Henrique Nascimento, President of the Professional Union of Portuguese Opticians and Optometrists (União Profissional dos Ópticos e Optometristas Portugueses), obtained a degree in PhD in Vision and Sports from the European University of Madrid on the 4th of March. ÓpticaPro wanted to know the reasons that led him to bet on these studies and interviewed the specialist and researcher in optometry.

Why the decision to get a PhD?

It is the consequence of everything that is done throughout life, of what is being questioned and what is being experienced. It also appears as an imperative of those who are like me, working wholeheartedly,  since the 1980’s, in the field of education, first through the Portuguese School of Ocular Optics (Escola Portuguesa de Óptica Ocular) and more recently the Higher Institute of Education and Science in Lisbon.

How did you choose the theme vision and sports?

First, because I have always been passionate about sport, then, because there is very little that is known about this field, and not much has been explored by vision scientists. Finally, because I believe that optometry can be a great asset to the sports community by raising sportspeople’s athletic abilities through their sight.

Can you summarise the work that has been done during your PhD?

First, I compiled a lot of data that was scattered about and tried to organise the sight principles and abilities involved in sportspeople’s sight. Then I analysed and verified the number of reports that had been published since the first issue, in 1911, and which topics and fields had been the most published about. I analysed how the media broadcasted news about those issues, and who else divulged this field of optometry. Finally, I compared, in some disciplines, the sight ability of sportspeople and non-sportspeople.

What have you acquired throughout your studies?

Knowledge! Obviously the title is very important, but the capacity required in terms of scientific research is the most rewarding part of this long process. Next, and no less important, the recognition of your peers, for what you contribute to the development of your activity, in this case optometry.

What will you now be able to do differently in optics?

It won’t be much different. I will continue to do what I have always done: investigate, and question to finally transmit the knowledge to all those who take care of Portuguese optometry and make it grow every day: the optometrists.

Full interview at OpticaPro 226.