- SF15, Peninsula Allied Health Centre, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 588886
- hetal.buckhurst@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr Hetal Buckhurst
Associate Professor in Optometry
School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)
Dr Hetal Buckhurst can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
- Optometry
- Corneal biomechanics
- Scleral biomechanics
- Myopia
- Tonometry
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Qualifications
Dr Hetal Buckhurst graduated in Optometry from Aston University in 2004. After completing her pre-registration year in 2005, she continued to work in optometric practice for a further 2 years. Following this, Hetal took up the role of a Clinical Demonstrator at Aston University in 2008. In 2010 she completed her PhD investigating scleral and ocular rigidity in humans and its possible links with myopia and other pathologies. After the PhD, Hetal acted as a temporary module leader for the Clinical Optometry module for the first year Optometry program at Aston University. In July 2011, Hetal joined Plymouth University to set up a new BSc Optometry course. In addition to developing the undergraduate programme, Hetal is actively involved in research relating to anterior segment biomechanics and myopia
Professional membership
General Optical Council (GOC) College of Optometrists (MCOptom) Association of Optometrists (AOP) Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
Module lead:
OPT402 Clinical Optometry Skills 2011 - Present
OPT101 Evidence Based Practice 2013 - 2015
OPT107 Visual Perception 2011-2013
OPT201 Clinical Skills 2 2012-2013
OPT207 Project Studies 1 2013-2018
OPT301 Project Studies 2 2013-2015
Module Teacher:
OPT103 Ocular Anatomy 2011-2012
OPT106 Visual Optics and Ophthalmic Lenses 2011-2019
OPT601 General Optometric Practice 2013-present
Set up and lead the myopia control clinics at the Centre for Eyecare Excellence since 2018
Practice placement team member: 2011-2017
Admissions team member: 2019-present
Stage tutor:
First year stage tutor 2011-2013
Second year stage tutor 2013-2014, 2018-present
Final year stage tutor 2014-2016
School of Health Professions Senior Tutor 2019-present
Staff serving as external examiners
University of Central Lancashire (2019-present)
Research
Research
Research interests
- Biomechanics of the anterior segment of the eye
- Myopia
- Ophthalmic instrumentation
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
PhD Supervision
2012 - 2015 Dr Catriona Hamer PhD (Co-supervisor) Thesis title: Analysis and correction of corneal astigmatism in modern pseudophakia
2013 - 2017 Dr Daniela Oehring PhD (Director of Studies) Thesis title: Ocular biomechanics of the anterior segment
2013 - 2017 Dr Nicola Szostek PhD (Co-supervisor) Thesis title: Assessment of ocular accommodation in humans
2014 - 2018 Dr Afzam Shah PhD (Director of Studies) Thesis: An investigation of computer vision syndrome with smart devices
2014 - Present Elizabeth Law PhD(Co-supervisor) – Part time2020 - Present Sherrie Choy PhD (Co-supervisor)
Grants & contracts
| Investigators | Title | Start date | Sponsor | Funding amount |
| Dr H Buckhurst | Biomechanics of the para-central cornea in orthokeratology | October 2014 | College of Optometrists | £28,079 |
| Dr H Buckhurst | Regional variation in the biomechanical properties of the anterior surface of the eye | April 2014 | Plymouth University | £60,000 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst | Anterior eye imaging: Assessment of a microincision IOL and aspheric toric IOL | October 2014 | Bausch and Lomb | £93,600 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst | A randomised intra-patient comparison of closed loop and plate haptic toric, aspheric, aberration neutral, hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses in patients with bilateral astigmatism | February 2015 | Rayner | £9,450 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst Dr P Hewson Dr M Craven
| Clinical Assessment of the WIOL-CF | May 2015 | Medicem | £14,000 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst Dr P Hewson | Assessment of the Harmoni Modular IOL | August 2015 | Clarvista Medical | £96,312 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst | Anterior eye imaging: Assessment of an aspheric toric IOL | October 2015 | Bausch and Lomb | £98,600 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst Dr P Hewson Dr M Craven | Clincal assessment of a modular aspheric IOL | September 2015 | Clarvista Medical | £96,312 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst | Evaluation of a micro-incision IOL | November 2017 | Bausch and Lomb | £15,000 |
| Dr P Buckhurst Dr H Buckhurst | Randomised clinical investigatorion on the Bi-flex M intraocular lens | November 2017 | Medicontur | £20,000 |
