Dr Matt J Dunn
Lecturer, Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research
School of Optometry and Vision Sciences
- dunnmj1@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44(0)29 208 70576
- Room 2.12, Optometry and Vision Sciences, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
- Media commentator
- Available for postgraduate supervision
My principal research interests are in disorders of visual perception, oculomotor neurophysiology, and experimental psychophysics. I have a particular focus on understanding the neuropsychology underpinning perceptual experience in infantile nystagmus. Much of my work involves eye and/or body tracking, combining new technologies with classical psychophysical methods to understand the complex relationship between perception and action. I am an optometrist, and typically recruit patients with orthoptic or perceptual disorders to better understand visual physiology. I am also the author of the popular ophthalmology e-textbook Dunn Vision Reference.
If you have a neurological visual disorder and are interested in taking part in research, please click here for more information.
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: 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
- 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.
- 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:
- Journal of Ophthalmology
- Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience
- Behavior Research Methods
- Clinical Ophthalmology
- Optometry and Vision Science
- Strabismus
- Journal of Eye Movement Research
Grant reviewer for:
- Medical Research Council
- Nystagmus Network
2020
- Self, J. E.et al. 2020. Management of nystagmus in children: A review of the literature and current practice in UK specialist services. Eye (10.1038/s41433-019-0741-3)
2019
- Dunn, M.et al. 2019. An automated segmentation approach to calibrating infantile nystagmus waveforms. Behavior Research Methods 51(5), pp. 2074-2084. (10.3758/s13428-018-1178-5)
- Clark, R.et al. 2019. The potential and value of objective eye tracking in the ophthalmology clinic. Eye 33, pp. 1200-1202. (10.1038/s41433-019-0417-z)
- Wells, M.et al. 2019. Residual visual function in cortical vision loss. Optometry Today 59(3), pp. 62-65.
- Huang, J.et al. 2019. An augmented reality sign-reading assistant for users with reduced vision. PLoS ONE 14(1), article number: e0210630. (10.1371/journal.pone.0210630)
- Bowden, J., Whitaker, D. and Dunn, M. 2019. The role of peripheral vision in the flashed face distortion effect. Perception 48(1), pp. 93-101. (10.1177/0301006618817419)
2018
- Dunn, M. and Rushton, S. 2018. Lateral visual occlusion does not change walking trajectories. Journal of Vision 18(11), pp. 1-16. (10.1167/18.9.11)
- Kinateder, M.et al. 2018. Using an augmented reality device as a distance-based vision aid - promise and limitations. Optometry and Vision Science 95(9), pp. 727-737. (10.1097/OPX.0000000000001232)
- Robinson, D.et al. 2018. Low-level night-time light-therapy for age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 59(11), pp. 4531-4541. (10.1167/iovs.18-24284)
2017
- Dunn, M. 2017. Disorders of perception. Optometry Today 57(11), pp. 64-69.
- Binti Ahmad Zahidi, A.et al. 2017. Infantile nystagmus: an optometrist's perspective. Clinical Optometry 9, pp. 123-131. (10.2147/OPTO.S126214)
- Dunn, M.et al. 2017. The effect of gaze angle on visual acuity in infantile nystagmus. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 58(1), pp. 642-650. (10.1167/iovs.16-20370)
2016
- Dunn, M. 2016. Visual perception in infantile nystagmus. Optometry in Practice 17(1), pp. 19-26.
- Dunn, M. 2016. Clinical assessment of nystagmus. Optometry Today 56(7), pp. 80-85.
- Dunn, M. and Lee, H. 2016. Management of nystagmus. Optometry Today 56(8), pp. 64-68.
2015
- Dunn, M.et al. 2015. Visual processing in infantile nystagmus is not slow. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 56(9), pp. 5094-5101. (10.1167/iovs.15-16977)
- Harrison, J. J.et al. 2015. Quick phases of infantile nystagmus show the saccadic inhibition effect. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 56, pp. 1594-1600. (10.1167/iovs.14-15655)
2014
- Dunn, M.et al. 2014. Author response: grating visual acuity in infantile nystagmus in the absence of image motion. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 55(8), pp. 4955-4957. (10.1167/iovs.14-15070)
- Dunn, M.et al. 2014. Grating visual acuity in infantile nystagmus in the absence of image motion. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 55(4), pp. 2682-2686. (10.1167/iovs.13-13455)
- Dunn, M. 2014. Quantifying perception and oculomotor instability in infantile nystagmus. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
I teach clinical optometry and orthoptics, and have previously delivered the Visual Perception lecture series at Cardiff University. I am recognised as a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Modules currently taught
- OP3205 – Occupational Optometry, Law and Business (module leader)
- OP3104 – Abnormal Ocular Conditions
- OP3103 – Binocular Vision (clinic lead)
- OP0205 – Introductory Optometry
- OP3207 – Research Project (supervisor)
- OPT006 – Paediatric Ophthalmology
- OPT007 – Eye Care for People with Learning Disabilities
Modules previously taught
- OP2206 – Colour Vision and Perception (module leader)
- OP3106 & OP2207 – Visual Perception (module leader)
- OP2104 – Binocular Vision
- OP3101 – Primary Eye Care
- OP2103 – Investigative Techniques
- MATLAB programming (staff & postgraduate training course)
Current PhD students (with anticipated completion year)
- 2020: Mason Wells (lead supervisor) – Mapping residual visual function in hemianopia
- 2019: Nikita Thomas (lead supervisor) – Retinal predictors of visual performance in infantile nystagmus
- 2019: James Brawn – Evaluating eye movements as biomarkers for monitoring the progression of Huntington's Disease to facilitate early intervention and clinical management
Funding (External)
- 2018: MJ Dunn (PI). 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
If you are interested in pursuing a PhD with me, please get in touch or click here for more information.
