Leon Davies is Professor of Optometry & Physiological Optics at Aston University, and serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees and Immediate Past President of The College of Optometrists.

He graduated with a First-Class Honours in Optometry (BSc) and earned a PhD in Physiological Optics. Professor Davies is a General Optical Council (GOC) registered optometrist, a Liveryman and Senior Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, and holds Fellowships with the College of Optometrists (FCOptom), the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), and the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). His editorial contributions include serving as Clinical Editor of Optometry Today and Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal Optometry in Practice. In 2022, he was recognised with an Honorary Professorship at the University of Bradford.

Professor Davies’s contributions to education extend internationally through quality assurance and assessment roles, including external examiner tenures for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at institutions in Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Plymouth and Singapore. Leadership roles at Aston University include Director of Research of the Optometry and Vision Science Research Group (2010-2017) and Head/ Dean of the School of Optometry (2016-2021 & 2024). Since 2015, he has been an integral part of the College of Optometrists, serving as a Council Member, Board Trustee, Chair of the Research Committee (2016–2020), Vice President (2020–2022), President (2022–2024), and from April 2024, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

An experienced researcher, Professor Davies has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and secured over £3 million in funding from UKRI, the EU, charitable organisations, and multinational corporations. His research, which focuses on presbyopia and restoring ocular accommodation to ageing eyes, is widely recognised for its impact. He has successfully supervised 17 PhD and professional doctorate candidates, mentored 14 postdoctoral researchers, and acted as an external examiner for theses in Australia, Hong Kong, Spain, and the UK.

Professor Davies's achievements have been recognised with numerous awards, including the College of Optometrists Research Fellowship Award (2008) and the inaugural Neil Charman Medal for research excellence in optometry, optics, and vision science (2010).

• Presbyopia
• Ocular accommodation
• Myopia
• Ocular biometry
• Ophthalmic instrumentation

• Thematic Leader: Delivery of Care (Years 1 to 4, MOptom)
• Module leader: Ageing Eye Management (DOptom/ DOphSc; OP4AEM)
• Pre-clinical session leader: Posterior Eye and General Ophthalmology (Year 1, MOptom)
• Lecturer: Assessment and Management theme (Year 1, MOptom)
• Lecturer: Anterior Eye theme (Year 2, MOptom)
• Supervisor: Elective Studies (Year 3, MOptom)

• 2017 to date: Professor of Optometry & Physiological Optics, Aston University
• 2024: Dean, School of Optometry, Aston University
• 2018 to 2022: Editor-in-Chief, Optometry in Practice
• 2016-2021: Head of School, School of Optometry, Aston University
• 2013-2017: Reader in Optometry & Physiological Optics, Aston University
• 2009-2013: Senior Lecturer in Optometry, Aston University
• 2007-2008: Clinical Editor, Optometry Today
• 2005-2009: Lecturer in Optometry, Aston University 

• 2022-2025: Honorary Professor, University of Bradford
• 2016-2018: Honorary Clinical Research Fellow, Birmingham Children’s Hospital
• 2014-2018: Honorary Fellow in Ageing Eye Research, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
• 2007-2010: Honorary Visiting Research Fellow, University of  Bradford
• 2006-2007: Honorary Clinical Research Fellow, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital NHS Trust

• 2022: Prof Cert Med Ret, The College of Optometrists
• 2015: SFHEA, Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
• 2012: FCOptom, Fellowship of the College of Optometrists
• 2008: FHEA, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
• 2008: PGCertHE, Aston University
• 2005: FAAO, Fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry
• 2004: PhD in Physiological Optics, Aston University
• 2001: MCOptom, Membership of the College of Optometrists
• 2001: General Optical Council registration (01-18776)
• 2000: BSc (Hons) Optometry with First Class Honours, Aston University

Bridget Grenville-Cleave, PhD, 2024 to date, SWell Teachers: Improving workplace wellbeing of school teachers (associate supervisor with R. Shaw and L. Shapiro)

Rachael Finch, DOptom, 2023 to date, Management of angle-closure glaucoma suspects: minimising the implementation gap between new guidance and clinical practice through education and technology (associate supervisor with S. Biswas)

Ayah Ibrahim Ahmad Al-Rababah, PhD, 2020 to 2024, Investigation of the Impact of Ageing & Cataracts on Visual Motion Perception Across the Visual Field (associate supervisor with S. Strong)

Geraldine McBride, DOphSc, 2016-2021, The effect of age on binocular functions as measured by stereoacuity, fusion, ocular movements, and ocular alignment (principal supervisor)

Nicola Sabokbar, DOptom, 2016-2019, The validity and reliability of intraocular pressure measurement using rebound tonometry in children with ocular and systemic disease (principal supervisor)

Francesco Menduni, PhD, 2016-2019, Development of an in-vitro animal model to evaluate novel pharmaceutical approaches to DED management (associate supervisor with J. Wolffsohn)

Maria Vidal Rohr, PhD, 2016-2019, Environmental risk factors for dry eye disease (associate supervisor with J. Wolffsohn)

Ian Beasley, PhD, 2015-2021, The Effect of Peripheral Defocus on Axial Growth and Modulation of Refractive Error in Hyperopes (associate supervisor with N. Logan)

Chee Horng (Alex) Ong, DOptom, 2015-2018, Efficacy of multifocal soft contact lens on asthenopic orthophoric and esophoric myopes with lag of accommodation (principal supervisor)

Parminder Randawa, PhD, 2013-2016, Pharmacological and physiological manipulation of ocular accommodation (principal supervisor)

Dirk Booysen, DOptom, 2013-2016, Tonometry and biomechanics of the cornea in contact lens wear (associate supervisor with A. Sheppard)

Naomi Saigal, PhD, 2013-2016, The role of altered ciliary muscle morphology in refractive error and accommodative function (associate supervisor with A. Sheppard)

Deborah Laughton, PhD, 2012-2014, Optical and structural ocular changes during incipient presbyopia (principal supervisor)

Ben Coldrick, PhD, 2010-2013, Modelling the human accommodation system using finite element analysis (associate supervisor with G. Swadener)

Gurpreet (Preeti) Bhogal, PhD, 2009-2012, Requirement for and optimisation of premium intraocular lenses (associate supervisor with J. Wolffsohn)

Ian Beasley, DOptom, 2009-2012, Susceptibility to pattern glare and the effect of spectral filters on rate of reading and visual search in stroke patients (principal supervisor)

Sarah Smith, PhD, 2008-2012, Delivering optometric care in the UK (associate supervisor with S. Naroo & J. Wolffsohn)

Alison Alderson, PhD, 2007-2011, Structural and functional aspects of myopia in young adults (external supervisor with E. Mallen, University of Bradford)

Phillip Buckhurst, PhD, 2007-2011, Evaluation of modern intraocular lenses (associate supervisor with S. Naroo & J. Wolffsohn)

Amy Sheppard, PhD, 2007-2010, In vivo analysis of ocular morphological changes during phakic accommodation (principal supervisor)

George (Tony) Gibson, PhD, 2005-2008, Theoretical and empirical evaluation of phakic and pseudophakic accomodation (principal supervisor)

Email: [email protected]