Dr Julie-Anne Little
Lecturer in Optometry
- Dr Julie-Anne Little
Position:
- Lecturer in Optometry
Location: Coleraine campus
Research Interests
Dr Little’s research interests include the developing visual system and the impact of intellectual disability on vision. She is also interested in how the structure of the eye impacts on functional vision. She is part of the Paediatric Vision Research team testing the vision of children with and without special educational needs and complex visual problems.
Further to her research at the University of Ulster, she also an honorary contract as a research optometrist at the Royal Group of Hospitals Belfast. She is a member of the Vision Science Translational Research Group, and also a member of the Biomedical Science Research ethics filter committee.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
Dr. Little graduated in optometry from the University of Ulster in 2002. She undertook her pre-registration year in the Eye department of Arrowe Park Hospital, Cheshire and registered as an Optometrist with the General Optical Council in 2003. She then returned to the University of Ulster for post-graduate study concerning Visual loss in Down syndrome and graduated in 2007 with a PhD in Vision science. She has recently acheived a certificate in professional and development from the University of Ulster in Life & Health Sciences and has a post-graduate certificate in higher Education from the University of Ulster.
Julie-Anne is a member of the College of Optometrists and represents Northern Ireland as a Councillor for the Association of Optometrists.
Dr. Little was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Ulster in January 2007.
Collaborations
Julie-Anne has collaborative links with researchers and clinicians. These include Prof. Rowan Candy (Indiana University, Bloomington, USA), Dr Claire Lundy (Paediatric Neurologist, Belfast Trust), Prof. Jonathan Jackson (College of Optometry, Melbourne, Australia), Jennifer Lindsay (Principal Optometrist, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast), Dr. Maggie Woodhouse (Optometry and Vision Science, Cardiff University), Dr Karen Glivray (Ophthalmologist, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast), and Dr Ursula Donnelly (Ophthalmologist, Southern Trust, Newry).
Recent Publications
Little J-A, McCullough SJ, McClelland JF, Jackson AJ and Saunders KJ. (2013) ’Low Contrast Acuity Measurement: Does it add value in the visual assessment of Down syndrome and Cerebral palsy populations?’ Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Jan 9; 54(1):251-7. doi: 10.1167/iovs.12-10506.
McCullough, S.J., Little, J-A., Saunders, K.J. (2013) ’Higher Order Aberrations in children with Down Syndrome.’ Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Jan 29; doi: 10.1167/iovs.12-10597
Little J-A, Molloy J and Saunders KJ (2012) ’The differing impact of induced astigmatic blur on crowded and uncrowded paediatrci visual acuity chart results.’ Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. Nov; 32(6):492-500. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2012.00939.x. Epub 2012 Sep 26
Saunders KJ, Little J-A, McClelland JF, Jackson AJJ. (2010) ’Profile of Refractive Errors in Cerebral Palsy (CP): impact of severity of motor impairment (GMFCS) and CP subtype on refractive outcome.’ Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Jun;51(6):2885-90. doi: 10.1167/iovs.09-4670. Epub 2010 Jan 27
Little J-A, Woodhouse JM, Saunders KJ. (2009) ’Corneal power and Astigmatism in Down syndrome.’ Optometry and Vision Science. Jun;86(6):748-54
Little J-A, Woodhouse JM, Lauritzen JS, Saunders KJ. (2008) ’Vernier Acuity in Down syndrome.’. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Feb;50(2):567-72
Little J-A, Woodhouse JM, Lauritzen JS, Saunders KJ. (2007) The impact of optical factors on resolution acuity in children with Down syndrome. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. Sept; 48(9):3995-4001.
Professional Publications
Little, J-A What can this child see? Special Educational Needs Journal
Saunders KJ, Little J-A and Woodhouse JM Paediatric Eye Care European Council of Optometry & Optics Invited Position Paper, 2011
Little J-A Visual loss in Northern Ireland: the picture in 2009. Report for the RNIB, 2009
Presentations at Conferences
- Little J-A., Molloy, J & Saunders KJ (2012) Paediatric Visual Acuity Tests: their Sensitivity to Astigmatic Blur Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science ARVO E-Abstract, May 2012
- McCullough, S.J., Little, J-A., Saunders, K.J. (2012) Optical Quality Measures of Higher Order Aberrations and their relation to visual function in children with Down Syndrome. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science ARVO E-Abstract, May 2012
- June 2011: Child Vision Research Society, the Netherlands Little, J-A., McCullough, S., McClelland, J.F., Jackson, A.J. and Saunders, K.J. (2011) Low Contrast Acuity measurements in Down syndrome & Cerebral Palsy.
