The neurological basis of visual discomfort and visual stress
Science+ meeting organised by Professor Arnold J Wilkins and Dr Beverley Burke
Visual discomfort/stress is common and can be debilitating. It has a neurological origin and can be predicted from the characteristics of the visual image. There are far-reaching implications for inclusivity, specifically regarding the design of buildings, lighting, text, and electronic images. There are also implications for health and the management of various neurological conditions.
Programme
The programme, including speaker biographies and abstracts, will be available soon. Please note that the programme may be subject to change.
Poster session
There will be a poster session on Monday 1 February 2027. If you would like to present a poster, , abstract (up to 200 words), author list, and the name of the proposed presenter and institution no later than Friday 1 January 2027. Acceptances may be made on a rolling basis so we recommend submitting as soon as possible in case the session becomes full. Submissions made within one month of the meeting may not be included in the programme booklet.
Attending the event
This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields.
- Free to attend
- Both virtual and in-person attendance is available. Advance registration is essential
- Lunch is available on both days of the meeting for an optional £25 per day. There are plenty of places to eat nearby if you would prefer to purchase food offsite. Participants are welcome to bring their own lunch to the meeting
Please note that scientific meetings hosted by ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ do not necessarily represent a Royal Society position or signify an endorsement of the speakers or content presented.
Enquiries: contact the Scientific Programmes team.
Organisers
Schedule
| 09:00-09:05 |
Welcome by ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and organisers
Professor Arnold J WilkinsUniversity of Essex, UK Professor Arnold J WilkinsUniversity of Essex, UK Dr Beverley BurkeBirkbeck, University of London, UK Dr Beverley BurkeBirkbeck, University of London, UK |
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| 09:05-09:20 |
Tbc
Professor Arnold J WilkinsUniversity of Essex, UK Professor Arnold J WilkinsUniversity of Essex, UK |
| 09:20-09:40 |
Talk title tbc
Professor Paul HibbardUniversity of Stirling, UK Professor Paul HibbardUniversity of Stirling, UK |
| 09:40-10:00 |
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| 10:00-10:20 |
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| 10:20-10:40 |
Discussion
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| 10:40-11:10 |
Break
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| 11:10-11:30 |
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| 11:30-11:50 |
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Dr Louise O'HareNottingham Trent University, UK
Dr Louise O'HareNottingham Trent University, UK Dr Louise O’Hare received her PhD from the University of St Andrews in 2012. She was appointed Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Lincoln in 2013 before joining Nottingham Trent University on a part-time basis in 2020. Her research examines individual differences in visual perception, particularly visual discomfort, using behavioural and electrophysiological (EEG) methodologies. Specifically, she investigates why certain visual patterns evoke discomfort and how perceptual and neural factors contribute to this experience. She has a particular interest in migraine and works with people living with migraine to better understand the perceptual and neural mechanisms underlying their visual experiences. |
| 11:50-12:10 |
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| 12:10-12:30 |
Discussion
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| 13:30-13:50 |
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Dr Cathy ManningUniversity of Birmingham, UK
Dr Cathy ManningUniversity of Birmingham, UK Dr Cathy Manning is an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Birmingham. She studied Experimental Psychology at University of Oxford, and completed an MRes/PhD at the UCL Institute of Education. She held the Scott Family Junior Research Fellowship at University College, Oxford, followed by a Henry Wellcome Fellowship. She started her independent research group at University of Reading in 2021, before moving to University of Birmingham in 2024. Cathy researches sensory processing across child development, and in autism and dyslexia. She conducts research and impact work to make the world more inclusive for autistic and other neurodivergent people, and leads the 'Sensory Street' project. She has received numerous early career awards, including the Philip Leverhulme Prize in Psychology, British Psychology Society Developmental Section Neil O’Connor Award, the Applied Vision Association David Marr Medal, the Experimental Psychology Society Prize, Autistica’s Reproducible Autism Science Award, and an Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award. She is also an Editor at the journal, ‘Autism’. She was selected as a member of the UK Young Academy in 2024. |
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| 13:50-14:10 |
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| 14:10-14:30 |
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| 14:30-14:50 |
