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Patient Involvement opportunity

Posted: Thu 15 Jan 2026 11:25 am
by Anne Klepacz
Dr Sangeetha Rao (member and advocate of the Keratoconus Group UK) and Dr Shafi Balal (UCL researcher) are setting up a small Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group to support keratoconus research. We’re looking for a small number of patients who may be interested in getting involved.

What’s involved
• One in‑person meeting per year at Moorfields Eye Hospital
• Occasional light‑touch follow-up by email or virtual
• No preparation required

Who can take part
Adults (18+) with lived experience of keratoconus. No research experience needed.

Current research area of interest
The research group has developed AI algorithms for early diagnosis and for predicting which patients may require cross‑linking from first‑visit data.

Support for in‑person meetings
• Travel expenses covered
• Payment for your time
• Childcare support available
• Refreshments provided

Additional opportunity
We’re also planning a one‑off larger patient and public event, open to everyone, with short talks and interactive discussions about future research ideas.

Timeline
We hope to hold the first small‑group meeting before the summer, with a follow-up in the autumn.

If you’re interested or would like more information, please comment below or e-mail anne@keratoconus-group.org.uk

Your perspective matters.