Welcome to the Oculomotor Lab in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. The lab is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Peoples and directed by Dr. Miriam Spering. We are located on the 2nd floor of Koerner Pavilion at UBC Hospital.

Our research focuses on how humans use visual information to control movements. We use a suite of world-class equipment consisting of ultra-fast display technology, auditory stimulation, eye tracking, and motion capture to study vision, multisensory integration, eye and hand movements in healthy adults, athletes, and patients with sensorimotor deficits.

Our research has many applications. For example, a type of eye movement known as smooth pursuit is used to stabilize gaze on a moving object of interest and critically assists vision. Deficits in the perception of visual motion and the tracking of moving objects have been described in many clinical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. Together with our collaborators, we investigate eye movements as sensitive indicators of disease processes as well as ultra-high performance in interceptive sports such as baseball.

The lab and its members are funded by an NSERC Discovery Grant, CFI John R. Evans Leaders Fund, and Canada Graduate Scholarships from NSERC and CIHR.

Follow us on twitter: @speringlab