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Professor B. Gilmartin PhD, BSc, FCOptom, FAAO

Professor of Optometry
School of Life and Health Sciences
Aston University
Birmingham B4 7ET
UK

email: b.gilmartin@aston.ac.uk
telephone: +44 (0) 121 204 3881
fax: +44 (0) 121 204 4048

Lecturer on the Undergraduate Optometry Programme

Convener of the Ophthalmic Research Group

Prof Bernard Gilmartin

Career history

  • 1968 Honours degree in Optometry (first) City University
  • 1969 Fellowship, College of Optometrists (CoO), (elected Life Fellow Nov. 2000)
  • 1969 General Optical Council (GOC) registration
  • 1974 PhD (City)
  • 1974 Aston University: Lecturer
  • 1988 Aston University: Senior Lecturer
  • 1995 Aston University: Reader
  • 1998 Aston University: Personal Chair in Optometry
  • 2000 Life Fellow College of Optometrists

Teaching responsibilities

First Year:

  • Clinical Visual Optics (Myopia)  

Second Year:

  • Clinical Optometry Teaching Laboratory 

Final Year:

  • Ophthalmic Drugs (Module Leader)
  • Elective Studies Supervision

Ophthalmic Doctorate:

  • Associate Module Leader for module ‘Myopia’ with Dr Nicola Logan

Professional and academic experience in research

Publications and Grants

  • One hundred and twenty research papers (see selection below), four book Chapters and two edited books principally in the areas of near vision function, myopia development, mechanisms of accommodation and ocular biometry. Over 120 Abstracts published at Conferences in Europe, The Far East, USA, Australasia and Canada.
  • Principal grant awarding bodies: College of Optometrists; Department of Transport; DERA; BAe; Wellcome Trust (Travel); Royal Society & Leverhulme Trust (Overseas Visiting Fellowships); West Midlands LORS; Hoya Corporation; Central LOC; Johnson & Johnson.

International Standing

  • Editor of the academic journal of the College of Optometrists (CoO), Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO) (1986-2000). OPO is the leading international optometric research journal, is published bi-monthly by Blackwell, and has a circulation of 8,500. OPO publishes a wide range of clinical and academic research in optometry and vision science.
  • Reviewer for all the major vision research journals and assessor for projects submitted to Canadian (NSERC), Australian (ARC), New Zealand (AMRC) and Hong Kong funding bodies.
  • Research collaboration with laboratories in USA, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Germany and Russia.
  • Exchange Fellowships with Japan and Russia (Royal Society) and Australia (Queensland University).
  • Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in 1990.
  • Member of Optometric Advisory Boards: Sweden (The Karolinska Institute) and The Netherlands. International Editorial Board Member for Jounal of Optometry.
  • Keynote speaker on Myopia: European Academy of Optometry and Optics (EAOO), Copenhagen, May 2010

National Standing

  • Assessor for project grant proposals to UK funding bodies: MRC, EPSRC, BBSRC, Welsh Office, Wellcome Trust, Leverhulme Trust, Nuffield Foundation, Mencap, National Lottery.
  • Special Lectures: Marton lecture (1987); College Charter Lecture (1998); Gerald Dunn Memorial Lecture (2001).
  • Research Committee, Institute of Optometry, London. Editorial Board member Optician 1999-. Co-opted member of the College of Optometrist’s Research Committee (2006-)

External Appointments

  • External examiner for 26 PhD theses awarded by Universities of Auckland, Cardiff, Birmingham, Bradford, City, Glasgow, Hong Kong, PolyU, Queensland, Sydney, UMIST.
  • Specialist assessor (teaching) for HEFC(W) '95; GOC Panel of Visitors (educationalist category and Chair) '97-to date; QAA Panel Member for Benchmarking Optometry, 2001; RAE Panel, Special Advisor (Optometry) 2001. Member of C12 RAE 2008 Sub-Panel Allied Health Professions and Studies.
  • Special advisor to School of Optometry, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2009-12).

Aston University Appointments

  • Awarded the Chancellor’s Medal for ‘outstanding and sustained contributions to Aston University’ in July 2009.
  • Convener of the Ophthalmic Research group (ORG). Currently the ORG group membership includes 13 HEFC-funded members of Staff, 3 postdoctoral and 10 PhD students.
  • Research (internal) supervisor for 22 PhD degrees.
  • School of Life and Health Sciences (LHS) appointments: Director of Research for School (2001-2005); Senate professorial representative; Chairman of Research Committee (2001-2005), now member; member of School Management Committee and Board (2001-2005).

