Samrat Sarkar

Research Title:  Role of near vision behaviour in the myopia progression in children

Supervisor: Associate Professor Sieu Khuu (Primary); Dr Pauline Kang (Joint)UNSW, Sydney

Co-supervisors: Associate Professor Fuensanta Vera-Diaz New England College of Optometry, Boston, MA

Research

Myopia is recognised as a global public health burden and due to the risk of developing various sight-threatening conditions in later life, controlling myopia progression in children is necessary. Optical and pharmacological interventions are available to control myopia progression in children, but they are not deemed completely efficacy. This suggests that there might be other environmental risk factors that influence treatment efficacy. An environmental risk factor identified by many previous studies but is not well understood is near vision behaviour (NVB). To date, no study has investigated real-time NVB in myopic children while undergoing myopia control treatment. Therefore, the aim of my research is to compare habitual NVB between myopic and emmetropic children and to quantify habitual NVB in myopic children undergoing myopia control treatment.

Biography

Samrat graduated with a Bachelor of Optometry degree from West Bengal University of Technology, India in 2006 and a Master of Applied Science (Research) degree from the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology in 2017. After working in both clinical and research sectors in prestigious eye hospitals in India, he enrolled in PhD in the SOVS, UNSW in 2021. Currently, he is undertaking a PhD research project in the area of childhood myopia control. Besides PhD, he is also working part-time as a research associate in the Research in Orthokeratology laboratory on multiple research projects related to myopia control.

Education

2017 – Master of Applied Science (Research), School of Optometry and Vision Science,  Queensland University of Technology

2006 – Bachelor of Optometry, West Bengal University of Technology

Conference Attendance

International Cornea & Contact Lens Congress (ICCLC) 2022, Sydney 15^th – 17^th October 2022

Awards

• Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia (CCLSA) - Dorothy Carlborg Research Award (2022)
• University International Postgraduate Research Award from the University of New South Wales (September 2021 to March 2025)
• Queensland University of Technology Postgraduate Research Award and Higher Degree Research Tuition fees waiver award (March 2015 – September 2016)

Affiliations and Memberships

• Optometry NSW/ACT (Student member)
• American Academy of Optometry (Student member)
• Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia (CCLSA) (Student member)
• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (Member in training)