María Viñas awarded 2019-2020 EYRA Popular Prize

Dr. María Viñas, postdoctoral fellow at the Visual Optics and Biophotonics Lab (IO, CSIC), received this year’s European Young Researchers’ Award (EYRA) Popular Prize in Postdoc category in a virtual ceremony that took place on September 5. During the EuroScience Open Forum 2020 in Trieste, the EYRA Ceremony could be followed by an open access live streaming by the audience. All participants voted online for the winner in each category of the EYRA Popular Prize after presentations by the six finalists.

The EYRA is granted since 2010 to PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers demonstrating outstanding research performance and leadership. The research must have a clear European dimension, either because it is embedded in a collaboration of researchers in different European countries or it is a research project in one country that addresses a research topic of European added value. The research should be of demonstrably excellent quality, serve as an inspiration to others, and reach out to wider audiences.

More information about the award ceremony here.

Optical and Visual Quality With Physical and Visually Simulated Presbyopic Multifocal Contact Lenses published in TVST

As multifocal contact lenses (MCLs) expand as a solution for presbyopia correction, a better understanding of their performance becomes essential. Also, providing subjects with the experience of multifocal vision before contact lens fitting becomes critical. In this study, we evaluated the ability of a simultaneous vision visual simulator (SimVis), developed by CSIC spin-off company 2EyesVision, to represent MCLs. Through focus (TF) optical and visual quality with a center-near aspheric MCL were measured using a multichannel polychromatic Adaptive Optics visual simulator equipped with double-pass, SimVis (temporal multiplexing), and psychophysical channels to allow measurements on-bench and in vivo. The article published in TVST shows that simultaneous visual simulators allow subjects to experience multifocal vision non-invasively. We demonstrated equivalency between real multifocal contact lenses and SimVis-simulated lenses, suggesting that SimVis is a suitable technique to aid selection of presbyopic corrections in the contactology practice.

Full reference: Maria Vinas, Sara Aissati, Ana Maria Gonzalez-Ramos, Mercedes Romero, Lucie Sawides, Vyas Akondi, Enrique Gambra, Carlos Dorronsoro, Thomas Karkkainen, Derek Nankivil, Susana Marcos. “Optical and Visual Quality With Physical and Visually Simulated Presbyopic Multifocal Contact Lenses”. Trans. Vis. Sci. Tech. 9(10):20 (2020)

Full article here

Eigenlenses: a new model for full crystalline lens shape representation published in Biomedical Optics Express

The shape of the crystalline lens experiences significant changes throughout life, but is usually studied only in the optical area (central 4 to 6 mm). In this study we propose a new method for the representation of the full shape of the crystalline lens, constructed from 3D OCT images of isolated crystalline lenses, which we have called eigenlenses. The method is shown to be compact and accurate to describe not only the full shape of the crystalline lens, but also the optical zone in comparison with other methods. We also demonstrate its application to the extrapolation of the full shape of the crystalline lens from in-vivo optical images of the anterior segment of the eye and in the generation (synthesis) of realistic full lenses of a given age. The method has critical applications, among others, in improving and evaluating myopia and presbyopia treatments.

Full reference: Eduardo Martinez-Enriquez, Alberto de Castro, and Susana Marcos, “Eigenlenses: a new model for full crystalline lens shape representation and its applications” Biomed. Opt. Express 11, 5633-5649 (2020)

Full article here

New in the lab: Alejandra Varea

Alejandra Varea, BSc in Optics and Optometry by the University of Zargoza, has recently joined VioBio Lab within the framework of the H2020-ICT-2017 IMCUSTOMEYE project. 

Alejandra holds an MSc in Optical and Image Technologies by Universidad Complutense de Madrid and she carried out her Master Thesis Project in VioBio Lab. She is currently working on the development of experimental systems based on OCT, the implementation of research studies with keratoconus patients using self-developed and optometric instrumentation, and the analysis of experimental data on corneal biomechanics. 

 

New in the lab: Eduardo Esteban

We welcome Eduardo Esteban (BSc in Optics and Optometry from the University of Zaragoza) who is joining VioBio Lab (CSIC) under the Comunidad de Madrid Youth Guarantee Program (YEI).

Eduardo holds a MSc in Advanced Optometry and Vision Sciences (University of Valencia). He has previous experience in two research groups: Diffractive Optics Group (DiOG, University of Valencia) and Vision, Image and Neurodevelopment Research Group (IISA), where he conducted research on visual simulators based on adaptive optics and development of devices to assess visual function in children using eye-tracking technology, respectively.

He is currently working on a new method of subjective refraction using optotunable lenses and psychophysical techniques.