Prof Sarah Hosking

Professor of Optometry and Visual Science

 

Hosking Email: hoskings@unimelb.edu.au
Telephone: +61 3  9929 8360
Fax: +61 3 9662 3859

 

 

 Career History

  1. 1986 Diploma of the British Orthoptic Society
  2. 1989 BSc Honours (first class) Optometry, City University, London
  3. 1990 Membership, College of Optometrists (Moorfields Eye Hospital)
  4. 1990 General Optical Council (GOC) Registration
  5. 1992 Fellowship, American Academy of Optometry
  6. 1996-2003 Aston University: Lecturer
  7. 1998 PhD, Medical School, University of Manchester, UK
  8. 2000 Member, Institute of Learning and Teaching
  9. 2002-2006 Non Executive Director, North Birmingham NHS Primary Care Trust
  10. 2002 Founding Member, Optometric Glaucoma Society, USA
  11. 2003-2006 Reader, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, UK
  12. 2003-2006 Managing Director, Aston Academy of Life Sciences, Aston University
  13. Awarded Medilink West Midlands Regional Medical Award 2007 for Business Start Up
  14. 2006 to date: Professor, Department of Optometry and Visual Sciences, City University, London, UK (0.2FTE)
  15. 2007 to date: Professor, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK (0.2FTE)
  16. 2007 to date: Honorary Professorial Fellow, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Australia
  17. 2008-2011: Fellowship, Victorian Endowment for Science, Knowledge and Innovation


Professional and Academic Experience in Research

Current Role

Sarah Hosking currently holds part time appointments as Professor of Optometry at both Aston University, Birmingham and City University, London, conducting research in both organisations. Since 2006 she has lived in Melbourne, Australia, where she holds an Honorary Professorial Fellowship appointment in the School of Medicine, University of Melbourne.  She has recently been awarded a 3 year fellowship from VESKI, Australia. Her research in Australia is conducted collaboratively with the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the Brain Research Institute, and is a further extension of work previously and currently carried out in the UK.


Research Interests

  1. Ocular perfusion profile, regulation and relationship to visual health and disease
  2. Research is focussed on a whole system approach to the investigation of perfusion, balancing systemic blood pressure responses against ocular perfusion pressure to determine flow profiles in physiological and pathological conditions. Vascular stress testing using gas perturbations and cold pressor testing, is used to define the autoregulatory responses of the various vessel beds of the eye, which we have shown to be dysfunctional even when baseline flow rates appear normal. Circulating biochemical markers, including factors such as nutrition, oxidative stress, neuroprotective and pharmacological agents and circulating neurotransmitters are some of the most relevant instigators of flow-related eye disease and visual loss, and their causative role in flow dysfunction and damage to the visual pathway is a central area of study.
  3.  Structural and functional changes to the visual pathway in ophthalmic disease
  4. The principle outcome measures of damage due to systemic, neurologic or ocular disease are defects of visual function and/or structural changes to the visual pathway. A strong track record in establishing functional loss predominantly using clinical psychophysics, and structural changes in the anterior optic nerve, particularly the retinal ganglion cell layer and optic nerve, using scanning laser imaging and ultrasound technologies. Recent collaborative studies have extended to functional and anatomical changes of the posterior visual pathway, notably the lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex.
  5. These principles of study have been applied to investigate the ocular effects of a wide range of disease categories with vascular associations and which may result in visual loss, including systemic vascular, neurological and eye diseases. Particular areas of interest are glaucomatous optic neuropathy, epilepsy, diabetes and Sturge Weber Syndrome. This work provides outcomes that can and do change the clinical approach to disease measurement and management.

