Dr Gemma Arblaster
BMedSci (Hons) Orthoptics, MSc, PhD, FHEA
School of Allied Health, Pharmacy, Nursing and Midwifery
Deputy Professional Lead for Ophthalmology and Orthoptics
Lecturer in Orthoptics
+44 114 215 9055
Full contact details
School of Allied Health, Pharmacy, Nursing and Midwifery
Room 301a
362 Mushroom Lane
Sheffield
S10 2TS
- Profile
-
I qualified as an Orthoptist in 2001 and during my career I have combined clinical orthoptics with teaching and research. I completed my PhD, funded by the NIHR, in 2021 researching the outcomes of strabismus surgery when undertaken for psychosocial reasons.
I have been a Lecturer in Orthoptics at the University of Sheffield since 2011 and am currently the Deputy Professional Lead for Orthoptics and Ophthalmology. I maintain a clinical orthoptic role at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT.
- Qualifications
-
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2024)
PhD, University of Sheffield (2017–2021)
MSc Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, UMIST (2001–2003)
BMedSci (Hons) Orthoptics 1st Class, University of Sheffield (1998–2001)
- Research interests
-
My research interests are in orthoptics, strabismus, binocular vision, ocular motility, nystagmus, eye tracking and low vision.
I supervise research projects for undergraduate (BMedSci Orthoptics) and postgraduate students (MMedSci Vision and Strabismus; MMedSci Ophthalmology Advance Clinical Practice (Paediatrics)), as well as PhD students.
- Publications
-
Journal articles
- Paediatric low vision service evaluation: Sheffield teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 1-12. View this article in WRRO
- “Hello… I'm here!” A co‐productive qualitative study involving older people with vision impairment and their experiences of acute hospital care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(7), 4241-4257. View this article in WRRO
- Opinions on amblyopia treatment in microtropia - a questionnaire study of orthoptists in Scandinavia. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 20, 227-235. View this article in WRRO
- Patient perspectives on their outcomes from strabismus surgery undertaken for psychosocial reasons. Eye, 38(15), 2926-2931. View this article in WRRO
- Author Correction: Minimal reporting guideline for research involving eye tracking (2023 edition). Behavior Research Methods, 56(4), 4218-4219.
- Schizophrenia and orthoptic conditions: a literature review. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 20(1), 133-145. View this article in WRRO
- Strabismus surgery for psychosocial reasons—a literature review. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 20(1), 107-132. View this article in WRRO
- The assessment of vision in children with severe learning difficulties: a systematic review. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 20(1), 94-104. View this article in WRRO
- Minimal reporting guideline for research involving eye tracking (2023 edition). Behavior Research Methods, 56(5), 4351-4357. View this article in WRRO
- Is there value in measuring near visual acuity during occlusion therapy for amblyopia?. Strabismus, 31(4), 237-243. View this article in WRRO
- Evaluation of the Nystagmus Information Pack. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 18(1), 111-120.
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with nystagmus and an exploration of public assumptions about the condition: an electronic questionnaire study. BMC Ophthalmology, 22(1). View this article in WRRO
- Is a depth camera in agreement with an electromagnetic tracking device when measuring head position?. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 17(1), 142-149.
- Analysing nystagmus waveforms: a computational framework. Scientific Reports, 11.
- Management of nystagmus in children : a review of the literature and current practice in UK specialist services. Eye, 34(9), 1515-1534.
- How does vertical reading affect reading speed?. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 16(1), 38-43.
- Using VR to investigate the relationship between visual acuity and severity of simulated oscillopsia. Current Eye Research, 45(12), 1611-1618. View this article in WRRO
- Correction: Management of nystagmus in children: a review of the literature and current practice in UK specialist services (Eye, (2020), 10.1038/s41433-019-0741-3). Eye (Basingstoke).
- Amblyopia treatment and quality of life: the child's perspective on atropine versus patching. Strabismus, 27(3), 156-164. View this article in WRRO
- The Impact of Diplopia on Reading. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 15(1), 8-14. View this article in WRRO
- Simulation of oscillopsia in virtual reality. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 14, 45-49.
- A case report of progressive Brown syndrome?. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 14(1), 30-34. View this article in WRRO
- The provision of patient information about nystagmus. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 14(1), 25-29. View this article in WRRO
- Surgery to Treat Residual Acquired Excyclotropia without Changing the Primary Position Vertical Deviation: A Case Report. Strabismus, 24(3), 93-96. View this article in WRRO
- A comparison of conventional and modified push-up methods of measuring the near point of accommodation. British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, 13, 35-39. View this article in WRRO
- The incidence and visual acuity outcomes of children identified with ametropic amblyopia by vision screening. Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 19(2), 104-107.
- The BIOJ: Evolution or Revolution?. Br Ir Orthopt J, 10, 66-67.
- The BIOJ: a comparative review. Br I Orthopt J, 10, 3-10.
- Restoration of binocular single vision following multiple treatments for longstanding bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia and unilateral 3rd nerve paresis. Br I Orthopt J, 9, 70-73.
- Decompensating esophoria as the presenting feature of myasthenia gravis.. J AAPOS, 13(3), 310-311.
- Large-angle congenital exotropia due to 'absent' medial recti: a case of congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder. Eye, 23(6), 1489-1490.
