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We are now two years and four visits into the Dynamics of Childhood Eye Growth (DoCEG) study at Hatch Ride School. Every six months, we learn a little more about eye growth, and we now have enough data to start seeing patterns. What have we found so far? The measurement we care about most is axial length, which is how long the eyeball is from front to back. Axial length is one of the best signs of whether a child is likely to become short-sighted (myopic), and how quickly that might progress. Most of what we're seeing lines up well with previous research. Other studies have reported eyes growing by roughly 0.1–0.21mm a year on average — this is about the same thickness as 1–2 sheets of paper. Our own numbers show an average growth of 0.16 mm, which sits right in the middle of that range. Each data point represents the length of one eye from each child. Year groups as of Jun 2026. One thing stood out Not every year group followed the pattern we expected, though. Children in Year 2 at our last visit (who have now entered Year 3) had eyes that were, on average, a bit longer than the overall trend would predict, and their eyes grew faster than any other group (0.22 mm / year). The outgoing Year 6 children, by contrast, grew more slowly than average (0.11 mm / year), which isn't surprising, since eye growth is known to naturally slow down as children get closer to their teens. Data points represent the average eye length of the year group. Year groups as of June 2026. So what could be causing this difference in year groups? It is too early to tell yet, but we are looking into whether the difference could be linked to COVID-lockdown. Children who were in Year 2 at our last visit would have been roughly 6–18 months old when the UK went into lockdown in March 2020 — right in the middle of a period when the visual system develops very rapidly. It's possible that spending less time outdoors during those crucial early months could have had some effect on how their eyes have grown since. There's already research linking COVID lockdowns to faster myopia progression in children more generally, but this is usually put down to more screen time and less time outside. But “possible” isn't the same as proven. This is just one school and one possible explanation among many. It might turn out to be a real pandemic-related effect, or it might just be the kind of natural variation you'd expect to see between any two groups of children. We don't know yet — which is exactly why studies like this need to keep running. It’s also why it’s a good idea to keep up-to-date with your visits to the optician. What's next We are very grateful for all the children who take part, visit after visit! We will be returning to Hatch Ride again in November, and every visit adds more of the picture — not just biometry, but retinal imaging and other measures that should help us understand not just if some children's eyes grow differently, but also why.

Did you know... The retina has a dual blood supply system: The choroid supplies the inner  retinal layers, including the photoreceptors. It lies behind the retina, and is made up of tiny blood vessels. Anand-Apte, B., & Hollyfield, J.G. (2010). Developmental Anatomy of the Retinal and Choroidal Vasculature. The central retinal artery supplies blood to the outer  retinal layers, which include the cells that the photoreceptors send signals to. The artery enters the eye through a single place, like a tree trunk, then splits into smaller blood vessels that look like the branches of a tree. Most people have a foveal avascular zone, meaning that there are no blood vessels at the very centre of the retina. Fun fact : there are no photoreceptors where the artery enters the eye – this is called the “blind spot”, because you can’t see anything here! Most of the time we don’t notice this, because the brain “fills in” the missing information! An en face image of the retina taken using the Imagine Eyes rtx1 adaptive optics imaging system. The optic disc, where the central retina artery enters the eye (i.e. "blind spot") is to the left of the image.   Watch this video to “see” your blind spot!   Cover your left eye and keep looking at the red cross. As the checkered circle moves across the screen, it will pass in and out of your blind spot! If the circle does not "disappear", you may need to move closer or make your screen larger.

