and trusts (competitively sought after, as are Research Council Awards), career, graduate, and professional study loans may be available. Click: www.family-action.org.uk for information on educational trusts, or www.direct.gov.uk for bank loans at competitive rates. Alternatively, visit your local high-street bank for more information.

Career development and training

All students will attend our university-based training events, departmental training events and other external events as required. In addition, the close collaboration between VERU and regional ophthalmology departments enables greater interaction to allow for further career opportunities.

For a complete list of staff research, please visit our VERU website. Click: www.anglia.ac.uk/veru

Candidates seeking admission to the degree of MPhil or MPhil with possibility of transfer to PhD will normally be required to hold a first or upper second class honours degree of a university, or any other institution of higher education in the UK with degree-awarding powers or a qualification which is regarded by Anglia Ruskin as equivalent to a first or upper second class honours degree.