 

Major Findings

Normal Eyes

  1. Ocular perfusion reduces with age
  2. Autoregulation is present in the retina and short posterior ciliary arteries
  3. Ocular blood flow is greater in the inferior retina
  4. Inferior retina is less responsive to vasodilation and more responsive to vasoconstriction
  5. The upper visual field exhibits greater deterioration in function from vasodilatory factors
  6. Aviation related respiratory effects affect dark adaptation
  7. Isometric exercise results in ocular vasoconstriction
  8. Mild hypoxia impairs mesopic chromatic sensitivity
  9. Ocular perfusion diminishes with normal ageing
  10. Cataract surgery results in improved ocular perfusion


Glaucoma

  1. Patients with early disease exhibit relative vasoconstriction which is reversible
  2. Hypercapnia (vasodilation) results in acute loss of visual contrast in early disease
  3. Contrast vision improves following some anti-glaucoma therapies (Brimonidine)
  4. Ocular circulation improves following some anti-glaucoma therapies (Latanaprost)
  5. Autoregulatory defects suggest autonomic dysfunction in glaucoma
  6. Systemic oxidative stress is a feature of glaucoma patients


Epilepsy

  1. Epilepsy patients have reduced ocular perfusion
  2. Patients treated with Vigabatrin (VGB) exhibit central vision defects and greater compromise to ocular perfusion characteristics.
  3. The extent of visual loss due to VGB is dose dependent.

 

Current research topics

  1. Perfusion features of the human myopic eye
  2. The effect of smoking on ocular blood flow
  3. The relationship between choroidal blood flow and thickness to ocular biometrics.
  4. Prevention/retardation of blindness in degenerative diseases of vision using dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids.
  5. Sturge-Weber Syndrome: Investigation of systemic, ocular, cerebral and facial haemodynamics
  6. Investigation of ocular blood flow haemodynamics pre and post LASIK ring application
  7. Structural and functional change in the posterior visual pathway of patients with glaucomatous optic neuropathy.


Infrastructure Grants – Current Total £7.04m

  1. Grants for the build and equip of the Aston Academy of Life Sciences were awarded from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Science Research Investment Fund.
    Other Research Grants – Current Total £585.5k
    Research grants awarded from:
  2. VESKI, Australia
  3. Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Australia
  4. Foundation for Imaging Research, Australia
  5. Aventis (formerly HMR)
  6. Bausch & Lomb
  7. Birmingham Optical Group
  8. College of Optometrists
  9. Dollond and Aitchison
  10. Glaucoma Society
  11. Sturge Weber Foundation

 

Research Supervision  - PhD Studentships

  1.  Emma Hilton (1995-1999)
  2. Sally Embleton (1998-2002)
  3. Andrew Morgan (2000-2003)
  4. Doina Gherghel (2001-2004)
  5. Helena Workman (2001-2005)
  6. Alex Cervino OD (2003 - 2007)
  7. Alexandra Benavente Perez OD (2003 - 2007)
  8. Dr Des Connolly MD (2004 to date).
  9. Associate PhD Supervision: Rebekka Heitmar (supervisor Dr Doina Gherghel), Amy Hook (supervisor Dr Robert Cubbidge).

 

Research Supervision  - Post-doctoral

  1. Dr Miriam Conway (2005 to date)
  2. Dr Alexandra Benavente (2007 to date)
  3. Dr Alejandro Cervino (2007)
  4. Dr Andrew Morgan (2004-2005)
  5. Dr Emma Hilton (1999-2003)

International Partnerships

Centre for Eye Research Australia (Prof Jonathan Crowston) and Brain Research Institute (Prof Graeme Jackson), University of Melbourne. Collaborative partnerships with the Universities of Alabama (US), Indiana (US), Waterloo (Canada). Visiting Professor, Ophthalmology, Shanxi University, Peoples Republic of China. Founding member Optometric Glaucoma Society (2002). Invited speaker invitations from Singapore (Ophthalmology), New Zealand (Optometry), and via Orbis International in China, Mongolia, MyanMar, Philippines, Thailand. Undergraduate research studies, University of New South Wales, Australia. 

