Dr Daniela Oehring

Doctor of Eye and Vision Science at the University of Plymouth with 10+years’ experience undertaking research regarding the integrity of the ocular tissue to detect, treat and prevent ocular diseases as well as a passion for equal, inclusive, and humanitarian eye care. Proactive lecturer and researcher with 15+ years of experience teaching courses on undergraduate and postgraduate levels; published one book, six book chapters, and over 30 peer-reviewed articles and presented at 42 conferences on four continents. 

Since 2022 member of the board of trustees for the European Academy of Optometry & Optics (EAOO) and a committee member of the Portuguese Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES).

Current roles and responsibilities:

• Chair of the Faculty of Health Research Ethics and Integrity Committee
• Co-Chair Athena Swan (SoHP)
• Faculty Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Representative (FEDIC)
• Member of the Committee for Decolonisation of the Curriculum

• Lead of Mental Health and Wellbeing Group (SoHP)
  
• International Exchange Coordinator for the Optometry Programme
  

Current Projects:

• Inclusive vision (collaboration with PenArc, Plymouth City Council and Livewell Southwest): Homeless people and other excluded and hidden populations face extreme health inequality. The lack of trust in health care providers, barriers to access service provision, higher rates of health-harming behaviour and higher rates of unscheduled care use are some of the reasons for the inequality in health care. Over several years there has been a great deal of effort to provide better GP and dentistry care and occupational therapy services for those hard-to-reach groups. Within the UK, eye and vision care have been thoroughly neglected throughout evaluations of healthcare services for homeless people. It is well known that as seeing individuals, we perceive most information through our eyes. Interpersonal contact, risk assessment on the streets, and even filling in forms and reading contracts are primarily done through our vision. However, there is little emphasis on providing sustainable eye care for homeless people and other excluded and hard-to-reach groups. Consequently, there is a significant lack of evidence regarding eye and vision care within the UK. The project "Inclusive Vision" aims to investigate what the eye and vision needs of those hard-to-reach groups are. Then it will be possible in the first instance to define and triage the treatment that would be required. In addition, the project ‘Inclusive Vision’ will inform how and what additional educational requirements need to be added to the educational programme for future health professionals in terms of curriculum. 

• Biomechanical properties in keratoconus eyes: Keratoconus is an eye disease that causes the cornea, the transparent surface of the eye, to become soft and thin. This disease usually starts in puberty and affects both eyes in 4 out of 5 people with the condition. Nearly 151,000 people in the UK suffer from this disease. The quality of life of people with keratoconus is severely impacted as it causes them to see one object multiple times, and blurriness and light ring around objects. The eyesight of people with this condition deteriorates slowly. Even with visual aids, the patient is unable to enjoy ‘normal’ day-to-day life. Driving or watching tv etc. becomes impossible. Work becomes limited. Sadly, a pair of glasses cannot solve the problem. Instead, the patient’s brain attempts to correct the vision, which is exhausting and draining. The social and economic impact of this disease is made more devastating as it affects younger people. An operation for keratoconus, called corneal crosslinking, cannot reverse the condition but can stop further damage. Early diagnosis will save sight quality. I want to establish an early warning diagnosis within regular eye tests. I hope an earlier diagnosis can be made by establishing a test to show softening before the shape of the cornea permanently changes. This would mean the corneal cross-linking operation could be done much earlier. This new treatment will treat the cause rather than just the symptoms, which present at a much later stage. (ongoing trial: NCT02476149)

Qualifications

• Ph.D. Eye and Vision Sciences Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom
  
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP); University of Plymouth, United Kingdom
  
• Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA); University of Plymouth, United Kingdom
• M.Sc. Applied Statistic; Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Schiller University Jena, Germany 
  
• M.Sc. Eye and Vision Sciences; Faculty of Science and Technic, Ernst-Abbe-University Jena, Germany
  
• B.Sc. (hons.) Optometry; Faculty of Science and Technic, Ernst-Abbe-University Jena, Germany
  
• Certificate in Academic Practice for Ophthalmic & Dispensing Optician Education; Ernst-Abbe-University Jena, Germany, Chamber of Commerce Thuringia, Germany
• Dispensing and Ophthalmic Optician Diploma; Chamber of Commerce Bavaria, Germany
  

