Eye YPAG
(Young Persons Advisory Group)
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A YPAG is a Young Persons Advisory Group. The Eye YPAG specialises in advising researchers and health care professionals about young people and eye health research. We have facilitated their on-going work.
The group was founded in March 2019 and has around 16-20 members aged 8 -16 who were recruited from clinics across Moorfields.
Researchers take an idea for a medical trail, a new treatment plan or area of research to the group and use a variety of activities to discuss and receive feedback on the proposed research.
Initial Eye YPAG members
As well as speaking with researchers and clinicians they have enjoyed working in a group of true peers, helping develop new skills and confidence by engaging in design projects...
...increased their communication skills while co- creating their shared agreements, which are their working ethos. They have commissioned films while working with outside staff to achieve the intended brief.
The group went online during the pandemic which was an adventure in collaboration.
After each meeting a different member creates a blog for the YPAG Alliance - GenerationR
After two years working together Eye YPAG produced their own evaluative research on the group itself with the help of Dr Louca-Mai Brady, the groups initial facilitator.
They looked at the difference they had made and how they could develop and improve in the future. The group decided, among other things, that they would like to be credited on research they advised on and would like to attract some new members.
You can read the full report here.
A sample of research the group has advised on:
Eye Patch for children’s amblyopia – which consisted of a design exercise and break out sessions.
Caffeine tablets to slow myopia – how to encourage families to engage with the study and the use of chewy flavoured slow-release pills.
Slowing down short sightedness with eye drops and contact lenses – the group advised to making the pitch solutions rather than problem based: part of a healthy routine rather than a chore.
The child vision lab asked the group to test their new technology. Eye YPAG was included in the research publication.
Research nurse Jacqueline Miller's PhD project: Ci2i, a project based in co-production and ultimately aiming to give feedback to researchers about the structure of young peoples eye healthcare and how to be fully inclusive of individual needs
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