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Digital soft contact lenses design and validation

Funding
Self-funded
Study mode
Full-time
Apply by
Start date
Year round
Subject area
Engineering
How to apply

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Meet us on campus or online in March 2026 to find out more about master’s degrees and research opportunities at Liverpool.

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We’re currently showing entry requirements and other information for applicants with qualifications from United Kingdom.

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Overview

Design the geometry and select the materials of a range of contact lenses then test their optical power before and after the fitting process. This is a self-funded project open to UK and international applicants.

About this opportunity

Soft contact lenses are medical devices largely used to correct the eye refractive error for more than 125 million people worldwide. Unlike spectacle lenses which are used in conventional glasses, soft contact lenses should be designed to fit the user’s eye beside being able to correct his vision. During the fitting process, the surface of the contact lens deflects to fit the eye shape, therefore, the optical power of the soft lens on-eye differs from the one originally manufactured and tested off-eye.

In this project, the student will design the geometry and select the materials of a range of contact lenses then test their optical power before and after the fitting process. The product design process will be carried out by a MATLAB software code, however, the process of fitting contact lenses to human eyes will be simulated by FE-BIO finite element software where the 3D change in the shape of a contact lens can be monitored and recorded. The student will then use knowledge gained from this exercise to obtain correction factors that can be used to take the deflection of soft contact lenses in account when design contact lenses.

Further reading

  • Can AI Predict the Magnitude and Direction of Ortho-K Contact Lens Decentration to Limit Induced HOAs and Astigmatism? Lin, W. -P., Wu, L. -Y., Li, W. -K., Lin, W. -R., Wu, R., Abass, A (2024), doi:10.3390/jcm13185420
  • FEA-Based Stress-Strain Barometers as Forecasters for Corneal Refractive Power Change in Orthokeratology. Wu, L. -Y., Lin, W. -P., Wu, R., White, L., Abass, A. (2024), doi:10.3390/bioengineering11020166
  • Typical Localised Element-Specific Finite Element Anterior Eye Model, Towler, J., Consejo, A., Zhou, D., Romano, V., Levis, H., Boote, C., Abass, A. (2023), doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13944.
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Who is this for?

This project is open to self-funded UK and international applicants.

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How to apply

  1. 1. Contact supervisors

  2. 2. Prepare your application documents

    You may need the following documents to complete your online application:

    • A research proposal (this should cover the research you’d like to undertake)
    • University transcripts and degree certificates to date
    • Passport details (international applicants only)
    • English language certificates (international applicants only)
    • A personal statement
    • A curriculum vitae (CV)
    • Contact details for two proposed supervisors
    • Names and contact details of two referees.

  3. 3. Apply

    Finally, register and apply online. You'll receive an email acknowledgment once you've submitted your application. We'll be in touch with further details about what happens next.

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Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

Tuition fees

If you’re a UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Republic of Ireland student, tuition fees for academic year 2026/27 are:

  • Full time: £5,238 per year
  • Part-time: £2,619 per year.

If you’re an international student, tuition fees for academic year 2026/27 are:

  • Full time: £25,350 or £32,200 per year
  • Part time: £12,650 or £16,100 per year.

Please note, the tuition fee you pay will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others, for example if you’re required to undertake laboratory work. You’ll be informed of the fee for your intended PhD in your offer letter.

The fees stated are for academic year 2026/27 and may be subject to change for academic year 2027/28. The University may administer inflationary rises to international fees in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

Additional costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this project, as well as general student living costs.

Funding your PhD

This is a self-funded opportunity. You may need to apply for external funding to cover tuition fees and living expenses.

If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan worth up to £30,301 to help with course fees and living costs.

There’s also a variety of alternative sources of funding. These include funded research opportunities and financial support from UK research councils, charities and trusts. Your supervisor may be able to help you secure funding.

We've set the country or region your qualifications are from as United Kingdom.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition fees and living expenses.

Duncan Norman Research Scholarship

If you’re awarded this prestigious scholarship, you’ll receive significant funding to support your postgraduate research. This includes full payment of your PhD fees and a cash bursary of £23,000 per year while you study. One award is available in each academic year.

John Lennon Memorial Scholarship

If you’re a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for financial support worth up to £12,000 per year for up to three years of full-time postgraduate research (or up to five years part-time pro-rata).

Sport Liverpool Performance Programme

Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.

Discover our full range of scholarships and bursaries.
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Contact us

Have a question about this research opportunity or studying a PhD with us? Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below, and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Dr Ahmed Abass
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