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| 14:50-15:10 |
Discussion
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| 15:10-15:40 |
Break
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| 15:40-16:00 |
Talk title tbc
Professor Isamu MotoyoshiUniversity of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Isamu MotoyoshiUniversity of Tokyo, Japan |
| 16:00-16:20 |
Talk title tbc
Professor Christopher DiMattinaFlorida Gulf Coast University, US Professor Christopher DiMattinaFlorida Gulf Coast University, US |
| 16:20-16:35 |
Discussion
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| 16:35-17:00 |
Poster flash session
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| 17:00-18:00 |
Poster session and drinks reception
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| 09:00-09:20 |
Talk title tbc
Dr Geoffrey AguirreUniversity of Pennsylvania, US Dr Geoffrey AguirreUniversity of Pennsylvania, US |
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| 09:20-09:40 |
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Dr Sanae YoshimotoUniversity of Hiroshima, Japan
Dr Sanae YoshimotoUniversity of Hiroshima, Japan Sanae Yoshimoto is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hiroshima University. She obtained her PhD from Japan Women’s University and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her research investigates the underlying mechanisms of visual discomfort, with a particular focus on how visual features such as temporal and chromatic properties influence subjective discomfort. She has recently begun examining visual discomfort and its relationship to other forms of negative affect, combining psychophysical experiments, physiological and neural measurements, and computational approaches. |
| 09:40-10:00 |
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| 10:00-10:20 |
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Dr Sarah HaighUniversity of Nevada, US Dr Sarah HaighUniversity of Nevada, US |
| 10:20-10:35 |
Discussion
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| 10:35-11:05 |
Break
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| 11:05-11:25 |
Talk title tbc
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| 11:25-11:45 |
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| 11:45-12:05 |
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| 12:05-12:25 |
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Professor Ute LeonardsUniversity of Bristol, UK
Professor Ute LeonardsUniversity of Bristol, UK Ute Leonards is a Professor of Neuropsychology at the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, UK, with a primary research interest in human vision in the context of everyday life. Why vision? Because what we see guides our movements, shapes our experiences and thoughts, influences how we interact with others, and ultimately defines who we are. Who we are defines what we see and how we see it. Ute’s transdisciplinary research collaborations have helped to inform disparate societal challenges such as international tobacco control policy and legislation since 2011 and recent guidance for inclusive design by the British Standard Institute (BSI PAS 6463-2022). |
| 12:25-12:40 |
Discussion
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Chair
Professor Peter Allen
Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Professor Peter Allen
Anglia Ruskin University, UK
| 13:30-13:50 |
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| 13:50-14:10 |
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Ms Karen MonetOpticalm Canada, Canada Ms Karen MonetOpticalm Canada, Canada |
| 14:10-14:30 |
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| 14:30-14:50 |
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| 14:50-15:10 |
Discussion
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| 15:10-15:40 |
Break
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| 15:40-16:00 |
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| 16:00-16:20 |
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Professor Bruce EvansCity St George's University of London, UK
Professor Bruce EvansCity St George's University of London, UK Bruce Evans has practised as a community optometrist for over 40 years and is Visiting Professor to City St George’s, University of London; London South Bank University; and University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan. From 1998-2023 he was Director of Research at the Institute of Optometry. He is a Fellow of: College of Optometrists, American Academy of Optometry, European Academy of Optometry, and British Contact Lens Association. He has authored >280 scientific and CPD papers, 10 editions of optometric textbooks, >160 presentations at scientific conferences, and >500 invited CPD lectures. His main areas of research are myopia control, binocular vision (orthoptics), dyslexia and vision, visual stress, children’s vision, contact lenses, computer vision syndrome, and headaches. In 2022 he was awarded Life Fellow of the College of Optometrists in recognition of outstanding contribution to the optometric profession, and in 2023 a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Optometrists. |
| 16:20-16:30 |
Discussion
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| 16:30-17:00 |
Panel discussion/overview
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| 17:00-00:00 |
Close
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