Six optometry students who had been shortlisted as finalists of the CooperVision 2014 Student Summit converged on Southampton recently. Each had been selected as having undertaken a project which was original, well-designed and added to our current knowledge base. Each presented their work before a panel comprising representatives of each of the universities and an overall winner was selected. Here is a summary of their work.
[CaptionComponent="713"]Lucy Guy
(Cardiff University)
Many of us recommend the use of baby shampoo as a treatment for early anterior blepharitis and, indeed, it is part of the recommendation of our College of Optometrists guidelines for blepharitis treatment. Some authorities in recent years have questioned this advice by suggesting the shampoo may have the effect of destabilising the already likely weakened lipid layer and even might exacerbate matters. Guy used a randomised double blind contralateral eye study of 19 healthy adults to compare the ocular response (measured by a number of accepted techniques such as grading of hyperaemia, staining and break-up times) when using baby shampoo or Blephasol (a proprietary solution for blepharitis management). She found that in a number of areas, most noticeably lipid layer thinning and hyperaemia), the baby shampoo caused more surface changes than the Blephasol.
Hasina Patel
(Bradford University)
The entry from Bradford was an entertaining reflection on the state of cosmetic and enhancement lenses in the UK and, using a questionnaire of 100 people, suggested that the low uptake of these types of lenses might well be linked to a poor awareness of their existence in the community. There was also an entertaining video that implied part of the problem might well be a lack of marketing or advertising of the products.
Jessica Massey and Agatha Jaworski
(Anglia Ruskin University)
This study attempted to look at the contrast sensitivity functions for different types of multifocal contact lens in order to better understand how they perform in real-world conditions. The researchers simulated presbyopia in some younger patients using a cycloplegic agent and an artificial pupil and found that a centre-near lens performed less well at distance for low-contrast acuity whereas a centre-distance lens performed less well at near for high-contrast acuity. The results might be as expected but the design of the study was interesting.
Imran Ahmed
(City University)
A link between air quality and pollution and the pH of tears was looked at in this ambitious study, which also touched upon the influence of a ProClear lens on pH and comfort. A microelectrode pH measurement technique was used and in the coming months the sample will be assessed in an environment of different air quality to see the level of air pollution impact. An interesting work in progress.
Gemma Gould
(Manchester University)
This student designed a questionnaire to assess the understanding and awareness among practitioners across the world regarding myopia control and refractive influence on myopia progression. Most impressively, using social media alongside traditional routes, Gould was able to garner responses from a significant (many hundreds) number of respondents and concluded that while most eye care practitioners knew the link between myopia and eye disease (not every UK practitioner knew retinal detachment was linked to myopia!), awareness of both spectacle and contact lens influence was less prominent.
Overall winner
Fiona Buckmaster
(Glasgow Caledonian University)
[CaptionComponent="714"]The Schirmer test is still a mainstay of tear volume assessment in clinics around the world. This study took as a premise the fact that temperature and humidity levels vary massively around the world. If these levels influenced the rate at which tears progressed along the filter paper, then it might be the case that diagnosis of dry eye might need to be defined variously depending on the local environmental conditions.
To investigate further, Buckmaster used a mechanical suspension unit able to hold Schirmer strips in a solution and monitor wetting rates under differing conditions of humidity and temperature. She then used a strip sheathed in a plastic film and showed how the sheathed strip was unaffected by external conditions, suggesting a modification of the Schirmer that may improve accuracy. She was also able to show lens drying by an impressive interferometry filming technique.
As well as receiving a cash prize, Buckmaster will be invited to a European conference next year where she will again have the opportunity to present her work. Optician will be there and will always be keen to support the often unsung efforts of our undergraduates. Congratulations to CooperVision for setting up this admirable summit programme.