Refereed Journal Articles 2001 Onwards

  1. Mallen, E.A.H., Wolffsohn J. S., Gilmartin, B. and Tsujimura, S. (2001). Clinical evaluation of the Shin-Nippon SRW 5000 autorefractor in adults. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt., 21, 101-107.
  2. Wolffsohn J. S., Gilmartin, B., Mallen, E.A.H. and Tsujimura, S. (2001). Continuous recording of accommodation and pupil size using the Shin-Nippon SRW 5000 autorefractor. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt., 21, 108-113.
  3. Tsujimura, S.I., Wolffsohn, J.S. and Gilmartin, B. (2001) A linear chromatic mechanism drives the pupillary response. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 268, 2203-2209.
  4. Santodomingo-Rubido, J., Mallen, E.A.H., Gilmartin, B. and Wolffsohn J. S. (2002) A new non-contact device for ocular biometry. Brit J Ophthalmol. 86, 458-462.
  5. Armstrong R. A., Eperjesi, F. and Gilmartin, B. (2002). The application of analysis of variance (ANOVA) to different experimental designs in optometry. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt., 22, 248-256.
  6. Baker, F.J. and Gilmartin, B (2002) The effect of incipient presbyopia on the correspondence between accommodation and vergence. Graefe’s Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol. 240 288-294
  7. Wolffsohn,JS Hunt,OA Gilmartin,B (2002) Continuous measurement of accommodation in human factor applications. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt 22, 380-384
  8. Gilmartin,B Mallen,EAH Wolffsohn,JS (2002) Sympathetic control of accommodation: evidence for inter-subject variation. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt. 22, 366-371
  9. Winn, B., Culhane, H.M., Gilmartin,B. and Strang, N.C. (2002) Effect of beta adrenoceptor antagonists on autonomic control of ciliary smooth muscle. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt.22, 359-365
  10. Morgan, A.J., Harper, J., Hosking, H.L. and Gilmartin, B. (2002) The effect of corneal thickness and corneal curvature on pneumatonometer measurements. Curr. Eye Res. 25, 107-112.
  11. Davies, L.N., Mallen, E.A.H., Wolffsohn, J.S. and Gilmartin, B (2003) Clinical evaluation of the Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001/Grand Seiko WR 5100K autorefractor. Optom Vis. Sci.80, 320-324.
  12. Wolffsohn, J.S., Gilmartin, B., Li, R W-H., Edwards, M.H., Chat, S W-S., Lew J K-F. and Yu B S-Y (2003) Near work-induced transient myopia in pre-Adolescent Hong Kong Chinese. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 44, 2284-2289.
  13. Tsujimura, S. Wolffsohn, JS Gilmartin,B. (2003) Pupil responses associated with coloured afterimages are mediated by the magno-cellular pathway. Vision Research. 43, 1423-1432.
  14. Baker, F.J. and Gilmartin, B. (2003) Prism adaptation in incipient presbyopia Ophthal. Physiol. Opt., 23, 507-511.
  15. Santodomingo-Rubido, J., Gilmartin, B. and Wolffsohn J. S. (2003) Drug-induced bilateral transient myopia with the sulphonamide sulfasalazine Ophthal. Physiol. Opt.,23, 567-570.
  16. Hunt O. A., Wolffsohn J. S., and Gilmartin, B. (2003) Evaluation of the measurement of refractive error by the PowerRefractor a remote, continuous and binocular measurement system of oculomotor function. Brit J Ophthalmol 87, 1504-1508.
  17. Wolffsohn J. S., Gilmartin, B., Thomas, R. and Mallen, E.A.H. (2003) Refractive error, cognitive demand and nearwork-induced transient myopia. Curr. Eye Res. 27, 363-370.
  18. Gilmartin B (2004) Myopia: pathways to therapy (2004) Optom Vis Sci 81 1-3.
  19. Logan, N.S., Gilmartin, B., Marr J.E., Stevenson, M.R. and Ainsworth, J.R.(2004) Community-based study of the association of high myopia in children with ocular and systemic disease Optom. Vis. Sci.81, 11-13.
  20. Wolffsohn, JS O’Donnell C, Charman, WN Gilmartin B (2004) Simultaneous continuous recording of accommodation and pupil size using the modified Shin-Nippon SRW-5000 autorefractor. Ophthal. Physiol. Opt 24, 142-147.
  21. Logan, N.S., Gilmartin, B. Wildsoet, C.F. and Dunne, M.C.M. (2004) Posterior retinal contour in adult human anisomyopia. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci. 45, 2152-2162.
  22. Gilmartin B (2004) Myopia: precedents for research in the 21st Century (2004) Clin Expt Ophthalmol 32, 305-324.
  23. Pointer, J.S. and Gilmartin, B. (2004) Clinical characteristics of unilateral myopic anisometropia in a juvenile optometric practice population Ophthal. Physiol. Opt 24 458-463.
