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Affiliated Researchers

optometric equipment

The researchers featured in this section are adjunct faculty at the College who bring their expertise to the classroom. They also make their laboratories available to students interested in their research.

Alex Bowers, Adjunct Professor of Optometry

PhD in Vision Rehabilitation Research, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland
email: alex_bowers@meei.harvard.edu
phone: 617-912-2512
Major Affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Areas of Interest

Our research encompasses three main areas: (1) Evaluating the effects of vision impairment on driving skills and behaviors; (2) Investigating the relationship between driving performance and novel tests of vision and attention to determine which tests have the greatest potential for identifying at-risk drivers; and (3) Evaluating the benefits of optical devices to assist visually impaired people when driving and walking.

Haiyan Gong, Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology

PhD (1991), Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine; MD (1977), Medicine, Jiangxi Medical College; MS (1982), Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College
email: hgong@bu.edu
Major Affiliation: Boston University School of Medicine

Areas of Interest: Mechanisms of Glaucoma, Treatment Strategies
Funding: National Institutes of Health, BrightFocus Foundation

Select Recent Publications

  • Cha EDK, Xu J and Gong H: Variations in active outflow along the trabecular outflow pathway. Exp. Eye Res. January 2016. PMID:26775054
  • Swain DL, Ho J, Lai J, Gong H: Shorter scleral spur in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 56:1638-1648, 2015. PMID: 25670488
  • Yang C-Y, Huynh T, Johnson M and Gong H: Endothelial glycocalyx layer in the aqueous outflow pathway of bovine and human Eyes. Exp Eye Res, 128:27-33, 2014. PMID: 25217864

Book Chapters

  • Gong H and Francis A: Schlemm’s Canal and Collector Channels as Therapeutic Targets. In Innovations in Glaucoma Surgery, Samples JR and Ahmed I eds. Chapter 1, page 3-25, Springer New York, 2014
  • Gong H and Swain DL: The histopathological changes in the trabecular outflow pathway and their possible effects on aqueous outflow in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma. In Glaucoma Research and Clinical Advances 2016-2018, Chapter 2, p17-40, Publisher: Kugler, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.  Editors: Knepper P and Samples J, Feb, 2016

Eli Peli, Adjunct Professor of Optometry

OD (1983), New England College of Optometry MSc (1978), Biomedical Engineering, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology
email: eli@vision.eri.harvard.edu
Major Affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School

Areas of Interest: Image Enhancement, Text Reading, Contrast Perception
Funding: Multiple grants from the National Eye Institute

Select Publications:

  • Luo G, Woods RL, Peli E. Collision judgment when using an augmented-vision head-mounted display device. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 50(9):4509-4515 (2009). 
  • Peli E, Woods RL. Image enhancement for impaired vision: the challenge of evaluation. International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools, 18(3):415-438 (2009). 
  • Peli E, Vargas-Martin F. In-the-spectacle-lens telescopic device. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 13:034027 (2008).