Glasgow Caledonian University

The Vision Research group is unique in Scotland and has a longstanding reputation in a number of areas of research. The group promotes fundamental and strategic research to further both our understanding of vision and the maintenance of ocular health. Areas of expertise range from examining perceptual processes to understanding the mechanisms underlying the inflammatory response in dry eye. The GCU Vision Centre, with a large patient base and fully equipped facilities, provides a useful infrastructure for multidisciplinary collaboration, clinical trials and research consultancy. The Vision Centre also runs research led specialist clinics relating to myopia control and dry eye. Led by Professor Niall Strang, the Vision Research Group has a proven track record of obtaining independent research income and of managing successful research collaborations within the academic and clinical community, both nationally and internationally.

Our primary research interest groups include:

• Anterior Eye
  The anterior eye contains the main optical components of the visual system. The complex anatomical structure subserves many important physiological processes.
• Visual Development and Ageing
  At birth all the visual system is immature development depends on complex interactions between growth and experience which are vulnerable during the early developmental period. Visual abilities also decline during normal ageing, and many of these declines are due to neural changes in the retina or central visual pathways. 
• Visual Perception
  The quantification of visual perception, explores the complex interactions between the eye and the brain using non-invasive techniques. This group studies both subjective and behavioral responses to visual stimuli in people with normal and abnormal vision.
• Oculomotor and Refractive Error Development
  Vision is dynamic. This research interest group is concerned with the neuromuscular and anatomical aspects of the position and focus of the images in the two eyes. 
• Glasgow and Ophthalmic Public Health Group
  The research interests of the Vision and Public Health Group lies primarily in evaluating models of eyecare delivery in Scotland. The work involves working collaboratively with partners such as Optometry Scotland, the Visual Research Trust, the RNIB and the Yunus Centre. The group combines a variety of research approaches with the goal of improving eyecare services in Scotland and translating the findings to address global eyecare issues.

Further information contact:

Professor Niall Strang
Tel: +44(0)141 331 8206
Email: N.Strang@gcu.ac.uk