04 March 2026
A University of Reading professor whose research transformed the treatment of childhood eye conditions has received her royal honour in a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Professor Anna Horwood, professor emerita at the University, was presented with the official honour by HRH The Princess Royal on 17 February 2026. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year’s Honours List for services to Orthoptics and Research in Visual Development.
Professor Horwood has worked as an orthoptist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital since 1981, and led the University of Reading's Infant Vision Lab from 2006 to 2020. Her research provided the first laboratory evidence to overturn more than a century of previous understanding used by clinicians to treat eye-movement disorders such as childhood squint, reshaping international guidelines for patient care.
Today, she is internationally recognised as one of the most influential figures in orthoptics.
Reflecting on the ceremony, Professor Horwood said: "It was definitely a day to remember. All the officials and military guards in their uniforms were very welcoming and made us feel special. Speaking with Princess Anne was a highlight and she was interested in my research, particularly my work with children.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition for my work, and would like to thank the many colleagues, partners, patients and their families for their support and dedication to this research throughout my career. It has been fantastic to see how it has helped improve patient outcomes for those dealing with common vision issues. The support from the University was also vital to this research, so I am grateful for that too.”
Professor Horwood continues to see patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospital while volunteering to teach orthoptics internationally.
We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2027/28 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2026/27 courses.
