PhD Studentship within the Centre for Applied Vision Research

Application closing date: 28 June 2024

Short listed candidates informed: w/c 15 July 24

Interview Dates: w/c 29 July 2024

Offers made: early August 2024

PhD Start Date: October 2024

Project Background

The project will investigate the coping strategies and health-related quality of life for those living with the eye condition nystagmus, with the goal to develop a self-care intervention. 

Nystagmus is an eye disorder that results in involuntary, rhythmic movements of the eyes. It can occur in early childhood (infantile) or be acquired subsequent to neurological or vestibular disease (latent). Both forms have a combined prevalence estimated at 24 per 10,000 of the population. There is no known cure and treatment usually involves careful investigation for any underlying cause, optimising visual acuity with spectacles or contact lenses, correcting squint or abnormal head posture with prisms or surgery (if appropriate) and support for patients and carers. 

The limited treatment options, and the visual deficit caused by the condition, have psycho-social consequences (e.g. poor social function; negative life experiences) for those living with nystagmus. Current research has shown that support for those with nystagmus, largely provided by social media and charities, is variable, and that these support mechanisms can themselves have negative impacts. Therefore, further research is required into the psychological impact of the condition and the treatments available for it.

The overarching aim of this project is to improve the lived experience of those with nystagmus. 

The specific aims are:

• To evaluate the impact of resilience (self-efficacy, optimism, self-esteem, coping strategies) on health-related quality of life in nystagmus
• To evaluate the resources available to those with nystagmus
• To develop and pilot a resilience intervention for those with nystagmus

(For an informal conversation about the projects, please contact Professor Chris Hull on c.c.hull@city.ac.uk)

Funding

Students will receive a maintenance grant that is aligned with the UKRI rate (including London weighting), currently £20,622 per annum, and home tuition fees. Overseas students who are successful will have to meet the difference between the home fee, included in the funding, and the overseas fee.

General requirements

The studentship will be awarded on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and potential to produce cutting edge-research.

How to apply

Applicants are required to submit their application online by clicking the 'Apply' link, above.

Applicants will submit a personal statement accompanied by a current CV. The personal statement should address why you wish to pursue doctoral study, what attracted you to the particular project, and what skills you believe you have that will help you successfully complete a doctoral degree. Please click on the link to apply and ignore the request to provide a 1-2 page research proposal. 

Please apply under the visual science route. You must follow the criteria and process outlined here and not the generic criteria on the application page because the project is already broadly prescribed.

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