Trevor Lamb has made major contributions to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which light absorption triggers a neural signal in retinal photoreceptors. He invented the method for recording electrically from isolated photoreceptor cells and discovered rod responses to single photons; he developed a mathematical description of the molecular steps involved in activation; he accounted for light adaptation; and he has provided a molecular description of dark adaptation and retinoid recycling. His accomplishments have been recognised by the Rank Prize for Optoelectronics (1980), election as a Fellow of the Royal Society (1993), and the Alcon Research Institute Award (2003).