UK optometrist receives Heidelberg Engineering Award

A UK optometrist has been honoured by Heidelberg Engineering for her research, which explored the relationship of morphology and function.

Josie Evans, an AOP Councillor and specialist optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, received the IPS Heidelberg Young Researchers Award at the 24th International Imaging and Perimetry Symposium in California in August.

The award supports young scientists in innovative research on the interrelation of structure and function in glaucoma.

Evans’ research project, Integration of structural data into perimetric examinations, involved developing a user interface to import Spectralis optical coherence tomography scans of the macula and optic nerve head.

These scans were used to inform perimetric testing on fundus tracked perimetry, using the open perimetry interface.

Evan’s research was completed as part of The Crabb Lab within City, University of London, which has a focus on improving measurement techniques for eye diseases.

The study could provide valuable insight in conditions such as glaucoma, where an understanding of the structure/function relationship is necessary for diagnostics and grading the severity of disease.

“The next steps are to validate the model further on a large sample size and individuals with glaucoma,“ Evans shared.