  24. Logan, N.S., and Gilmartin, B. (2004) School vision screening, ages 5 to 16 years: the evidence-base for content, provision and efficacy Ophthal. Physiol. Opt 24, 481-492.
  25. Mallen, E.A.H., Gilmartin, B., Wolffsohn, J.S. (2005) Sympathetic innervation of ciliary muscle, refractive error and oculomotor function in young adults. Vision Res. 45 1641-1651.
  26. Armstrong R. A., Eperjesi, F. and Gilmartin, B. (2005) The application of correlation and regression to different experimental designs in optometry. Clin Exp Optom. 88, 81-88
  27. Logan, N.S., Davies, L.N., Mallen, E.A.H. and Gilmartin, B. (2005) Ametropia and ocular biometry in a UK University student population. Optom. Vis. Sci 82, 261-266.
  28. Davies, L. N., Wolffsohn, J. S. and Gilmartin, B. (2005) The influence of cognition on ocular accommodation and cardiovascular function in emmetropes and late-onset myopes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 46, 1791-1796.
  29. Santodomingo-Rubido, J, Gilmartin, B and Wolffsohn, JS (2005) Refractive and biometric changes with silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Optom. Vis. Sci 82, 481-489.
  30. Logan, N. S. and Gilmartin, B. (2005) Myopia: development and control in children. Optometry in Practice. 6, 149-162.
  31. Okada, Y., Ukai, K., Wolffsohn, J.S., Gilmartin, B., Iijima, A. & Bando, T. (2006) Target spatial frequency determines the response to conflicting defocus- and convergence-driven accommodative stimuli. Vision Res. 46, 475-484.
  32. Santodomingo-Rubido, J, and Wolffsohn, JS Gilmartin, B. (2006). Changes in ocular physiology, tear film characteristics and symptomatology with 18 months silicone hydrogel contact lens wear Optom. Vis. Sci 83, 73-81
  33. Wolffsohn,JS Hunt,OA Naroo,SA Gilmartin,B Shah,S Cunliffe,IA Benson,MT, Mantry,S. (2006) Objective accommodative amplitude and dynamics with the 1CU 'accommodative' intraocular lens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 47, 1230-5
  34. Singh, K.D., Logan, N.S. & Gilmartin, B.(2006) Three-dimensional modelling of the human eye based on magnetic resonance imaging. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 47, 2272-2279
  35. Wolffsohn, JS Ukai, K and Gilmartin, B. (2006) Dynamic measurement of accommodation and pupil responses using the portable Grand Seiko FR-5000 autorefractor Optom. Vis. Sci. 83, 306-310
  36. Tsujimura, S.I., Wolffsohn, J.S. Gilmartin, B. (2006) Pupil response to colour signals in cone contrast space Current Eye Research 31, 401-408
  37. Cervino A, Hosking SL, Rai GK, Naroo SA, Gilmartin B. (2006). Wavefront analysers induce instrument myopia. J. Refract Surg. 22, 795-803.
  38. Santodomingo-Rubido, J, and Wolffsohn, JS Gilmartin, B. (2006) Comparison between graticule and image capture assessment of lower tear film meniscus height. Contact Lens and Anterior Eye 29, 169-173
  39. Santodomingo-Rubido, J, Wolffsohn, JS, Gilmartin, B. (2007) Adverse events over 18 months of silicone hydrogel contact lens wear. Eye and Contact Lens 33, 288-292.
  40. Torri M, Okada Y, Ukai K, Wolffsohn JS, Gilmartin B. (2008) Dynamic measurement of accommodation while viewing stereoscopic images. J Mod Optics 55, 557-567.
  41. Cox AR, Gilmartin B. (2006) Drug-induced ophthalmic adverse reactions Adverse Drug Reaction Bulletin 241, 919-922.
  42. Santodomingo-Rubido J, Wolffsohn JS, Gilmartin B. (2008) Conjunctival epithelial flaps with 18 months silicone hydrogel contact lens wear. Eye and Contact Lens 34, 35-38.
  43. Valsudevan B, Ciuffreda KJ, Gilmartin B. (2009) Sympathetic inhibition of accommodation following sustained nearwork in myopes and emmetropes.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 50, 114-120.
  44. Davies LN, Wolffsohn JS, Gilmartin B. (2009) Autonomic correlates of ocular accommodation and cardiovascular function Ophthal. Physiol. Opt 29, 427-435.
  45. Fukushima T, Torii M,  Ukai K,  Wolffsohn JS, Gilmartin B. The relationship between CA/C ratio and individual differences in dynamic accommodative responses while viewing stereoscopic images J Vision (In Press)
  46. Santodomingo-Rubido J,  César Villa-Collar, Gilmartin B, Gutiérrez-Ortega R.  Myopia Control with Orthokeratology contact lenses in Spain (MCOS): study design and general baseline characteristics J Optometry (In Press)

