Lay summary
Janice Yeoman is a practicing optometrist and ocularist advancing her clinical, research and technical skills in the ocular prosthetics field through her doctoral research. Her research experience includes a research-based MSc, and research roles for Professor Steven Dakin on the “The Auckland Optotypes” project and for Dr Keith Pine on prosthetic eye research. Her doctoral project focuses on the scleral shell prosthesis, an increasingly important type of ocular prosthesis used to rehabilitate disfigured eyes. Despite the well-established cosmetic, psychological and quality of life improvements associated with ocular prosthetic rehabilitation, there is minimal evidence-based information about indications for use, wearing, maintenance and fitting practices, and effects on ocular physiology of scleral shells. Her doctoral project aims to address these gaps in the literature and with continued clinical work and education of colleagues, make successful scleral shell wear, with improved ocular health outcomes, available to a wider number of people in Aotearoa.