Richard Blanch is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and a clinical academic at the University of Birmingham. He has a particular interest in ocular trauma and works closely with the NIHR SRMRC where he leads clinical and laboratory-
based research aiming to improve assessment and treatment of eye and brain eye injury.
Richard completed his PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2013 looking at the mechanisms of apoptosis after retinal injury and his current laboratory work is directed towards understanding and preventing retinal cell death after trauma. In particular, his research aims to improve the delivery of neuroprotective therapies to the retina and optic nerve after application as eye drops. His clinical research with the NIHR SRMRC aims to examine the retinal changes associated with critical illness, particularly sepsis and traumatic brain injury, in order to improve the assessment of these conditions. He has received funding from the Ministry of Defence, Fight for Sight, Blind Veterans UK and the Drummond Foundation.