Professional membership

Member of the Committee for Publication Ethics (COPE, www.publicationethics.com)
International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE)
British University and College Contact Lens Educators (BUCCLE)
Crosslinking Consortium UK
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
European Academy of Optometry (EAOO)
Vereinigung Deutscher Contactlinsen-Spezialisten und Optometristen (VDCO)
Wissenschaftlichen Vereinigung für Augenoptik und Optometrie (WVAO)

Roles on external bodies

Teaching interests

Staff serving as external examiners

2019 University of Liverpool Engineering for Postgraduates (PhD)

Research interests

I have been involved in projects related to eye care for hidden and excluded populations, ocular biomechanics, keratoconus and dry eye. I have worked as a generalist researcher and become experienced with a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies relevant to health services research, including:

• Randomised controlled trials
• Studies involving qualitative interviews
• Mixed methods analysis
• Observational studies
• Time series analysis

I have developed a particular interest in the early detection and diagnosis of eye-related diseases. This is of particular relevance for the development and evaluation of both innovative complex interventions and programmes for translating evidence into practice.

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

I have supervised multiple B.Sc. and M.Sc. students as first supervisor and Ph.D. students in a team. Eight students presented on international conferences, one student one the Cooper Vision Summer Summit and one student was awarded with a student travel grant. 

Grants & contracts

Short-term effects on tear film (baby shampoo vs Blephasol). GIS Grant Thea Pharmaceutical. 2017-2022 (£10,00). This study assesses the effects on the tear film in short term when following the clinical guidelines in comparison to an effective alternative treatment. 

Equipment grants for unlimited use

Since 2015: Support through the loan of a High-Speed Camera full equipment for unrestricted use

Since 2013: Support through the loan anterior eye OCT by Heidelberg Engineering GmbH for unrestricted use

Since 2013: Support through the loan of the CorvisST and Keratograph 5M by Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH for unrestricted use

Reports & invited lectures

Invited talks

• British Society for Refractive Surgery 2022, Oxford (UK): Ocular Response Analyser and CorvisST – What does it really mean?
• Conferences on Ophthalmology 2018, Ufa Eye Research Institute (Russia): Ocular biomechanics of ectatic eyes
• EAOO 2018, Pula (Croatia): Advanced Examination Techniques for the Anterior EyeEAOO 2017, Barcelona (Spain): Estimation of the impact of intraocular physical pressure, CCT and corneal topography on IOP readings using non-contact devices (CorvisST, ORA, iCare)
• SCLOSS 2014, Glasgow (UK): Meibomian Gland Dysfunction – Clinical Procedure
• CPD 2014, Dublin (Ireland): Dry Eye Toolkit for Optometrists
• AAO 2012, Phoenix (USA): Development and Evaluation of a Novel Morphing Software to grade Slit Lamp Findings
• CET seminar series sponsored by Rupp & Hubrach, 2010 – 2015, Bamberg (Germany) for Ophthalmologists and Optometrists: Refraction 3.0
• Workshop Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH 2014, Gießen (Germany): Introduction into Biostatistics
• CET HWK Optometrists, 2011-2013, Mainz (Germany): Introduction into scientific working
• BCLA 2013 Manchester (UK) Workshop: Diagnosis of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
• WVAO 2012 Frankfurt am Main (Germany): Online contact lens sales – Risk or Advantage?
• VDCO/ WVAO 2012 Berlin (Germany): Dry eye assessment in daily practice
• VDCO/ WVAO Württemberg 2012 (Germany): Update: Tear film Osmolarity
• Symposium Ophthalmic Optics Jena 2011 (Germany): Classification of Slit lamp findings, a historical view
• VDCO Contact Berlin 2011 (Germany): Corneal oedema in clinical practice 
• OPTI 2011 Munich (Germany): Contact lens sale online – how to ensure customer safety
• VDCO Contact 2010 Mainz (Germany): Use of interactive tools in clinical education – from the slit lamp assessment to contact lens fitting
• Spectaris Düsseldorf 2010 (Germany): Development of a new contact lens material
• VDCO Contact 2009 Berlin (Germany): Comparison of the repeatability and validity in clinical settings between the aberrometer i.Profiler and Z-View

Conferences organised

• Currently organising the European Academy of Optometry and Optics for 2023 and 2024.
  

Other academic activities

• Public health advocate for excluded and hidden populations: Working together with local charities and organisations to enable access to health care, reduce barriers and understand the need of the community.