Brendan Barrett

Biography

Member of the General Optical Council's Education (2010- present) and Registration (2014-present) Committees. The GOC is the UK regulator for the professions of Optometry & Dispensing Optics. Member of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's (BBSRC) Pool of Experts/Research Committee (2012-present). I have recently acted as External Examiner for the undergraduate optometry programmes at the University of Manchester (BSC & MOptom), the Dublin Institute of Technology (BSc Optometry) and for the professional qualifying examinations for Optometrists in Ireland run by the Association of Optometrists, Ireland (AOI). External Advisor for post-graduate qualifications in Optometry at City University and at Cardiff University. Conducted a number of high profile reviews, including a review of the area of Behavioural Optometry (published in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics). Acted as Guest Editor for a recent (2014) special issue of Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics on the topic of Binocular Vision: From Lab to Clinic.

Research Interest

Amblyopia Specifically I am interested in research aimed at understanding the impact of amblyopia upon those who live with it, and understanding the aetiology of amblyopia and its typically associated conditions of strabismus and anisometropia. Vision and Sport Is there anything elite about the vision of elite sportspeople? There are claims that vision is superior in elites but little evidence to support this assertion or the assertion that vision training can lead to better sport performance. Currently, we have a major, BBSRC-funded project aimed at investigating these issues. Vision and Reading Together with Dr Jim Gilchrist, I am interested in understanding whether subtle visual anomalies can lead to reading difficulties and establishing how professionals working with those with reading difficulties can better work together