About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education

CORE seamlessly integrates clinical observations with insights grounded in basic biosciences.

Our interdisciplinary team has the expertise and the drive to investigate multiple angles of a research question, building on insights to design multi-faceted solutions and facilitate the development of new biomaterials and technology.

In addition to sharing research results, training graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, and offering continuing education, CORE Education leverages the intellectual capital of the CORE research team to pinpoint research findings of interest to clinical practitioners and develop effective and engaging educational tools designed to keep them up-to-date and facilitate patient communication.

The CORE team has the expertise, technology and regulatory framework to support fundamental and clinical research focusing on pharmaceuticals, biomaterials (including contact lenses), ocular physiology and imaging.

History

The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has a rich history as a leader in the field of ocular research. Established in 1988 at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science, it was known as the Centre for Contact Lens Research (CCLR) for three decades. Founding director, Desmond Fonn, designed the CCLR to meet a need for objective and independent clinical trials and fundamental basic research to support the development and testing of contact lens materials, designs and care systems.

CORE has been involved in some of the most meaningful advancements in the history of contact lenses, including the evolution of silicone hydrogel lenses and extended wear, the development of the disposable lens modality, and understanding dropout and dissatisfaction with lens wear. Many of the contact lens and dry eye products on the market have undergone preliminary testing at CORE prior to their regulatory approval.

CORE from 2018 to 2023

A lot of work has happened at CORE since its inception in 2018, with over 370 in-person presentations in total, more than 100 presentations and publications each year,  graduate supervision and much more.  Click on the images below for a full screen view or download them all from here.

In-person talks around the world

A world map is shown that shows all locations CORE has presented in from 2018 to 2023

CORE presentations & publications

CORE trainees and project areas

Top 5 most cited papers

CORE Emerging areas of research

People onboarded