Desmond Fonn
Desmond Fonn is Founding Director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo. He is a graduate of the School of Optometry in Johannesburg, South Africa and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He is a past president of the International Society for Contact Lens Research and a founding member of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators, of which he served as vice president for 15 years.
Denise Hileeto
Denise Hileeto is a histopathologist with research interests focused on identifying histopathological tissue characteristics and biomarkers and establishing their corresponding imaging correlates, with the ultimate goal of developing highly sensitive non-invasive diagnostic imaging techniques in ophthalmic pathology. She also provides tissue assessment for effectiveness evaluation and tolerance studies for new biomaterials and drug delivery systems. Denise is a member of a multidisciplinary team developing and characterizing the morphological and functional properties of in vitro models for ocular biocompatibility assessment.
Paul J. Murphy
The Murphy Lab for Experimental Optometry undertakes laboratory and clinically studies in a multi-disciplinary environment to investigate the interactions between the anterior ocular surface, eyelids and tear film. More specifically, our research looks at how the tear film, the exposed surface of the eye, the sensory nerves in the cornea, and the eyelids interact in both normal and abnormal circumstances – in the normal healthy eye, and when affected by contact lens wear and ocular surface disease. We also look at anterior segment anatomy to investigate the action of the lids on the eye, and the normal variation in ocular surface shape. The lab develops new instruments and methods of investigation to address these large questions, with the ultimate goal of understanding how best to help patients who experience discomfort when wearing contact lenses or as a result of problems with their tear film quality or quantity. We collaborate nationally and internationally with fellow researchers, and with industrial partners.
Ben Thompson
Ben’s research is concerned with visual cortex plasticity and development. He uses psychophysics, brain imaging and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to investigate the basic mechanisms underlying visual cortex plasticity and to develop new treatments for brain-based visual disorders such as amblyopia. Ben is also a member of a team developing a new technique for the assessment of vision in children. Ben has expertise in clinical trials, amblyopia, visual development, motion perception and visual-motor integration.