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NEI Research News

Thanks to the work of NEI scientists and grantees, we’re constantly learning new information about the causes and treatment of vision disorders. Get the latest updates about their work — along with other news about NEI.

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231 items
Grantee News

Research Suggests Revision to Common View on How Retinal Cells in Mammals Process Light

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say that new experiments with mouse eye tissues strongly suggest that a longstanding “textbook concept” about the way a mammal’s retina processes light needs a rewrite.
Grantee News

Microglia, the Immune Cells of the Central Nervous System, Shown to Regulate Neuroinflammation

A research team at Massachusetts Eye and Ear has shown that microglia, the primary immune cells of the central nervous system—including the retina of the eye—serve as “gatekeepers,” or biosensors and facilitators, of neuroinflammation...
Greens, beans and dairy products arranged on a table

NIH Study Finds No Evidence That Calcium Increases Risk of AMD

Eating a calcium-rich diet or taking calcium supplements does not appear to increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to the findings of a study by scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI).
Grantee News

Therapy Could Improve, Prolong Sight in Those Suffering Vision Loss

A new therapy developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, could help prolong useful vision and delay total blindness for people with retinitis pigmentosa.
Yellow, red and purple multi-colored mosaic

Imaging Method Reveals Long-lived Patterns in Cells of the Eye

Cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) form unique patterns that can be used to track changes in this important layer of tissue in the back of the eye, researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have found.
Grantee News

Molecular Classification and Comparative Taxonomies of Foveal and Peripheral Cells in Primate Retina

A team of researchers led by Harvard's Joshua Sanes applied high-throughput genetic sequencing methods to create the first cellular atlas of the primate retina.
Two boys smile at camera. Dark spot in center of image represents vision loss from AMD.

NIH Researchers Home in on Genes Linked to Age-Related Macular Degeneration

National Eye Institute scientists led a collaborative study and zeroed in on genes associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss and blindness among people age 65 and older.
Grantee News

IUPUI researchers re-create retinal microenvironment in a dish with human stem cells

IUPUI scientists have used retinal ganglion cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells to create models that better mimic the human retina.
Grantee News

Microscopic eye movements affect how we see contrast

A team of researchers has discovered how the brain uses tiny, unconscious eye movements to pick up differences in brightness, likely by “refreshing” signals hitting the retina.
Side-by-side panels showing retinal vessels. Left panel filled with green, right panel much less green.

Faulty molecular master switch may contribute to AMD

A signaling pathway controlled by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) could be involved in the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).