Dr Ian Pearce

Senior Lecturer

ROOM: A010
T: +44 141 331 8201
F: +44 (0)141 331 3387
E: eipe@gcal.ac.uk

Qualifications

• B.Sc. Biochemistry (Hons.)1987, University College Swansea
• PhD 1991 Aston University.  Thesis title "Analytical techniques for the study of soft contact lens spoilation"

Profile

• Postdooctoral Research Fellow 1991 - 1995 University of Hong Kong.
• 1995 Excerpta Medica, Hong Kong, Division of Elsevier Science. Preparing scientific papers for publication.
• Research Assistant 1995 - 1996 Dept. Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Research Fellow 1996 - 1997 Dept. Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Lecturer 1997-2007 Dept. Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Senior Lecturer 2007-present  Dept. Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University

Research Interests

My research interests are related to the anterior eye and to the tear film in particular.  Ongoing and recent research projects include:

• The analysis of changes in tear protein profiles in a range of pathologies
• Clinical trials of novel dry eye therapies (to GCP standard)
• Developing diagnostic techniques for the detection of tear film abnormalities and better understanding present tests
• Sex hormone effects on the tear film
• Establishing a facility to enable the study of environmental conditions on the tear film
• Investigating the role of environmental conditions on the tear film
• Assessing the repercussions of contact lens wear on tear film parameters
• Predictive tests for contact lens wearers
• Questionnaires as tools to assess symptomology
• Behavioural modification to alleviate dry-eye

Teaching

• Ophthalmic Anatomy and Physiology 1
• General & Systemic Pathology
• Supervision of 4th year honours projects  

Administrative duties

• Data Protection Officer 1999-present
• Optometry Exams Tutor 2001-present
• International Liaison Office 2002-present. Establishing links for joint programmes with institutions particularly in the Far East.
• Member of 1st, 3rd and 4th year Optometry progress and assessment boards

Publications

Khanal S, Tomlinson A, Pearce EI, & Simmons PA. Effect of an Oil-in-Water Emulsion on the Tear Physiology of Mild to Moderate Dry Eye Patients. Cornea 2007  26(2), p175-181

Pearce EI, Walsh G  Is the spectacle lens Jack-in-the-box phenomena really due to the lenses?  Ophthal Physiol Opt 2006  26(1), p116-119

Pearce EI, Tomlinson A, Blades JK, Falkenberg HK, Lindsay B & Wilson CG Effect of an oil and water emulsion on tear evaporation rate Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 2002, 506(1): p419-23

Tomlinson A, Pearce EI, & Blades BJ. What does the phenol red thread test actually measure? Optom Vis Sci 2001, 78(3)

Tomlinson A, Pearce EI, Simmmons PA & Blades BJ. (2001)  Effect of Oral Contraceptives on Tear Physiology. Ophthal Physiol Opt , 21:p 9-16

Pearce EI, Keenan BP & McRoy C.  An improved fluorophotometric method for tear turnover assessment.  Optom Vis Sci 2001, 78(1), p30-37

Pearce EI & Tomlinson A, Spatial studies in the chemical composition of tear ferns,  Ophthal Physiol Opt 2000, 20(4) p306-313

Pearce EI, Tomlinson A, Craig JP, and Lowther GE. Tear Protein Changes Following Punctal Plugging.  Adv Exp Med, 1998, 438:p669-674

Pearce EI, Ammerlaan WAM, and Opstelten D. Characterization of rat HSA/CD24 protein bearing the B lineage-restricted epitope recognized by mAb HIS50. Hybridoma, 1996, 15(1):p 33-42

Recent Presentations and Published Abstracts (last 3 years)

Pearce EI, Archer CV, McWilliams MA, Tomlinson A, Fuller JR  Effects of Novel Eye Warming Goggles on the Tear Film ARVO 2006 E-Abstract 5601

Murphy PJ, Ntola AM, Purslow C, Wolffsohn JS, Pearce EI An Investigation Of The Ocular Surface Sensory Trigger For Blinking ARVO 2006 E-Abstract 1948

Pearce EI, Jobson AS, Tandon S, Blades KJ  Dry Eye Questionnaires: A Comparison of the Responses Made to Visual Analogue Scale Questionnaires With to Those Made to Category Based Questionnaires ARVO 2005 E-Abstract 4452

Khanal S, Tomlinson A, Pearce EI  Efficacy of an Emulsion Eye Drop in the Management of Mild to Moderate Dry Eyes ARVO 2005 E-Abstract 2038

Pearce EI, Day M, Loughrin SY, Ford S, Tomlinson A  Efficacy of a novel lipid-containing eye drop in the alleviation of moderate dry eye.  The Ocular Surface 2005, 3(1) S104

Thai LC, Tomlinson A, Pearce EI Tear film changes in the initial and midterm adaptation to contact lens wear. The Ocular Surface 2005, 3(1) S119

Pearce EI, Day M, Loughrin SY, Ford S & Tomlinson A.  Efficacy of a novel lipid-containing eye drop in the alleviation of moderate dry eye.  The Ocular Surface, 2005, 3(1) S104 (Proceedings of the 4th International conference on the Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film, Ocular Surface and Dry Eye Syndromes: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance.  Nov 17-20 2004, Fajardo, Puerto Rico)

Thai, LC, Tomlinson A & Pearce EI.  Tear film changes in the initial and midterm adaptation to contact lens wear.  The Ocular Surface, 2005, 3(1) S119 (Proceedings of the 4th International conference on the Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film, Ocular Surface and Dry Eye Syndromes: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance.  Nov 17-20 2004, Fajardo, Puerto Rico)

Pearce EI, Thai, LC & Tomlinson A, Tear Physiological Changes in the first 3 months of Contact Lenses Wear, IOVS, 2004, 44 ARVO E-Abstract 1579

Grant Awards

• Grants from a wide range of pharmaceutical companies
• Grant amounts are commercially sensitive but total value of grants is in excess of £200K
• Two successful applications as part of the UK Government funded SHRIF3 initiative (£65k) for a controlled adverse environment chamber and an infrared thermal camera.

Professional Memberships

Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)