Lay summary
I am a clinician with a passion for vision science, research, clinical education and microsurgery. I wish to pursue a PhD in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Auckland as a natural part of my career progression and goals. My current research focus is traumatic brain injury (TBI), a leading health issue causing significant disability for New Zealanders of all ages and backgrounds, particularly Māori and Pasifika. There is no technology available to consistently diagnose and monitor recovery for these patients. My proposed study aims to investigate concussion through two key domains: eye movement tracking technology (portable glasses which detect subtle changes in eye movements following injury), and new forms of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences. I will recruit 200 patients and 200 controls from emergency departments, concussion clinics, and rugby clubs during my PhD study.