- The Relationship Between The Strength of Sensory Fusion and Motor Fusion Amplitude. Br Orthopt J, 59, 45-49.
Conference proceedings
- What changes do patients report after strabismus surgery for planned psychosocial benefit?. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 60(9). Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 28 April 2019 - 28 April 2019. View this article in WRRO
- Retrospective Review of Occlusion Treatment for Intermittent Exotropia.. British Isles Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association. Bournemouth, UK, 19 September 2012 - 21 September 2012.
- Acquired Unilateral Vertical Nystagmus. 30th Meeting of the European Strabismological Association. Killarney, Ireland, 8 June 2005 - 11 June 2005.
- Eye movements - isn't that what we do anyway?. Royal College of Ophthalmologists Congress. Birmingham, UK, 17 May 2005.
- The Heimann Bielschowsky Phenomenon: Unilateral Vertical Nystagmus. British Ocular Motor Group. Manchester, UK, 9 January 2004.
- The Heimann-Bielschowsky Phenomenon: An Acquired Unilateral Vertical Nystagmus Following Severe Monocular Visual Loss.. Transactions of the Xth International Orthoptic Congress. (pp 265-269). Melbourne, Australia, 14 November 2004 - 17 November 2004.
- Case presentation: a child with congenital bilateral restriction of ADDuction - investigations, diagnosis and management.. British Childrens Eye Group. Manchester, UK, 6 June 2003.
Software, code or databases
Posters
- Low cost nystagmus recording: a pilot study. British and Irish Orthoptic Society Conference.
- What changes do patients report after strabismus surgery for planned psychosocial benefit?.
- Patients as Educators - Enhancing Student Skills and the Curriculum. International Orthoptic Congress.
- How can the patient experience for individuals with nystagmus be improved? - a patient and family perspective. British and Irish Orthoptic Society Annual Conference.
- Living with Nystagmus-The Patient's Perspective. British and Irish Orthoptic Society Annual Conference.
- Measuring the near point of accommodation: comparison of the conventional and modified push-up methods.. British and Irish Orthoptic Society Annual Conference.
- Retrospective Review of Occlusion Treatment for Intermittent Exotropia.. XIIth International Orthoptic Congress, Toronto, Canada..
Other
Preprints
- Patient perspectives on their outcomes from strabismus surgery undertaken for psychosocial reasons, Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
- Paediatric low vision service evaluation: Sheffield teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 1-12. View this article in WRRO
- Research group
-
I have supervised undergraduate research project students and postgraduate research project students on the MMedSci (Vision & Strabismus) course.
Vision and Strabismus MMedSci and Ophthalmology ACP (Paediatrics) MMedSci students supervised to completion:
- Tomos Harding Neale, Southampton, UK.
- Visual field loss and rate of reading in stroke survivors.
- Laura Hardwick, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, UK
- Developing Orthoptic practice in Thyroid Eye Disease
- Kate Hon, King’s College Hospital Trust, UK
- Paediatric quality of life after strabismus surgery
- Emily Walker, Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust, UK
- Charles Bonnet Syndrome
- Hareem Esmail, Newcastle, UK
- The assessment of vision in children with learning difficulties
- Jannicke Roe, Norway.
- The opinions of Scandinavian Orthoptists - treating amblyopia in microtropia.
- Rachel McKevitt, UK.
- Testing visual acuity in children at home.
- Linda Groenveld, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Quality of life after adult strabismus surgery.
- Mahira Sheikh, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK.
- Do the changes in visual acuity in children undergoing amblyopia therapy differ at near and distance?
- Sarah Catherina Wittering, Utrecht, Netherlands.
- Reading at Distance: Does using an Interactive Whiteboard affect reading performance?
- Mohammed Maqsud, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust.
- Study to investigate the incidence and final visual outcomes of children with bilateral refractive amblyopia referred from routine vision screening.
- Deborah Steel, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, UK
- Amblyopia treatment and quality of life: The child's perspective on atropine versus patching.
- Tomos Harding Neale, Southampton, UK.
- Teaching interests
-
My teaching interests are orthoptics, clinical orthoptics, strabismus, ocular motility, eye tracking and low vision.
At undergraduate level I lead modules:
HES115 Anatomy and Physiology (Orthoptics)
HES116 Ocular Anatomy, Physiology and Neuroanatomy
HES340 Ophthalmology
At postgraduate level I lead the module:
HES427 Concomitance and Incomitance in Depth
For clinical examinations (orthoptics and ophthalmology) we invite volunteer patients to take part. If you are interested in taking part in our clinical examinations in the future, please contact the Patients as Educators team to discuss your suitability for our examinations.
- Professional activities and memberships
-
- Member of the British and Irish Orthoptic Society
- Editor in Chief of the British and Irish Orthoptic Journal
- BIOS co-lead: Strabismus and Ocular Motility Clinical Advisory Group
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
- Member of British Isles Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association (BIPOSA)
- BIPOSA membership secretary
- Research advisor for Nystagmus Network (charity)
- Member of the Nystagmus Network UK Research Group (NUKE)
- Member of the International Society of Clinical Eye Tracking (ISCET)
- Member of Women in Vision UK group
I currently practice as an Orthoptist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT. My previous clinical roles have been in Nottingham, Manchester and Cambridge.