♫ It’s the most wonderful time of the year ♫ ... when we revisit the fantastic students at Hatch Ride School to gather data on the Dynamics of Childhood Eye Growth ( DoCEG )! We were delighted to see some familiar faces and to meet our new cohort from Reception. We have now completed three study visits and measure the eyes of more than 180 children! During these visits, we’ve: measured height and weight measured the cornea, lens, and overall eye length taken detailed pictures of the retina (the back of the eye).   What have we found so far? We are already starting to see differences in eye growth in as little as six months! The graph below shows how the eye is getting longer (on average) in different year groups with different levels of short/long-sightedness.    The graph to the left shows that girls (pink) tend to have shorter eyes than boys (blue). It also shows that children who spend more time outdoors tend to have shorter eyes than those who spend more time indoors.   Our second visit, during the summer, saw some changes. At this time, I was on maternity leave but used my "keeping in touch" days to enable the testing to continue as scheduled. This time, I was joined by Bekky Bond, who I am delighted to say has now joined the Mynamics team full-time! We took photos of the retina using the Imagine Eyes rtx1 system (see below). These photos let us see the vasculature (blood vessels), which look like tree branches in the picture, and supply blood to the retina. We can also see individual cells, called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors are the first step in the visual process, detecting the light that comes into the eye and sending signals to other cells in the retina, and eventually the brain. These show up as tiny bright spots. During our third and most recent visit, we used the Heidelberg Spectralis OCT , which lets us see all the different layers of the retina – not just the photoreceptors, but also the other cells that process the signals from the photoreceptors. We will also be able to see the choroid, which is thought to play a role in eye growth. What happens next? Although we have a few months before we return to Hatch Ride for Visit 4, there will be no time to rest on our laurels... We now have the mammoth task of processing and analysing all the retinal imaging data to see if there are any correlations with the demographic and biometric data. We will also be kicking off our Axial Length in Colourblindness (ALiC) and Optic Flow as Protection Against Myopia (OFPAM) projects ... exciting times ahead!

Over two weeks, I had the privilege of working with children at a local primary school in Crowthorne as part of my UKRI-funded project: Dynamics of Childhood Eye Growth (DoCEG). Over the next five years (and possibly longer), the DoCEG project aims to unravel how the structures within the eye grow in relation to one another during childhood. By tracking these changes, we hope to identify key risk factors that predict the onset and progression of myopia (short-sightedness) and lead to earlier interventions that preserve vision. Emily introducing a young participant to the AO-HRR colour vision test.  I must admit, I was a little apprehensive at first. How many children would sign up? Would they be cooperative? To my delight, the turnout was fantastic! Over ten days, my colleague, Ashlesha Mahadar, and I tested 159 children (318 eyes) across seven classes, aged between four and 11 years. During these sessions, we measured: ·        Height and weight ·        Colour vision ·        Corneal thickness, using the PM1 Pachymeter (Occuity) ·        Ocular biometric measurements, such as axial length and corneal curvature, using the Lenstar (Haag-Streit) Ashlesha taking biometric measurements on a young participant, using the Lenstar (Haag-Streit). What stood out most was how inquisitive and cooperative the children were. Their curiosity was contagious, and I was thrilled to achieve a 100% success rate with the PM1 Pachymeter—a testament to both the children’s engagement and the device’s user-friendliness. The first phase of data collection couldn’t have gone better. From the measurements we gathered, we’ll gain insights into how the eye’s structure develops during these formative years. I’m especially excited to analyse the results and share them with the children, their parents, and their teachers. The children’s enthusiasm made the experience even more rewarding. Many were fascinated by the technology, asking questions and eager to see their own eyes reflected in the PM1. Their positive attitude reassured me that we’re on the right path to making this study both impactful and enjoyable for everyone involved. Emily taking corneal thickness measurements on a young participant using the PM1 Pachymeter (Occuity).   Looking Ahead: Exciting Next Steps This is just the beginning. In six months, I’ll revisit the school to collect additional data. This next phase will include photoreceptor metrics, captured using an adaptive optics fundus camera (Imagine Eyes rtx1), and refraction measurements, taken with an autorefractor (Nidek Handy-Ref). Each step brings us closer to a comprehensive understanding of childhood eye development. With each visit, I hope to continue building strong connections with the children and their school community.

November marks the beginning of the Mynamic Project, starting with the Dynamics of Childhood Eye Growth ( DoCEG ) study. This study will run for five years (potentially more), monitoring changes every six months. This week, Dr Emily Patterson had the pleasure of attending a Q&A session with parents and an assembly with children at Hatch Ride Primary School . "I was delighted by the level of interest that the children and their parents showed in the project, with lots of great questions about eye growth and vision. I'm really looking forward to working with such inquisitive and engaged children!" Emily, with assistance from her Occuity colleague, Ashlesha Mahadar, will spend up to two weeks in the local primary school, measuring height, weight, corneal thickness, axial eye length, and colour vision. They will also collect health and lifestyle data, using a questionnaire. As the project progresses, more measurements will be introduced, such as refraction, accommodation, retinal thickness, and photoreceptor metrics. The goal of this ambitious project is to build a full picture of why and how the different parts of the eye grow in relation to each other throughout childhood, which will help to identify myopia risk earlier, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.