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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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NEI funded research sheds new light on immune cell interactions in retina

During most eye infections or injuries, neutrophils, immune cells found in the blood, are usually the first line of defense. However, new research shows retina responds differently than other tissues in the body.

New research uncovers link between cancer pathway and blood-retina barrier function

A National Eye Institute-funded research team at the University of Minnesota Medical School discovered that a cancer signaling pathway has previously unrecognized roles in retina and brain blood vessels.

Eye cells "rewire" themselves when vision begins to fail

A new study funded by the National Eye Institute shows that certain retinal cells can rewire themselves when vision begins to deteriorate in retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disease that leads to progressive blindness.

NEI-funded study: babies’ poor vision may help organize visual brain pathways

A new study funded by the NEI provides an account for how pathways in the brain's visual system may be shaped by developmental factors.

Strategy to prevent age-related macular degeneration identified

A new National Eye Institute-supported study identifies a possible way to slow or block progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in people over age 50.

Research provides insight into how multifocal contacts help fight myopia

Have you noticed that more children than ever are wearing glasses? Global research indicates 35% of children are affected by myopia, needing glasses to see clearly at a distance. If the trend continues, the number is expected to rise to 40% by 2050.

HIV drug can improve vision in patients with common diabetes complication

Lamivudine could represent an important new option for millions of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME), a condition which causes fluid to build up in the retina of the eye.

NEI-funded study shows low blood sugar contributes to eye damage and vision loss in diabetic retinopathy

In a new National Institutes of Health-funded study led by scientists at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have determined that low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, may promote a breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier.

NEI-funded study explores how thoughts influence what the eyes see

A new study show how the brain’s visual regions play an active role in making sense of information. Crucially, the way it interprets the information depends on what the rest of the brain is working on.

Researchers study how brains remember multiple things at once

Research funded by the National Eye Institute offers insight into what is happening in our brains when our working memory must use its limited resources to remember multiple things.