 

Refereed Journal Articles

  1. SOLMAN RT, DAIN SJ, KEECH SL (1991).  Colour-mediated contrast sensitivity in disabled readers.  Optom Vis. Sci. 68:331-337.
  2. HOSKING SL, FLANAGAN JG (1996).  Prospective study design for the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph: The effect of change in focus setting. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 234:306-310.
  3. HOSKING S, FLANAGAN J (1998), Scanning laser tomography: effect of change in keratometry values on retinal distance measures. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 1998 18:294-8.
  4. HOSKING SL  (1998). An A B C of glaucoma: apoptosis, blood flow and confocal imaging. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 18:133-9.
  5. ROFF EJ, HARRIS A, CHUNG HS, HOSKING SL, MORRISON AM, HALTER PJ, KAGEMANN L (1999). Comprehensive assessment of retinal, choroidal and retrobulbar haemodynamics during blood gas perturbation. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 237: 984-990.
  6. CHUNG HS, HARRIS A, HALTER PJ, KAGEMANN L, ROFF EJ, GARZOZI HJ, HOSKING SL, MARTIN BJ (1999). Regional differences in retinal vascular reactivity. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 40:2448-2453.
  7. ROFF EJ, HOSKING SL, BARNES DA (2001). The influence of contour line size and location on the reproducibility of topographic measurements with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph. Ophth Phys Opt 21:173-181.
  8. MORGAN A, HOSKING SL (2001). Ocular blood flow tonometer reproducibility: The effect of operator experience and mode of application. Ophthal Physiol Opt 21:401-406.
  9. HUTCHINGS N, HOSKING SL, WILD JM, FLANAGAN JG (2001). Long-term fluctuation in short-wavelength automated perimetry in glaucoma suspects and glaucoma patients. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 42:2332-2337.
  10. HOSKING SL, EMBLETON SJ, KAGEMANN L, CHABRA A, JONESCU-CUYPERS C, HARRIS A (2001). Detector sensitivity influences blood flow sampling in scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. Greafe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 239:407-410.
  11. HOSKING SL, EMBLETON SJ, CUNLIFFE IA (2001). Application of a local search strategy improves the detection of blood flow deficits in the neuroretinal rim of glaucoma patients using scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. Br J Ophthalmol 85:1298-1302.
  12. HOSKING SL, EVANS DW, EMBLETON SJ, HOUDE B, AMOS JF, BARTLETT JD (2001). Hypercapnia invokes an acute loss of contrast sensitivity in untreated glaucoma patients. Br J Ophthalmol 85:1352-1356.
  13. EMBLETON SJ, HOSKING SL, HILTON EJR, CUNLIFFE IA (2002). Effect of senescence on ocular blood flow in the retina, neuroretinal rim and lamina cribosa, using scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. Eye 16: 156-152.
  14. MORGAN A, HOSKING SL, SALMON JS (2002). Clinical evaluation of the dynamic observing tonometer. J Glaucoma 11:334-339.
  15. ROFF HILTON EJ, CUBBIDGE RP, HOSKING SL, BETTS T, COMAISH IF, (2002). Patients treated with Vigabatrin exhibit central visual function loss. Epilepsia 43: 1351-1359.
    CUBBIDGE RP, HOSKING SL, EMBLETON S (2002). Statistical modelling of the central ten-degree visual field in short-wavelength automated perimetry. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 240:650-657.
  16. EVANS DW, HOSKING SL, EMBLETON SJ, MORGAN AJ, BARTLETT JD (2002). Spectral content of the IOP pulse wave: Glaucoma patients versus normal subjects. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 240: 475-480.
  17. HILTON EJR, HOSKING SL, BETTS T (2002). Epilepsy patients treated with antiepileptic drug therapy exhibit compromised ocular perfusion characteristics. Epilepsia 43: 1346-1350.
  18. HOSKING SL, HILTON EJR (2002). Neurotoxic effects of GABA-transaminase inhibitors in the treatment of epilepsy: Ocular perfusion and visual performance. Ophthalmic Phys Opt 22: 440-447.
  19. MORGAN AJ, HARPER J, HOSKING SL, GILMARTIN B (2002). The influence of corneal thickness and curvature on pneumatonometry. Curr Eye Res 25: 107-112.
  20. HOSKING SL, ROFF HILTON EJ, EMBLETON SJ, GUPTA AK (2003). Epilepsy patients treated with Vigabatrin exhibit reduced ocular blood flow. Br J Ophthalmol 87: 96-100.
  21. SHAH S, NAROO S, HOSKING S, GHERGHEL D, MANTRY S, BANNERJEE S, PEDWELL K, BAINS HS (2003). Nidek OPD-scan analysis of normal, keratoconic, and penetrating keratoplasty eyes. J Refract Surg 19: S255-S259
  22. ROFF HILTON EJ, CUBBIDGE RP, HOSKING SL, MORGAN AJ (2003). Regional variability in visual field sensitivity during hypercapnia. Am J Ophthalmol 136 (2): 272-276.
