Dr Matt J Dunn

Biography

Professional memberships

• GOC registered optometrist
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Member of the College of Optometrists (MCOptom)

Academic positions

2016 – Present	Lecturer, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University
2014 – 2016	Research Associate, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University
2013 – 2015	Teacher, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University
2014 – 2014	Research Associate, Department of Neuroscience, Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board
2013 – 2014	Research Associate, School of Psychology, Cardiff University
2010 – 2013	Clinical supervisor, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University

Speaking engagements

Invited talks

2022	India Vision Institute ResMeet (Hyderabad, India) "Challenges in integrating eyetracking into clinical care"
2022	Hans van der Steen Valedictory Symposium (Rotterdam, Netherlands) "Perception with nystagmus"
2020	Nystagmus Decoded (Madurai, India) – "Eyetracking made simple" (session moderator)
2018	RNIB Wales (Cardiff, UK) – "Understanding infantile nystagmus"
2017	Vision 2017 (The Hague, Netherlands) – “’Time to see’ in infantile nystagmus”
2016	Rank Prize Funds (Grasmere, UK) – “Visual perception in the presence of nystagmus”
2016	Oxford, Bristol, Cardiff & Southampton Alliance in Vision Research (Cardiff, UK) – “Seeing with nystagmus”
2016	100% Optical (London, UK) – “A clinician’s guide to nystagmus”
2015	Midland Peripatetic Group for Teachers of the Visually Impaired (Birmingham, UK) – "Seeing with nystagmus"
2015	LV Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad, India) – "Visual perception in infantile nystagmus"
2015	University of California (Berkeley, California, US) – "Visual perception in infantile nystagmus"
2015	University of Houston (Houston, Texas, US) – "Visual perception in infantile nystagmus"
2015	Orthoptics Decoded (Madurai, India) – "Orthoptic treatments for nystagmus" (session moderator) / "Supranuclear gaze palsies"
2015	Nystagmus Network International Research Workshop (New Orleans, Louisiana, US) – "Visual timing in infantile nystagmus"
2015	ARVO Annual Meeting (Denver, Colorado, US) – "Visual processing in infantile nystagmus is not slow"
2013	Nystagmus Network International Research Workshop (Abingdon, UK) – "Appropriate measures of visual performance in infantile nystagmus: Acuity is not enough"
2013	European Conference on Eye Movements (Lund, Sweden) – "Involuntary saccade initiation is related to the timing of voluntary saccades in infantile nystagmus"
2013	ARVO Annual Meeting (Seattle, Washington, US) – "Visual acuity in infantile nystagmus in the absence of image motion"

Public engagement and media appearances

I am registered as a STEMnet ambassador, and provide public talks on vision science and perception.

2019	Public lecture (Unearthed Festival, UK) – "What we miss: The neuroscience of perception"
2018	Radio interview (BBC Good Morning Wales) – The importance of early sight tests
2018	Public lecture (Sunday Assembly, Bristol, UK) – “What we miss”
2017	Public lecture (Green Gathering, UK) – "Perception, illusions and visual neuroscience"
2016	Public lecture (Tintern Philosophy Circle, UK), – "How much can we know from our senses?"
2016	Public lectures (Boomtown Fair & Green Gathering, UK) – “How experience shapes perception: perspectives from visual neuroscience”
2015	TV news article (BBC Points West) – Mobility and vision in patients following stroke
2015	TV news article (BBC Wales Today) – Using virtual reality to understand visual guidance of walking
2015	Public lecture (Green Gathering, UK) – "Neuroscience of visual perception"
2014	Public lecture (Sunrise Festival, UK) – "Psychophysics and perception"

Committees and reviewing

Journal reviewer for:

• Behavior Research Methods
• Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science
• Frontiers in Psychology
• Journal of Ophthalmology
• PLOS One
• Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience
• Vision Research
• Eye
• Current Eye Research
• Clinical Ophthalmology
• Acta Psychologica
• Therapeutic Advances in Rare Disease
• Optometry and Vision Science
• Strabismus
• Journal of Eye Movement Research
• Optometry in Practice

Grant reviewer for:

• Medical Research Council
• Macular Society
• Nystagmus Network

Publications

We are currently unable to retrieve the list of publications. Visit our institutional repository.

Teaching

I deliver the Perception lecture series and run orthoptics teaching clinics. I am recognised as a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Modules currently taught

OP2206	Perception
OP3207	Research in Optometry and Vision Science
OP3103	Binocular Vision (clinic lead)
OPT006	Paediatric Ophthalmology
OPT007	Eye Care for People with Learning Disabilities

Modules previously taught

OP3205	Occupational Optometry, Law and Business (module leader)
OP3104	Abnormal Ocular Conditions
OP0205	Introductory Optometry
OP2206	Colour Vision and Perception (module leader)
OP3106 & OP2207	Visual Perception (module leader)
OP2201	Clinical Studies and Dispensing
OP2104	Binocular Vision
OP3103	Primary Eye Care
OP2103	Investigative Techniques
Doctoral Academy	MATLAB programming

Funding (external only)

2020	JT Erichsen, L McIlreavy, MJ Dunn, JM Woodhouse. Development of an eye tracking system for assessment in the home. Nystagmus Network	£4000
2020	MJ Dunn (PI), Teufel C. Investigating a plausible mechanism underlying hallucinations in Charles Bonnet Syndrome. Fight for Sight / Welsh Government	£14,034
2020	JT Erichsen, R Wise, MJ Dunn, L McIlreavy. Infantile nystagmus: exploring the causes and establishing better measures of visual performance. College of Optometrists	£60,000
2018	MJ Dunn (PI) [Fellowship]. The role of attention in peripheral vision. College of Optometrists	£28,727
2018	MJ Dunn (PI), Shawkat F, Self J. Improving VEP diagnostics in people with nystagmus. Nystagmus Network / Fight for Sight	£6201
2017	N Thomas, MJ Dunn, J Acton, JT Erichsen. Additional clinical testing for retinal predictors of visual performance in nystagmus. Nystagmus Network	£1387
2016	PL Clatworthy, SK Rushton, MJ Dunn. The effect of visual cognitive impairment due to cerebrovascular disease on walking. North Bristol Trust	£8510
2016	MJ Dunn (PI), JH Acton, JT Erichsen. Retinal predictors of visual performance in infantile nystagmus. College of Optometrists	£55,827
2014	MJ Dunn (PI). Understanding binocular vision in infantile nystagmus. College of Optometrists	£19,573
2014	MJ Dunn (PI) & JT Erichsen. Establishing clinical measures of temporal visual function in infantile nystagmus. Nystagmus Network	£14,552
2013	MJ Dunn (PI) & JT Erichsen. Nystagmus analysis software development grant, Nystagmus Network	£1500

Supervision

If you are interested in pursuing a PhD with me, please get in touch or click here for more information.

Current supervision

Past projects

• Dr Mason Wells (co-lead supervisor; 2022) Cinematic scanning: using movie watching fMRI to investigate the function and organisation of the visual brain
• Dr Nikita Thomas (lead supervisor; 2021) Development of a novel gaze-contingent perimeter and assessment of retinal structure in infantile nystagmus