Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and its partners have progressed work on the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation Institute (NORI) and the city’s specialist Eye Hospital, both due to open in 2026.
Plans for the £4.2m NORI, a partnership between the University of Sunderland and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT), were unveiled in December 2025.
Separately, Kier Construction broke ground on the new eye hospital in 2024 to design an inclusive facility that is accessible for all users.
What will NORI offer?
Based close to the new Eye Hospital, NORI aims to harness routine eye scan data linked with secure NHS and community health records to improve early detection and prevention of both eye conditions and other serious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, dementia and stroke.
By bringing eye imaging and broader health data together, researchers and clinicians hope to offer more personalised care, faster diagnosis and better preventative approaches to illness locally and nationally.
“This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our region…we have a real opportunity to turn routine eye scans into a power tool for prevention and early diagnosis,” said Matthew Campbell, Professor of Human Metabolism and Co-Director of NORI.
NORI is being developed with a range of partners, including Sunderland City Council, South Tyneside Council, Durham and Newcastle universities and the vision charity Fight for Sight.
The development marks a strategic investment in health innovation for the North East region.
Plans for specialist eye hospital
Meanwhile, construction of Sunderland’s new specialist Eye Hospital continues to advance, with recent images released by the NHS showing the building’s exterior as it nears completion.
The city-centre facility will replace the ageing Sunderland Eye Infirmary and provide a modern base for dedicated eye care services for patients across the North East and North Cumbria.
The hospital, part of the Riverside Sunderland regeneration project, is on track for a summer 2026 opening.
It will bring together emergency care, outpatient services, imaging and surgical units under one roof, supported by sustainable design features and improved access for patients.
Together, the NORI research institute and the new Eye Hospital reflect a substantial NHS and academic commitment to advancing eye health services and research.