  23. EVANS DW, HOSKING SL, GHERGHEL D, BARTLETT J (2003). Contrast sensitivity improves after brimonidine therapy in glaucoma: A case for neuroprotection? Br J Ophthalmol 87 (12): 1463-1465.
  24. HILTON EJR, HOSKING SL, BETTS T (2004). The effects of anticonvulsants on visual performance, with special reference to drugs utilising a GABAergic mechanism. Seizure Eur J Epilep 13 (2):113-128.
  25. HOSKING SL, HARRIS A, CHUNG HS, JONESCU-CUYPERS CP, KAGEMANN L, HILTON EJR, GARZOZI H (2004). Ocular haemodynamic responses to induced hypercapnia and hyperoxia in glaucoma. Brit J Ophthalmol 88 (3): 406-411.
  26. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL, ORGUL S (2004). Nocturnal events in primary open-angle glaucoma. Survey Ophthalmol 49:5; 491-508.
  27. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL, BANERJEE P, NAROO SA, SHAH S (2004). Corneal pachymetry in normal and keratoconic eyes: Orbscan II versus Ultrasound. J Cat Refr Surgery 30:6;1274-1279.
  28. HILTON EJR, HOSKING SL, GHERGHEL D, CUNLIFFE IA (2005). Beneficial effects of small incision cataract surgery in patients demonstrating reduced ocular blood flow characteristics. Eye 19:6; 670-675.
  29. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL, CUNLIFFE IA (2005). Abnormal systemic and ocular vascular responses to temperature provocation in untreated primary open-angle glaucoma patients: A case for autonomic failure? Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 45:10; 3546-3554.
  30. GHERGHEL D, GRIFFITHS H, HILTON EJ, HOSKING SL (2005). Systemic Reduction in Glutathione Levels Occurs in Patients Suffering from Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 46:3; 877-883.
  31. MORGAN A, YOUNG R, NARANKHAND B, CHEN S, COTTRIALL C, HOSKING SL(2006). Prevalence rate of myopia in school children in rural Mongolia. Optom Vis Sci 83:1;53-65.
  32. CONNOLLY DM, HOSKING SL (2006). Aviation-related respiratory gas disturbances affect dark adaptation: A reappraisal. Vision Research, 46: 1784-1793.
  33. CUBBIDGE RP, HOSKING SL, ROFF HILTON EJ, GIBSON J. (2006) Regression analysis of ranked segment parameters (RARSP) for optic nerve head classification. Ophthalmic Phys Opt (In Press).
  34. CERVINO A, HOSKING SL, RAI GK, NAROO SA, GILMARTIN B (2006). Wavefront analysers induce instrument myopia. J Refr Surg 22:795-803.
  35. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL, CUNLIFFE IA (2006). First line therapy with Latanoprost 0.005% Results in Improved Ocular Circulation in Newly Diagnosed Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients. A prospective, six-month, open-label study. Eye (In press).
  36. MORGAN AJ, HOSKING SL (2006). Non-invasive vascular impedance measures demonstrate ocular vasoconstriction during isometric exercise. Br J Ophthalmol (In press).
  37. CERVINO A, HOSKING SL, MONTES-MICO R, BATES AK (2006). Clinical ocular wavefront analyzers: A review. J Ref Surgery 23; 603-616.
  38. CERVINO A, HOSKING SL, DUNNE MCM (2006). Operator-induced errors in Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensing: Model eye study. J Cat Refr Surg: 33; 115-121.
  39. CONWAY M, HOSKING SL, CUBBIDGE RP, FURLONG P (2007). Visual field severity indices demonstrate dose-dependent visual loss from Vigabatrin therapy. Epilepsia (In press).
  40. CONNOLLY DM, HOSKING SL (2007). On the correlation of hyperventilation with flicker perception. Optom Vis Sci (In Press).
  41. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL, CUNLIFFE IA, ARMSTRONG RA (2007). Autonomic dysfunction in unselected and untreated primary open angle glaucoma patients: A pilot study. Ophthalmic Phys Opt 27:336-341.
  42. CONNOLLY DM, BARBUR J, HOSKING SL, MOORHEAD IR (2007). Mild hypoxia impairs chromatic sensitivity in the mesopic range. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Res (In press).
  43. CERVINO A, HOSKING SL, MONTES-MICO R (2008). Measurement of higher order aberrations on human eyes: Dynamic Skiascopy versus Hartmann-Shack. J Refr Surg, (In press).
  44. CERVINO A, HOSKING SL, MONTES-MICO R, ALIO JL (2008). Retinal straylight with monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses. J Cat Refr Surg, (In press).
  45. CERVINO A, MONTES-MICO R, HOSKING SL (2008). Performance of the Compensation Comparison Method for Retinal Straylight Measurement. Effect of Patient’s Age on Repeatability. Br J Ophthalmol, (In press).
  46. CONNOLLY DM, HOSKING SL (2008). Retinal oxygentation and gender effects on frequency doubled temporal contrast sensitivity at photopic luminance. Vis Res (In press).
  47. CERVINO A, GONZALEZ-MEIJOME JM, HOSKING SL, LINHARES JMM (2008). Effect of Sport-Tinted Contact Lenses for Contrast Enhancement in Retinal Straylight Measurements. Ophthalmic Phys Opt (In press)

