To mark the retirement of Professor Bernard Gilmartin from his personal chair in optometry, Aston University’s Ophthalmic Research Group organised a 2-day conference celebrating Bernard’s many contributions to optometric education and research, and his tireless commitment to advancing and developing the profession of optometry. This Festschrift special issue of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics includes a selection of papers based on the material presented at the event in September 2011, reflecting many of Bernard’s personal research interests. Moreover, it seems very apposite to record this occasion in The College of Optometrists’ journal that Bernard so skilfully edited between 1987 and 2000, and for which he now acts as an Associate Editor. Bernard Gilmartin was born and educated in Manchester, and commenced his studies in optometry at City University, London, in 1965. He was awarded a First Class Honours degree in optometry in 1968 and following General Optical Council registration, returned to City to complete a PhD. A further year was spent at City as a lecturer, followed by 2 years in full-time optometric practice. In 1974 he joined Aston University, Birmingham, as a lecturer, and following promotion to senior lectureship (1988) and readership (1994), was awarded a personal chair in optometry in 1998. He completed a 5 year term as Director of Research for the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston in 2006 and was founder and convener of the Ophthalmic Research Group between 1984 and 2010. During his time at Aston, Bernard published over 130 research papers together with four book chapters and two edited books principally on the topics of accommodation, autonomic nervous system function and myopia. He was a senior examiner for The College of Optometrists Professional Qualifying Examinations for 30 years and acts as an educationalist for General Optical Council institutional visits, and more recently was a member of the Allied Health Professions and Studies Panel for the 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise and chair of the College of Optometrists Research Committee. Bernard was elected to a Fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry in 1990, to a Life Fellowship of The College of Optometrists in 2000 ‘in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the College and the profession over many years’ and was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal from Aston University in July 2009 for ‘outstanding and sustained contributions to the University’. Importantly, in addition to Bernard’s many academic achievements, he remains universally respected by both students and peers alike. His trusted and considered council will be sorely missed by colleagues and students at Aston. On behalf of all who have known and worked with Bernard, we would like to wish him a very happy retirement.