PhD Project: The Child Light Exposure, Axial Length and Refraction Study (CLEAR)

Light Exposure Patterns and Ocular Growth Characterising the relationship between environmental light exposure and refractive development The Centre for Eye Research Ireland (CERI) at TU Dublin invites applications for a full-time PhD studentship within CLEAR: The Child Light Exposure, Axial Length and Refraction Study – How Lighting and Sleep Shape Eye Growth and Myopia Risk. CLEAR is an HRB-funded, school-based longitudinal study investigating how children’s 24-hour light exposure, sleep patterns and near-visual demands influence axial eye growth, refractive development and myopia risk. This PhD will focus primarily on how the amount, timing and pattern of children’s personal and classroom light exposure relate to ocular growth and refractive development. The successful candidate will contribute to the characterisation of children’s lighting and near-visual environments using wearable light sensors and objective environmental measurements. The candidate will contribute to all core aspects of CLEAR, including school and participant recruitment, clinical fieldwork, visual and ocular assessments, cycloplegic refraction, ocular biometry, data quality assurance, data stewardship, analysis and dissemination. They will work closely with the second CLEAR PhD researcher, whose project will focus on sleep and circadian pathways linking light exposure with ocular growth. The two students will draw on a shared longitudinal dataset while retaining distinct areas of research emphasis and planned outputs. The precise research questions will be refined with the successful candidate and supervisory team within the overall objectives of CLEAR.

Applicants must: Hold a minimum second-class honours, grade 1 (2.1), degree in optometry. Be registered with CORU as an optometrist. Demonstrate strong clinical, communication, organisational and analytical skills. Be willing to undertake school-based research involving children and complete all required safeguarding and Garda vetting procedures. Be able to work independently and collaboratively within the multidisciplinary CLEAR team. Be willing to work closely with the second CLEAR PhD researcher across recruitment, fieldwork, data collection, data management, analysis and dissemination. Have a strong interest in paediatric eye health, myopia prevention and the effects of light exposure on ocular growth. Be highly motivated, reliable and committed to completing a full-time doctoral research programme. Experience in research, paediatric optometry, ocular biometry, data analysis or scientific writing would be advantageous but is not essential.

Fully Funded Project (scholarship, fees, materials) Funding Agency : Health Research Board (HRB) Student Stipend per annum € 25000 Materials & Travel Budget per annum Approximately €1,000 p.a., with expenditure profiled flexibly across the project. Research materials and consumables are funded separately through the CLEAR project budget. Fees covered by the funding per annum €5500 Duration of Funding 48 months Application Closing Date: 1st September, 2026

www.tudublin.ie/research-innovation/research/discover-our-research/research-centres/centre-for-eye-research-ireland/about/

If you are interested in submitting an application for this project, please complete an Expression of Interest. forms.office.com/e/0hCcrv2Gkp