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Aston University ophthalmic equipment loaned to polyclinics – presented by Canon Medical - at Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Jul 22, 2022

2 min

Leon Davies



  • School of Optometry ophthalmic equipment will furnish three polyclinics – presented by Canon Medical for the duration of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
  • Aston University clinical and academic staff volunteers are part of a team running the clinics
  • The polyclinics presented by Canon Medical are due to open to athletes on 22 July.


Aston University optometrists and dispensing opticians from its School of Optometry have been preparing various pieces of ophthalmic equipment needed to furnish three eye health polyclinics presented by Canon Medical at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.


The polyclinics presented by Canon Medical will be hosted at the Birmingham 2022 villages at the University of Warwick & University of Birmingham.


The equipment, which is on loan from the School of Optometry, includes slit lamps, ophthalmoscopes, visual field screeners and tonometers.


It was loaded up on Saturday 16July and Monday 18 July and was then transported to the three sites in preparation for the opening of the service on 22 July.


Athletes and the wider Birmingham 2022 community will be able to access emergency eye care at the clinics. Athletes who need emergency access to glasses and contact lenses will also be able to get them from the polyclinics.


The service is being run by volunteers who have had role-specific training provided by the Games medical team. Aston University’s volunteers are academic and clinical staff from the School of Optometry.


Leon Davies, professor of optometry & physiological optics at Aston University, has led the clinic set up and is also a polyclinic volunteer. He said:


“It is an honour to support the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games through loaning our ophthalmic equipment, and I am proud of my colleagues who have volunteered to help run the clinics.

“We are excited to provide athletes’ eye care whilst they are here in Birmingham. We appreciate some may have travelled long distances so on arrival might need to seek advice regarding a range of eye health issues. This could include anything from dry eye (due to a long flight), seasonal problems affecting eye health, or an issue with their spectacles or contact lenses.”


The polyclinics presented by Canon Medical will be open every day from 7am – 11pm from 22 July to the end of the Games on 10 August.


For more information about the School of Optometry including our research and courses, please visit our website.


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Leon Davies

Leon Davies

Professor of Optometry & Physiological Optics

Professor Davies's research is focused on presbyopia and the restoration of ocular accommodation to the ageing eye.

Visual Function Following StrokeOphthalmic InstrumentationIntraocular Lens (IOL) TechnologyPresbyopiaOcular Accommodation

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