News

Recent studies in Canada have suggested that approximately 20 per cent of children aged 3 to 6 years have visual problems, such as amblyopia or clinically significant refractive errors. To ensure children have optimal vision for learning, the School of Optometry & Vision Science is partnering with The Cowan Foundation and the Lions Club of Canada. Together, they will develop a coordinated vision plan for the Region of Waterloo Public Health to screen every child in senior kindergarten (SK).

The School of Optometry and Vision Science is celebrating a commitment of $1 million from IRIS, Canada’s most established network of optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists.  

The School of Optometry and Vision Science is excited to announce that from now until October 15, 2023, Dr. Marta Witer and the Ihnatowycz Family Foundation are making a pledge to match all donations made by optometrists across Canada and the US, dollar for dollar - up to $1 million! These gifts will go towards the School of Optometry and Vision Science’s Seeing Beyond 2020 campaign to help fund the Waterloo Eye Institute (WEI).

The School of Optometry & Vision Science is renaming its Centre for Sight Enhancement to celebrate a $1.5 million gift from longtime supporters George (OD ’64, DSc ’19) and Judy Woo. This is the largest donation the School has received in its history.

The University of Waterloo's School of Optometry and Vision Science is announcing a $1 million partnership with the Region of Waterloo, expanding community members' access to world-class eye and vision care through the new Waterloo Eye Institute.

Quantum physicist Christine Muschik and vision scientist Ben Thompson were each named a 2022 University Research Chair at the last University Senate meeting.

Professor Ben Thompson is part of an inter-disciplinary research team that won New Zealand’s 2021 Te Pūiaki Putaiao Matua a Te Pirimia Science Prize, for changing international neonatal hypoglycemia practice. The prize is New Zealand's top award for scientific discoveries that have had a significant economic, health, social and/or environmental impact around the world.

Researchers from vastly different disciplines — quantum physics and vision science — collaborate on new device that may one day prevent vision loss.

Low blood sugar in infancy is serious, but treatment can ward off long-term brain damage in infants, a new study has found.

The study from the University of Waterloo and the University of Auckland is the first research of its kind to declare stabilizing blood sugar levels in newborns with hypoglycemia prevents brain damage.

That morning coffee might be even more helpful than you think.

In the first study of its kind to explore caffeine’s effects on dynamic visual skills, researchers concluded that caffeine increases alertness and detection accuracy for moving targets. Caffeine also improved participants’ reaction times.