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Associate Professor Philip Turnbull

Philip TurnbullPhD, B Optom (Hons)

Associate Professor in Optometry
University of AucklandAotearoa New Zealand
ORCiD: 0000-0002-9892-2964

A/Prof Phil Turnbull is an optometrist passionate about improving eye care for patients and creating better learning experiences for students. His research explores virtual reality, eye tracking, and AI applications in healthcare, alongside broader interests in mental wellbeing, refractive development, evidence-based optometry, equity, and improving access to eye care. He also advises on clinical standards and healthcare policy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Phil is available to supervise Masters and PhD students across these areas, and he welcomes advisory or expert witness engagements where his experience in clinical and forensic optometry, teaching, standards development, or digital health may add value.

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Research Areas

A/Prof Turnbull leads the Virtual Eyes Lab, whose research spans three core pillars:

  • Developing innovative healthcare technologies
  • Advancing clinical diagnostics and management
  • Shaping health policy to improve equitable access to eye care
Virtual Reality in Healthcare
Tech

Virtual Reality in Healthcare

Developing and evaluating virtual reality applications for optometry education and clinical training to enhance real-world learning outcomes.

Eye Tracking and Gaze Analysis
Tech

Eye Tracking & Gaze Analysis

Exploring eye tracking technology to understand visual behaviour, support clinical diagnosis, and build assistive tech.

Artificial Intelligence in Optometry
Tech

AI in Optometry

Applying machine learning to retinal imaging, disease prediction, and clinical decision support to improve outcomes.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion
Diagnostics

TBI & Concussion

Investigating eye tracking and oculomotor function to objectively classify and manage mild traumatic brain injuries.

Myopia Control Research
Diagnostics

Myopia Control Research

Researching management strategies and evaluating clinical interventions to address the growing global myopia epidemic.

Ocular Surface and Dry Eye
Diagnostics

Ocular Surface & Dry Eye

Researching modern lifestyle impacts, like contact lens wear and screen time, on tear film stability.

Scope of Practice and Health Policy
Policy

Scope of Practice

Investigating optometry practice evolution, workforce dynamics, and advising on standards within Aotearoa.

Public Health and Eye Care Equity
Policy

Public Health & Equity

Conducting eye health surveys to identify underserved populations and target systemic care delivery inequities.

Publications

I share my research publications, including journal articles, conference papers, and collaborative works.

View Publications

Teaching & Education

As an educator, I teach and examine both undergraduate and postgraduate optometry students. I am the Part II coordinator for the Bachelor of Optometry programme, and course director of OPTOM216 – Introduction to Optometry. I also act as both a clinical and oral examiner for Part V students, and teach statistics and research skills as part of the OPTOM783 – Research Project in Vision Science.

Each year I supervise many Honours, Masters, and PhD students in a broad range of research areas, and I remain available to take on new Masters and PhD projects.

Teaching Roles

Undergraduate Coordination

Curriculum Design

Coordinating the Bachelor of Optometry Part II programme and directing OPTOM216 – Introduction to Optometry, ensuring a strong foundational curriculum for early-stage students.

Clinical Assessment

Clinical Assessment

Acting as a clinical and oral examiner for Part V optometry students during their final year capstone assessments, maintaining rigorous standards for clinical competency.

Postgraduate Teaching

Postgraduate Teaching

Teaching advanced statistics and research methodologies within OPTOM783 – Research Project in Vision Science, equipping the next generation of researchers with critical analytical skills.

Interactive Learning

Interactive Learning

Developing and integrating the Virtual Patient platform to provide immersive, interactive, and scalable clinical learning experiences that bridge theory and practice.

External Review & Audit

External Review & Audit

Providing external review and auditing services for international optometry programmes to ensure academic rigour, clinical teaching standards, and programmatic excellence.

Postgraduate Examination

Postgraduate Examination

Serving as an external examiner for international PhD and Masters theses across the fields of optometry and vision science.