  

Book Chapters and Review Articles

  1. MORGAN AJ, HOSKING SL (2002). Ocular bl\ood flow and pulsatility. In Further Investigative Techniques in Optometry, Harvey W and Doshi D, Eds., Butterworth Heinemann, UK.
  2. ROFF HILTON EJ, HOSKING SL, GREENHILL L, BETTS T (2002). An overview of epilepsy. Optician 223: 20-24.
  3. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL (2002). The patient with multiple sclerosis. Optician; 223: 26-30
  4. HOSKING S (2001). Incomitant Strabismus. In Binocular Vision & Orthoptics, Evans B and Doshi S Eds., Butterworth Heinemann, UK pp 83-91.
  5. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL (2001). Peripheral vasospasm. Optician; 222:24-26
  6. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL (2001). Diurnal variation in intraocular pressure. Optician; 222: 24-27.
  7. GHERGHEL D, HOSKING SL (2001). Nighttime and glaucoma. Optician; 222: 36-39
  8. MORGAN A, HOSKING SL (2000). Ocular blood flow and pulsatility – an Optometrists tool? Optician 219: 33-38. OPTICIAN CET ARTICLE OF THE YEAR – Runner up
  9. HOSKING SL, ROFF EJ, HIRST AD (2000). Ocular blood flow and pulsatility in glaucoma. CE Optometry 3: 25-29
  10. HOSKING SL (1998). Binocular Vision. Incomitant strabismus: Back to basics. Optician 216: 16-22.