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
(2023) 'Conformation of the anterior segment in human myopia' Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Optimising curve fitting techniques to look for standardisation of the analysis of defocus curves derived from multifocal intraocular lenses' Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics , DOI Open access
(2021) 'One-year post-operative comparison of visual function and patient satisfaction with trifocal and extended depth of focus intraocular lenses' European Journal of Ophthalmology 32, (5) 2967-2974 , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Predicting the Postoperative Addition Power of a Multifocal Intraocular Lens at the Spectacle Plane' Journal of Refractive Surgery 37, (5) 318-323 , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Experimental Assessment of the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Non-contact Tonometer Airflows' Applied Sciences 11, (6) 2499-2499 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'In vivo
measures of anterior scleral resistance in humans with rebound tonometry' Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 40, (4) 472-481 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Visual Function and Subjective Perception of Vision following bilateral implantation of monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses: A Randomised Controlled Trial' Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 46, (7) 1020-1020 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'IMI - Clinical Myopia Control Trials and Instrumentation Report' Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 60, (3) M132-M160 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Validation of Novel Metrics from the Accommodative Dynamic Profile' Vision 2, (3) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Comparison of reliability and repeatability of corneal curvature assessment with six keratometers' Clinical and Experimental Optometry 99, (6) 583-589 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Tablet App halometer for the assessment of dysphotopsia' Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 41, (11) 2424-2429 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Measurement of Scleral Thickness in Humans Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherent Tomography' PLOS ONE 10, (7) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2013) 'Ocular biometric correlates of ciliary muscle thickness in human myopia' Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics 33, (Mar 4.) 294-304 , DOI
(2011) 'In vivo measurement of regional variation in anterior scleral resistance to Schiotz indentation' Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 31, (5) 437-443 , DOI
(2011) 'In vivo measurement of regional variation in anterior scleral resistance to Schiotz indentation' Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 31, (5) 437-443 , DOI
Conference Papers
(2016) 'The Effect of Loss of Contrast and Distortion on Vision and Mobility Tasks'
(2016) 'Validity of prediction models used to determine post-operative corneal shape following cataract surgery'
(2015) 'Do toric IOL calculators accurately predict the shift in orientation of the steepest corneal meridian following cataract surgery?'
(2015) 'Investigating the association between ocular biometry and corneal biomechanics in healthy human' ARVO (Denver)
(2015) 'Relationship between the subjective measurement of accommodative facility and the objective assessment of the dynamic accommodative response'
(2015) 'The relationship between corneal astigmatism and refractive astigmatic error in pseudophkic eyes'
(2013) 'Assessment of ciliary muscle morphology using a new Fourier domain swept source anterior chamber optical coherence tomographer'
(2013) 'The relationship between anterior segment biometry and corneal biomechanics in myopia'
'Measuring and Interpreting the biomechanical Properties of the Cornea' BCOVS
Presentations and posters
'In-vivo regional variation of biomechanical properties in ectatic eyes'
'Characterising biomechanical properties of healthy human corneas with the Ocular Response Analyser and CorvisST'
'In vivo assessment of ciliary muscle morphology using swept source optical coherence tomography'
'Investigating the influence of using smart devices on the ocular accommodative response'
'Assessing and predicting the effective addition power of Multifocal intraocular lens'
'Biometric and dynamic predictors of ORA measures of corneal biomechanics'
Personal
Personal
Other academic activities
Journal manuscript reviewer for Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Clinical and Experimental Optometry, Clinical Ophthalmology and Contact Lens and Anterior Eye