Postgraduate Supervision

Jasmine Zoest

Current PhD

Measurement of eye movements in three-dimensional space

Balaje Vivekanandan

Current PhD

Oculomotor Function, Attentional Function, Trans-Saccadic Processing and Visual Perception in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease

Tony Han

Current PhD

Home-Based Monitoring of Visual Function in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Jordan Cooper

Current PhD

Exploring the influence of eyelid and blink characteristics on dry eye development

Dr Samuel Chiang

PhD Alumni

The effect of optical defocus on choroidal thickness

Dr Soheil Doustkouhi

PhD Alumni

Development of objective techniques of the optometric examination

Dr Alice Cade

PhD Alumni

Eye movements and postural stability following traumatic brain injury

Dr Aryaman Taore

PhD Alumni

Developing Eye Tracking Technology using a mobile device for the use of optokinetic assessment

Dr Maggie Xu

PhD Alumni

The Effect of Blue Light on Myopia Progression in Young Smartphone Users

Bhavna Patel

Masters Alumni

Dry eye in younger populations

Richard Johnson

Masters Alumni

Maritime visual standards

Sabrina Ju

Masters Alumni

Treatments for AMD

Interested in joining the team?

Contact me to discuss potential research opportunities.

Get in touch

Advisory & Professional Service

I provide advisory services to professional organisations, regulatory bodies, and healthcare providers to advance optometry practice and education standards.

ODOB Advisor & Researcher

ODOB Advisor & Researcher

Advising the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board on regulatory standards, continuing education requirements, and professional development frameworks.

Vision Standards

Vision Standards

Contributing to the development of vision standards for government and non-government agencies, ensuring rigorous and evidence-based visual standards and assessments.

Expert Witness Services

Expert Witness and Forensic Optometry

Providing objective expert opinions and scientific testimony on optometry-related matters in complex legal cases and professional disciplinary disputes.

Policy Development

Policy Development

Developing robust policies and evidence-based best practice guidelines for optometry education and clinical practice, both in New Zealand and internationally.

Associate Editor

Associate Editor

Serving as Associate Editor for Clinical and Experimental Optometry, managing peer review and contributing to the dissemination of impactful vision science research.

Interested in Collaborating?

I'm always interested in discussing how my expertise can help your organisation or research initiatives, and I'm available for advisory or expert witness engagements when those conversations extend into regulatory or clinical practice questions.

Contact Philip

Publications

Explore my research publications across vision science, optometry, and related fields.

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Showing 10 of 71 publications
JOURNAL2026
Global scope of glaucoma clinical practice for optometrists
Jonathan Denniss, Brendan T Barrett, Riccardo Cheloni, Patrick J G Gunn, Robert A Harper, Sarah MacIver, Allison M McKendrick, Stephen Ocansey, Philip RK Turnbull, John G Flanagan
Optometry and Vision Science, 103(7), pp. e70088

Summary

This review maps the evolving global scope of optometric glaucoma care across Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It shows a broad shift from case-finding toward diagnostic and therapeutic management, while highlighting persistent barriers such as regulatory restrictions, uneven funding, equipment limitations, and training variation. The paper argues that addressing these system constraints is essential if optometrists are to expand sustainable access to glaucoma care.

DOI
JOURNAL2026
Optometrist attitudes towards delivering intravitreal injections in Aotearoa New Zealand
Philip RK Turnbull, ML Acosta, A Lee, B Solanki
Clinical and Experimental Optometry, pp. 1-4

Summary

This study examines optometrists' attitudes toward expanding scope of practice to include intravitreal injections in Aotearoa New Zealand. The findings identify key enablers and barriers, including training pathways, governance, and confidence in shared-care delivery. The paper provides practical direction for workforce planning and service models aimed at improving access to timely retinal care.

DOI
JOURNAL2026
Models of multidisciplinary team-based care involving optometrists in Australia and New Zealand: narrative review and synthesis of implementation issues
Jessie Huang-Lung, Sheela Kumaran, Philip RK Turnbull, Ann L Webber, Joel Rhee, Margo Barr, Jacqueline Ramke, Lisa J Keay
Clinical and Experimental Optometry, pp. 1-5

Summary

This narrative review synthesises multidisciplinary team-based care models that include optometrists across Australia and New Zealand. It highlights recurring implementation challenges around role clarity, referral pathways, funding settings, and interprofessional communication. The synthesis outlines system-level considerations for scaling collaborative care while maintaining quality and equitable access.

