Fuensanta A. Vera-Diaz, OD, PhD, FAAO, FARVO
- Professor of Optometry
- Director of Research
- Attending Optometrist, NECO Center for Eye Care, Commonwealth
Credentials
FARVO, Silver Fellow, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
FAAO, Fellow, American Academy of Optometry
OD, New England College of Optometry
PhD, Optometry, University of Bradford, United Kingdom
Areas of Expertise
Professional Honors & Awards
- 2024 Silver Fellow, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
- 2024-2025 Research Award “Ayudas a la Realización de Estancias de Investigadores Visitantes en Universidades y OPI’s de la Región de Murcia”, Spain
- 2023 Alumni Ilustre, Universidad de Murcia, Spain
- 2022 NECO Dupuis-Pellerin Award for Faculty Excellence for best contribution to the advancement of the College, its education mission, or the profession of optometry
- 2017-2019 American Academy of Optometry Research Career Development Grant. Peripheral and Binocular Retinal
Signals in Human Myopia. PI: Vera-Diaz - 2014-2015 Clinical Preceptor of the Year. First Year Clinical Program. NECO
- 2014-2015 ASCO Educational Starter Grant. Enhanced Clinical Readiness for Optometry Students Entering Second Year”. Co-PIs: Vera-Diaz, Johnson
- 2011-2014 NIH Loan Repayment Program Award
- 2011 Fellow, American Academy of Optometry
- 2007-2008 The Alice J. Adler Fellowship (an Eleanor and Miles Shore 50th Anniversary Fellowship for Scholars in Medicine), Harvard Medical School
Practice Locations
Myopia Control Clinic at NECO Center for Eye Care, Commonwealth
Professional Memberships
American Academy of Optometry (AAO), Fellow, USA
American Optometric Association (AOA), USA
Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology (ARVO), Silver Fellow, USA
Massachusetts Society of Optometrists (MSO), USA
Vision Sciences Society (VSS), USA
Research Involvement
Dr. Vera-Diaz is an expert in myopia, from both the scientific and clinical perspective. She received a PhD in Optometry from the University of Bradford, UK, for her work investigating optical and neural factors in myopia. She then undertook a postdoctoral research position at NECO and a research fellowship at Schepens Eye Research Institute at Harvard Medical School. At NECO, Dr. Vera-Diaz has developed a successful research program (link below), funded by the NIH. She investigates mechanisms contributing to the development of myopia, specifically, optical, retinal and visual processing structures and functions of the human visual system. Dr. Vera-Diaz serves as a member of NIH study panel sections, associate editor of the journal Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, and a reviewer for multiple journals, among many other service activities.
Publications & Presentations
Dr. Vera-Diaz has a strong publication record, with many peer-reviewed publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals related to myopia and several book chapters. She serves as a reviewer for multiple vision science journals, including IOVS, and is a reviewer in NIH special emphasis study panel sections.
Publications
Editorial Boards
2022-Present Associate Editor, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, UK
2023-2025 Topic Editor, Frontiers in Medicine Ophthalmology, Belgium
Regular ad-hoc reviewer for:
- Optometry and Vision Science
- Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
- Current Eye Research
- Vision Research
- Journal of Vision
- Journal of Optometry
- Clinical and Experimental Optometry
- Clinical Ophthalmology
- Contact Lens and Anterior Eye
- Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology