Our impact
Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF2021) results were published on 12 May 2022, and they confirm that ARU has significantly increased the quality and impact of our research.
ARU’s research is having a profound impact on people’s lives and we’re delighted that the REF results reflect that. Research submitted by VERI has concentrated on decreasing the risk of blindness and addressing eye health inequalities.
VERI’s research on the prevalence of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STR) has helped reduce the risk of blindness in people from Asian backgrounds in the UK, Nepal, India, Thailand and China.
The findings of Prof Shahina Pardhan and her team led them to work with a range of stakeholders to improve health literacy and retinal screening uptake and promote healthier lifestyles. This has directly benefitted more than 110,000 individuals with diabetes.
Read more about the impact of our research on the prevalence of STR.
VERI’s research on global changes in the burden, causes, and risk factors of eye disease over time has helped reduce the risk of preventable blindness and vision impairment for millions of people around the world.
The findings of Prof Rupert Bourne and national and international collaborators from the Vision Loss Expert Group (VLEG) have raised awareness of the prevalence of eye diseases globally. As a result, international organisations and charities, and national governments have made eye health policies and/or investment decisions.
Read more about the impact of our research on the burden of eye diseases.