DOI
JOURNAL2026
Objective oculomotor markers of mTBI: a three-timepoint case report
A Cade, K Stevens, PRK Turnbull
Brain Injury, pp. 1-5

Summary

This case report tracks objective oculomotor outcomes across three timepoints in mild traumatic brain injury. Serial measurements show how eye-movement metrics can capture dynamic recovery patterns that may not be evident on routine assessment alone. The report supports the potential value of oculomotor markers as practical adjuncts for monitoring mTBI progression.

DOI
JOURNAL2025
Response of the human choroid to short-term changes in eyelid and periocular temperature
Safal Khanal, Philip RK Turnbull, Lucia Kim, John R Phillips
Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 108(5), pp. 578-584

Summary

This study utilised OCT to demonstrate that local cooling of the anterior eye via the eyelid causes a small but statistically significant increase in macular choroidal thickness. These findings suggest that the choroid plays a rapid thermoregulatory role and highlight environmental temperature as a confounding factor that must be controlled in clinical myopia research.

DOIGoogle Scholar
JOURNAL2025
The expanding scope of the Aotearoa New Zealand optometric workforce
Philip RK Turnbull, Inhae Park, Richard Johnson
Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 108, pp. 1-3

Summary

An analysis of a decade of professional data reveals that NZ optometrists have safely issued over half a million prescriptions, primarily for glaucoma and dry eye. The report advocates for the further expansion of the optometric scope into intravitreal injections and laser procedures to improve national eye care equity and reduce hospital waitlists.

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JOURNAL2026
A baseline audit of the population groups accessing optometry training clinics in Aotearoa New Zealand: looking towards equity in eye care
Lucy K Goodman, Jinfeng Zhao, Arier Lee, Lydia Han, Jaymie T Rogers, Geraint Phillips, Philip RK Turnbull, Jacqueline Ramke
Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 109, pp. 1-7

Summary

This audit found that university-based training clinics are less accessible to people living in high-deprivation areas, who often travel the furthest for care. It recommends increasing funding for community outreach and mobile eye clinics to foster equity and provide diverse clinical training for future optometrists.

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JOURNAL2025
Participation in population-based eye health surveys is lower but more gender-balanced in high-compared to low-and middle-income countries
Lucy Goodman, Philip Turnbull, Ian McCormick, Deborah Ewuru, Jennifer R Evans, Matthew J Burton, Jacqueline Ramke
Wellcome Open Research, 10, pp. 203

Summary

A systematic review of global surveys found that while participation is generally high, it is declining in high-income nations. The study highlights that gender balance is more equitable in high-income settings, whereas women are more likely to participate in lower-income regions.

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JOURNAL2025
The impact of soft contact lens wear on tear film lipid layer characteristics
Jennifer P Craig, Kalika Bandamwar, Eujin Kang, Fiona Li, Philip RK Turnbull
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 66(8), pp. 5622-5622

Summary

Published in IOVS, this study investigated how various soft contact lens materials disrupt the stability of the tear film lipid layer. The research identifies material-specific impacts that can inform the selection of lenses for patients prone to dryness and discomfort.

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REPORT2025
Guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in optometry and optical dispensing in New Zealand
Philip RK Turnbull

Summary

This foundational report outlines the ethical and professional standards for integrating AI into New Zealand clinical practice. It focuses on diagnostic accuracy, patient data privacy, and the standardised implementation of AI-driven tools in primary eye care.

Full Text

Get in Touch

For collaboration opportunities, supervision enquiries, or professional engagements, please send a message below or use direct contact details.

Contact Details

Email

p.turnbull@auckland.ac.nz

Phone

+64 9 373 7599 Ext. 82352

Office Address

School of Optometry and Vision Science
University of Auckland
85 Park Road, Grafton
Auckland 1023, New Zealand

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