- June 2011: Child Vision Research Society, the Netherlands McCullough, S.J., Little, J-A., Saunders, K.J. (2011) High and Low Contrast Lea Acuity: Age Norms for School-age Children.
- May 2011: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale McCullough, S.J., Little, J-A., Saunders, K.J. (2011) Anomalous Wavefront Aberrations Reduce Optical Quality In Down Syndrome. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science ARVO E-Abstract
- March 2011: Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics Research Symposium Abstracts, College of Optometrists and British Congress for Optometry and Vision Sciences, Liverpool McCullough, S.J., Little, J-A., Saunders, K.J. Higher order ocular aberrations in children with Down syndrome.
- June 2009: Child Vision Research Society, Cardiff Little J-A, Woodhouse J.M., Saunders K.J. The relation between corneal power and astigmatism in Down syndrome.
- May 2009: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale Little J-A, McClelland, J.F., Saunders, K.J., Jackson, A.J. The Relationship between Axial Length, Refractive Error and Corneal Curvature in children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy.
- March 2009 British Congress of Optometry & Vision Science, Brighton, Little J-A, McClelland, J.F., Saunders, K.J., Jackson, A.J. Refractive error and axial length in children and young adults with Cerebral palsy.
- July 2008: Vision 2008, Montreal Little J-A, McClelland, J.F., Saunders, K.J., Jackson, A.J. Measures of low contrast acuity in children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy. Invited to speak in ‘The Next Generation’ session.
- February 2008: Eastern European Optometric Education Conference, Brno Little J-A. Invited speaker: ‘The Paediatric Eye Examination’.
- November 2007: Vision RRG conference, Ballymena Little J-A, Woodhouse J.M., Saunders K.J. & Lauritzen J.S. Resolution visual acuity in Down syndrome: Optical quality implicated in poor visual performance.
- September 2007: British Congress of Optometry & Vision Science Little J-A, Woodhouse J.M., Saunders K.J. & Lauritzen J.S. Optical quality is implicated in the poor visual performance in Down syndrome: Comparing different measurements of visual acuity.
- June 2007: Child Vision Research Society. Little, J-A., Lauritzen, J.S., Woodhouse J.M. & Saunders, K.J. (2007) Resolution visual acuity in Down syndrome: Optical quality implicated in poor visual performance.
- August 2006: European Conference of Visual Perception Little, J-A., Lauritzen, J.S., Woodhouse, J.M., & Saunders, K.J. (2006) Investigating poor visual performance in children with Down syndrome, Perception 35 supp, 95 Lauritzen, J.S., Little, J-A. (2006) Responses of model V1 neurons to contrast stimuli with phase offsets: An evaluation of different tuning models for non-specific suppression, Perception 35 supp, 55
- April 2006: Northern Ireland Optometric Society conference Presentation of CET lecture concerning visual problems in Down syndrome
Teaching and learning Activities
Module co-ordinator for Dispensing Practice in the undergraduate Optometry course.
Lectures in General Examination Techniques, Ocular Disease, Ocular Pharmacology
Teaches, supervises and formally assesses undergraduate students in the general and paediatric clinic.
Supervises undergraduate final year research projects.
Locum optometrist in private practice.
Hospital Optometrist in Paediatric Low vision/Contact lens clinic.
External Professional Commitments
2009 - current: External Examiner at Canterbury Christ Church University
2008 - current: Reviewer for Journal ’Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics’
2006 - current: European Council of Optometry & Optics (ECOO) AOP representative
2006 - current: World Council of Optometry (WCO) AOP representative
2006 - current: Committee Member of Optometry NI
2006 - 2009: Committee Member of Optometry Giving Sight
2005 - current: AOP councillor for Northern Ireland
Postgraduate Students
Pamela Anketell: PhD entitled ’Visual function in Autism Spectrum Disorder; developing an evidence base for the eye care professions’
Lesley Doyle: PhD entitled ’Down syndrome in focus: Exploring accommodative dysfunction in the DS eye with a view to improving visual therapy and outcome’
Previous Doctoral Students
Sara McCullough: PhD 2011 - ’Ocular aberrations in Down syndrome’
Research Grants
Feb 2010: HSC R&D grant for Doctoral Fellowship scheme. (£163,135)
Jun 2009: College of Optometrists Summer Scholarship. (£1,550)
Nov 2008: Higher Education Innovation Fund, A Pilot Reading difficulties clinic at the University of Ulster (£3,000)
Apr 2008: Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) post-graduate 3 year studentship. (£38,000)
Dr Julie-Anne Little
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Dr Julie-Anne Little |
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Room G169 |
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Email: ja.little@ulster.ac.uk
