Dr Nicola Szostek
Profiles

Dr Nicola Szostek

Lecturer in Optometry

School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health and Human Sciences)

Role

Lecturer in optometry

Qualifications

Nicola Szostek graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc Optometry in 2009.  After completing her pre-registration programme the following year, Nicola worked in community optometric practice for 3 years, including a secondment as an Optometrist Practice Manager.  In 2013 Nicola became a Clinical Demonstrator teaching first year undergraduate students at Aston University.  In April 2013 Nicola undertook a Post-graduate research position at Plymouth University studying for a PhD entitled; 'Healthy Living and Presbyopia', alongside which, she taught on first year and second year undergraduate modules at Plymouth University, whilst continuing to work in optometric practice.   Most recently Nicola joined the team at Plymouth as a full-time lecturer in optometry, whilst completing her PhD.



Professional membership

Association of Optometrists
College of Optometrists
Registered with the General Optical Council

Teaching interests

Current Module Lead for
OPT204 Pharmacology and Ophthalmic Drugs
OPT302 General Optometric Practice

Current Module Teacher for
OPT402 Clinical Optometry Skills 1

SoHP401 Preparation for Professional Practice

Previously Clinical Demonstrator for
OPT 105 Clinical Optometry Skills 1
OPT 201 Clinical Optometry Skills 2
OPT 202 Specialist Skills (including contact lenses)

Also contributed too
PARA301 Refining Practitioner Skills for Patient Care
ADV710 Pathomechanics and the Rehabilitation of Gait and Balance (Post-graduate module)

Research interests

Accommodation and presbyopia

Clinical uses of the Accommodative Facility Test
Ageing of the crystalline lens and ciliary  body
Effects of nutrition, uv exposure, smoking and exercise on the crystalline lens

Articles: 
 Szostek N, Buckhurst P, Buckhurst H, Purslow C and Collinson A.  An introduction to nutrition for an optometrist. Optometry in Practice 17 (3) 139-148.

Abstracts:
Szostek N, Buckhurst H, Purslow C, Collinson A, and Buckhurst P. 2015 Relationship between the subjective measurement of accommodative facility and the objective assessment of the dynamic accommodative response Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 56 (7) 6008.

Szostek N, Buckhurst H, Purslow C, Collinson A and Buckhurst P. 2014 Comparing objective and subjective measurements of the speed of accommodative responses.  Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 34 (6) 695.

Szostek N, Buckhurst H, Purslow C and Buckhurst P. 2014  Methods for measuring accommodation.  Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 34 (1) 121.