Optometry and Vision Sciences

Vision research at the Life Science Faculty at Bar‑Ilan University spans the full pathway from the eye to the brain, examining how visual information is acquired, processed, and interpreted across the nervous system in both normal and impaired conditions.

Across labs, we focus on cortical mechanisms of object and face recognition, the structure of eye movements as readouts of cognitive and neurological function, and the reorganization of visual processing following sensory loss. In parallel, we develop retinal prosthetics and neural interfaces to bypass damaged pathways and restore visual input.

We combine experimental, computational, and neuroimaging approaches to address fundamental questions of visual processing while advancing efforts in rehabilitation and neurotechnology.

Prof. Bonneh Yoram

• Visual perception: normal and abnormal; visual awareness
• Involuntary eye movements: a window into visual processing, and cognition of non-communicating individuals
• Autism: Hyper perception and regulation, Cognition of the minimally-verbal, Learning, Visual superiorities

Prof. Gilaie-Dotan Sharon

• Relationship between human visual cortex organization and visual functions (high and low order)
• High order visual functions (perception and action) in lab settings and in natural dynamic environment
• Face perception and object and shape perception
• Visual motion perception including biological (human) motion perception
• Visual cortex organization in the human brain via neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI)
• Investigation of normal vision, impaired vision (congenital or acquired (e.g. from brain damage))
• Relations between different visual functions to reveal dependencies or independence between different functions

Prof. Mandel Yossi

Vision Restoration, Neurobiology, and Eye Engineering

Can lost vision be restored? New technologies aim to make blind people see.

Research focus: The lab develops advanced approaches for vision restoration: bionic vision - artificial retina, stem-cell engineering, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. Work bridges neural/cellular understanding of the visual system with engineering solutions designed for eventual clinical translation. From recording neural activity to designing miniature implantable devices, the lab pushes the boundaries of ophthalmology.

Highlighted takeaway: These developments could transform the lives of millions worldwide, expanding what is possible in vision medicine.

Methods: Electrophysiology · Tissue engineering · Stem cells · Advanced imaging · Neural device development, Brain-Machine interface, Advanced AI methods

Hobbies: Jazz Music, Piano, hiking

Prof. Polat Uri

• Visual perception; neural interactions
• Clinical: Amblyopia, Glaucoma, Major depression, ADHD, Vision in diabetes
• Pharmacological effects on vision, Development
• Visual functions: Contrast sensitivity, Lateral interactions, Visual crowding, Contour integration, Visual grouping,
• Learning: Learning to see faster, processing speed, Improvement of normal and
• Impaired vision, Adaptation vs. learning' Visual rehabilitation
• Refraction and plasticity
• Visual Performance: Night vision, Driving, Color blindness, Aging, Binocular vision, Visual masking, Peripheral vision, tracking eye movements, Video game playing, Decision making, Visual stress, Fatigue