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New Device to Detect Vision Problems in Young Children
Dr Jason Turuwhenua is one of a team of researchers who have been working on perfecting a new computer camera device that detects whether children as young as 2 years of age have normal eye tracking motion or are experiencing poor visual acuity.Dr Turuwhenua explained...
Efficacy of the B4 School Vision Check in Children with Socioeconomic Disadvantage
Preschool children in NZ receive vision screening at 4 years old as part of the B4 School Check (B4SC). However, people from disadvantaged backgrounds often find it more difficult to access healthcare services. We examined a group of children enrolled in the...
Using Computer-based Eye Tracking to Measure Binocular Fusion
Eye trackers and 3D display technologies are now widely available and economical, but are they useful in the clinic? These devices have potential uses in automated assessments of binocular eye movements and for vision training, but we need to ensure that they produce...
Optometrists’ Contribution to the Total Prescribing of Ocular Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPAs) in New Zealand
Optometrists are primary eye care providers in New Zealand and are authorised to prescribe ocular Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPAs) or medicines for eye conditions. TPA data were collected from 2012 to 2016 to examine the number of ocular TPAs prescribed by...
Studying the Effects of Ultraviolet-A Radiation on the Crystalline Lens
Several factors contribute to the ageing of the eye over a lifetime, leading to visual impairments. One of these factors is ultraviolet-A (UVA, 320-400nm) radiation, which influences the crystalline lens in particular. First, annual dosages were calculated based on...
Is Weight Lifting Beneficial or Detrimental for Vision?
Intraocular pressure (IOP) may become elevated with muscle exertion, changes in body position and increased respiratory volumes (especially when the Valsalva manoeuvre is involved) all of which are associated with weight lifting. Several studies have shown that IOP is...
Marsden Award 2018: cortical limit on visual acuity
In the Marsden Fund awards announced late in 2018, over $700,000 was awarded to a project led by Prof Steven Dakin with Dr Lisa Hamm, Dr Catherine Morgan, and Dr Samuel Schwarzkopf. The project is investigating how the brain limits visual acuity.The overarching goal...
Endeavour Fund support for MyIScope
Congratulations to SOVS bioengineer Dr Ehsan Vaghefi who is behind the innovative MyIScope device that has just received nearly $1m in funding in the 2018 round of the Endeavour Fund, New Zealand’s largest contestable research fund. Dr Vaghefi has made research into...