Lyle Gray graduated from Glasgow College, the forerunner institution of Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in 1989, and after qualifying as an optometrist in 1990, undertook a PhD, which he began at Aston University and subsequently completed at GCU in 1994. He undertook a 1 year Post-doctoral Research Fellow position studying the uses of autorefractors in clinical practice, and then became a Lecturer at GCU. He has subsequently been promoted to Reader, and is also the Postgraduate Research Tutor for the Department of Vision Sciences. He sits on the University Research Committee, Higher Degrees Committee and Research Programmes Team of the Graduate School.