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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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Patients with specific types of lipids may be at higher risk of developing blinding eye disease

June 13, 2023

Scientists find association between lipid metabolism and glaucoma.

New nerve insights could someday help heal certain types of blindness and paralysis

June 5, 2023

UConn School of Medicine researchers report that a small population of nerve cells exist in everyone that could be coaxed to regrow, potentially restoring sight and movement after injury.
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Researchers discover therapeutic target to aid in glaucoma treatment

March 13, 2023

Indiana University researchers have identified a new therapeutic target that could lead to more effective treatment of glaucoma.
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New UC Irvine-led study shows repeated stress accelerates aging of the eye

November 21, 2022

Researchers say findings reveal potential glaucoma drugs targets.
Comparison of two retinal images.

Gene therapy for rare eye disease safe but lacks efficacy in early trial

May 31, 2022

A 28-patient phase 1 gene therapy clinical trial for the degenerative retinal disease Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) found no significant safety concerns; however, treatment failed to improve or slow vision loss, with even the highest dose.
Neurons (green) and their supporting astrocytes (red), created in a petri dish from stem cells.

Cell-replacement Therapies for Visual System Disorders

July 30, 2021

Two translational studies at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute are targeting photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to restore vision through regeneration of the retina. The research is funded by the NEI Audacious Goals Initiative.
Image of brain cells with "sparks" of red and yellow

Brain tumors caused by normal neuron activity in mice predisposed to such tumors

May 26, 2021

A study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Stanford University School of Medicine shows that the normal day-to-day activity of neurons can drive the formation and growth of brain tumors.

Treatment not always needed to prevent vision loss in patients with elevated eye pressure

April 15, 2021

More than 20 years after the launch of a landmark clinical trial, follow-up examinations and analyses found that not all patients with elevated eye pressure need pressure-lowering treatment to prevent vision loss from glaucoma.
Image shows eye globe, optic nerve, lens, cornea, pupil, meshwork, angle, and where fluid forms and exits the front of the eye.

Cataract surgery in infancy increases glaucoma risk

December 17, 2020

Children who undergo cataract surgery as infants have a 22% risk of glaucoma 10 years later, whether or not they receive an intraocular lens implant. The findings come from the National Eye Institute (NEI)-funded Infant Aphakic Treatment Study.
NEI Audacious Goals Initiative for regenerative medicine in vision identity mark

Eye institute’s audacious quest: What once was lost might now be regrown

October 13, 2020

The National Eye Institute (NEI) Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI) is exploring the possibility that the natural world holds the keys to restorative therapies that might unlock regenerative powers in humans.