Rachel Pilling

Rachel Pilling is a Professor of Special Needs and Learning Disability Eye Care at the University of Bradford since 2020, concurrently serving as a consultant paediatric ophthalmologist at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) since 2010. Her work bridges clinical practice and academic research in specialized eye care for individuals with learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions.

• Key Expertise: Cerebral visual impairment, functional visual assessment, and visual disorders associated with autism spectrum disorder.
• Innovations: Developer of the Bradford Visual Function Box, a tool for assessing functional vision in non-verbal patients.
• Clinical Focus: Special school visual assessments, cataract surgery outcomes, and diabetic retinal screening protocols for adults with learning disabilities.

Her research emphasizes translating clinical insights into practical tools for improving visual care accessibility and quality in underserved populations.