Team | Mivi

Principal Investigator

Arathy Kartha

Arathy Kartha, is a low-vision researcher and clinician scientist dedicated to advancing functional vision and rehabilitation for individuals living with severe and profound visual impairment. Her research lies at the intersection of vision science, neuroscience, multisensory integration, and rehabilitation, with a particular emphasis on understanding how individuals use residual vision in real-world activities.

Dr. Kartha's research explores ultra-low vision, multisensory integration, visual-motor performance, and technology-enabled approaches to assessment and rehabilitation. She is developing novel behavioral and technology-based approaches that combine visual, auditory, and haptic information to enhance functional performance and independence. Her work also encompasses cortical visual impairment in children, including the development of age-appropriate measures of visual function, attention, and eye movements.

In addition, Dr. Kartha investigates the broader consequences of vision loss, including cognitive and multisensory changes associated with glaucoma. Her research philosophy is grounded in the idea that vision rehabilitation should move beyond traditional measures of visual acuity and visual fields to understand how people actually perceive, interact with, and navigate their environments.

Through her work, Dr. Kartha seeks to translate advances in vision science and neuroscience into personalized, accessible, and clinically meaningful rehabilitation strategies.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Orhan Batuhan Erkat

Batuhan is a postdoctoral researcher in the MIVI Laboratory at SUNY College of Optometry. He earned his PhD in Neuroscience from Rutgers University, where he investigated how learning and adaptation modify neuronal representations of sensory stimuli in visual cortex, and contributed to projects on how audiovisual interactions influence visual perception. During his PhD, he interned at Dolby Laboratories, studying vibrotactile perception using behavioral methods. Prior to his PhD, he completed his master’s degree at the Computational and Biological Vision Group at Bilkent University, working on retinotopic mapping with fMRI. At the MIVI Lab, he focuses on integrating haptic systems into rehabilitation tools for people with visual impairments. Outside the lab, he enjoys long walks by the water and spending time with his partner and their cat.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dinesh Venugopal

Dinesh is a postdoctoral researcher in the MIVI Laboratory at SUNY College of Optometry. He earned his PhD from the School of Optometry and Vision Science at Queensland University of Technology (Australia), where he developed the Assessment of Low Luminance Vision-Related Activities—a comprehensive performance-based measure designed to quantify the challenges faced by individuals with vision impairment under low luminance conditions. The tool was validated as a reliable instrument for assessing rehabilitation outcomes, evaluating eye therapy effectiveness, and informing injury prevention programs. Prior to his PhD, he served as a Lecturer in Optometry at Goa Medical College and Hospital, India, where he mentored undergraduate students and conducted research on optometry education and ocular disease awareness. He holds an M.Phil in Optometry from the Elite School of Optometry (BITS Pilani, India) and a B.Sc in Optometry from Shri Prakash Institute of Optometry (Alagappa University, India). At the MIVI Lab, he is involved in developing multisensory rehabilitation strategies for individuals with Ultra Low Vision under the mentorship of Dr. Kartha. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing cricket, exploring nature, and discovering new cuisines.

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Ph.D. Student

Navaneetha Ampolu

Navaneetha is a PhD student in the MIVI Laboratory at the SUNY College of Optometry. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences at the Bausch and Lomb School of Optometry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Optometry and Vision Sciences at the L V Prasad Eye Institute. Her early research explored pseudomyopia and spasm of the near reflex, as well as the relationship between visual acuity and blur thresholds.

Before beginning her PhD, Navaneetha worked as an optometrist at the Child Sight Institute and later joined the Special Needs Vision Clinic at L V Prasad Eye Institute. Her clinical experiences with children in these settings shaped her interest in cerebral visual impairment and functional vision in neurodevelopmental conditions. At SUNY, her research focuses on understanding functional vision and higher-order visual processing in individuals with cerebral visual impairment. She is particularly interested in developing clinically meaningful tools that capture how visual difficulties affect everyday performance and inform more effective rehabilitation strategies.

Navaneetha is passionate about bridging clinical practice, research, and education to better understand and support individuals with complex visual needs. Outside the lab, she enjoys adventures, spending time in nature, and exploring New York City.

Ph.D. Student

Loy Hashimoto

Loy is an incoming Vision Science Ph.D. student at SUNY College of Optometry. She earned her Bachelor degrees in Biology (with a concentration in Quantitative Biology) and Applied Mathematics at Stony Brook University. Loy’s undergraduate research focused on analyzing the mechanism by which myo-inositol, a small molecule naturally abundant in the human eye lens, reduces light-scattering aggregation of lens crystallins to find a potential treatment for cataracts. She looks forward to gaining more experience with clinical research and contributing to accessible rehabilitation and treatments for global vision disorders. In her free time, Loy enjoys reading and going on runs.

Research Assistant

Abu Monaf

Abu is a research assistant in the MIVI Laboratory at SUNY College of Optometry and an aspiring physician currently applying to medical school. He earned his B.A. in Biology from Hunter College. His path to medicine has been shaped by clinical work across New York City, as a medical assistant and scribe in urgent care at CityMD, as a scribe at Starling Diagnostics, and in a range of other healthcare settings. Those experiences drew him toward a career rooted in the community that raised him, with the long-term goal of building accessible clinical care in the Bronx. At the MIVI Lab, Abu assists with participant scheduling and study visits, data collection during testing sessions with individuals with ultra low vision, data entry, and questionnaire administration. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing basketball and soccer with friends and trying new restaurants around the city.

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Research Coordinator

Dana Skinner

Dana is currently the Research Manager at the Clinical Vision Research Center-SUNY College of Optometry. She received her degree in Psychology from Baruch College with a concentration in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. During her time at the CVRC, she has managed multiple FDA, industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated studies. She has served as lead coordinator, sub-investigator, and technician on a range of drug, device, and database studies.

High School Volunteer

Angie Yang

Angie Yang is a high school student at Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School with a

passion for vision science, medicine, and advocacy. Drawing from her love-hate

relationship with the optometrist’s hot air balloon test as a kid, she developed a strong

interest in the various intersections of tech, research, and clinical practice, which she is

excited to explore with the MIVI team. Angie is also deeply committed to supporting the

visually-impaired community through her work with various vision-related service

organizations. In her free time, she enjoys playing the oboe, writing short stories, and

trying new restaurants with her friends.

Past Members

Yi Xu - Research Technician

Navya Sreeram - Research Technician

Aradhya Vijay - High School Volunteer

Nikita Menon - High School Volunteer