  47. O'Donoghue L, Saunders KJ,  McClelland JF,  Logan NS,  Rudnicka AR, Gilmartin  B, and Owen CG. Sampling and measurement methods for a study of childhood refractive error in a United Kingdom population. Brit J Ophthalmol (In Press)

Patents

  • International Patent Application number PCT/GB2005/004577: Method and Apparatus for Imaging the Eye.

Books and Book Chapters

  • Wolffsohn, JS Gilmartin, B Hunt,OA and Edgar,GK Using photoretinoscopy to measure the binocular oculomotor response to monocular virtual image displays. Vision in Vehicles - IX. 2002, North-Holland, Gale,AG (ed)
  • Harvey W and Gilmartin (Eds) (2004) Paediatric Optometry. Butterworth Heinemann Oxford
  • Logan, N.S. and Gilmartin, B. Contact lens correction and myopia progression.In Contact Lenses Phillips, Speedwell and Morris, Butterworth Heinemann,Oxford pgs 591-600
  • Gilmartin B. (2009). Ocular adverse reactions to systemic medication In: Optometry: Science, Techniques and Clinical Management (eds. Rosenfield, Logan and Edwards) 2nd Edition, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.

European Commission FP6 Proposal

ARVO abstracts

2007

  • Gilmartin B, Logan NS, Singh KD Determining Regional Variations in Globe Conformation Using 3-D Ocular MRI Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 48:1215 Suppl. 2007.
  • Logan NS, Rudnicka AR, Shah P, Gilmartin B, Owen CG. The Epidemiology of Refractive Error in UK Children: The Aston Eye Study Methodology Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 48:4847 Suppl. 2007.
  • Rai GK, Gilmartin B, Wolffsohn J. The Effect of Accommodation on Pulsatile Ocular Blood Flow. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 48:1040 Suppl. 2007.

2008

  • Gilmartin B, Logan NS, Singh KD In vivo Comparison of Anterior and Posterior Ocular Volume in Human Ametropia Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 49:3582 Suppl. 2008.

  • Logan NS, Rudnicka AR, Shah P, Gilmartin B, Owen CG. Ethnic Differences in Ocular Refraction and Biometry in UK Children: Evidence from The Aston Eye Study Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 49:2602 Suppl. 2008.

2009

  • M. Nagra, B. Gilmartin,  N. S. Logan,  P. Furlong, E. Wilkinson, K. Singh. Conformation of Sagittal and Axial Meridians in Human Myopia Study Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 50:3941 Suppl. 2008.

  • HD Patel, B Gilmartin, RP Cubbidge and NS Logan. In vivo measurement of regional variations in scleral rigidity in humans Study Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 50:3947 Suppl. 2008.

Current and prospective research areas

(see also http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lhs/research/groups/opo/)

  • Eye growth in human myopia: structural (e.g. MRI) and electrophysiological (e.g. mfERG) correlates. Collaboration: Prof K Singh, Cardiff University; PhD student Ms Manbir Nagra;
  • Mapping of mid- and far-peripheral image optical shells to topography of ocular stretch in myopia. Collaboration: Dr E Mallen, Bradford University; 
  • Epidemiology of myopia in the UK child population. Research Assistant Ms Amy Whiskens. See details of The Aston Eye Study at  http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lhs/staff/az-index/loganns--0/#P45_2590
  • The effect of ametropia on the relationship between IOP and sustained accommodation. Research Post-Doc Dr Gurjeet Rai. 
  • Nutrition and myopia (with Dr Hannah Bartlett (PI), Aston University)
  • Structural correlates of incipient myopia (with Dr Leon Davies (PI), Aston University);
  • Oculomotor and pupil function. Collaboration: Prof K Ukai, Waseda University Japan; Dr S-I Tsujimura, Kagoshima University Japan.
  • Meteorological aspects of the onset and development of myopia. Collaboration: Dr E Mallen, Bradford University. 
  • Adrenergic and cholinergic control systems in myopic growth. Collaboration: Dr E Mallen, Bradford University, Professor K Ciuffreda, SUNY USA;  
  • Ocular volume in myopia: Collaboration: Dr S Benavente, SUNY USA  
  • Scleral biomechanics in myopia: PhD student Ms Hetal Patel.