Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry Research elective course offerings Spring 2013.
A semester-long lab practicum course in which students work with one of the College of Optometry faculty on an independent research project. Areas of research include: disease, development, optics, and binocular vision. Students will present their work to their peers.
If you are interested in taking this course to fulfill your elective credit, please contact one of the faculty below to arrange a meeting. Enrollment requires faculty approval. If you have any questions about the course, please contact Dr. Cameron.
Research Opportunities:
Dr. Cameron - The following projects are available:
1. Measuring visual acuity in adult zebrafish and comparison of retinal disease models; 2. Carotenoid metabolism in eye development and disease using zebrafish; 3. Examining visual dysfunction in an Alzheimer’s zebrafish model; 4. Electrophysiology of the zebrafish retina; 5. Dr. Cameron would also be glad to assist conducting any research projects related to zebrafish visual function from students' own ideas in this elective course.
Dr. Chase: (First Availability August 2012)
We recently have finished a large study of accommodation. We will be examining data that measured accommodative posture before, during, and after reading. Familiarity with Excel and curiosity are required.
Dr. Davey - The following projects are available:
1. Investigating Ocular imaging particularly OCT and its use in glaucoma management. 2. Understanding age related effects on the eye particularly ocular biomechanics and retinal nerve fiber layer.
Dr. Shen - The following projects are available:
1. Evaluation of the effects of accommodation on the peripheral optics of human eye; 2. Evaluation of the optical impacts of multifocal contact lenses on peripheral optics of human eye; 3. Peripheral optics of human eye after Orthokeratology lenses; 4. Changes of optical quality (both central and peripheral) with prolonged near work. Dr. Shen would also be glad to assist conducting any research projects related to physiological optics from students' own ideas in this elective course.
Dr. Spors - The following projects are available:
1. Spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and orthokeratology for myopia research; 2. Development of a novel corneal topography system, not based upon the Placido disk principle; 3. Change in wavefront aberrations with contact lenses, spectacle lenses, and orthokeratology (in collaboration with Dr. Shen); 4. Comparison of the cross cylinder method and the fogging method as utilized by a subjective binocular refractor in the quantification of astigmatic correction.