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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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Retina organoids mimic the structure and function of the human retina to serve as a platform to study underlying causes of retinal diseases, test new drug therapies, and provide a source of cells for transplantation. credit: David Gamm, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

NIH solicits next-generation retina organoids in prize competition

A competition for radical ideas in the fight against blindness will move to its next phase by challenging participants to build functioning human retina prototypes.
Aqueous humor flows out of the anterior chamber through the open angle where the cornea meets the iris. The open angle consists of two routes: the conventional, trabecular pathway, which includes a spongy layer called the trabecular meshwork, and the non-conventional, uveoscleral pathway, through the ciliary muscle that controls the eye’s focusing mechanism. The majority of fluid flows out via the trabecular pathway, which acts like a one-way valve. About a third of the fluid exits through the uveoscleral p

NEI support paved early pathway for novel glaucoma therapies

The recent approval of two novel medications for glaucoma – the first new medications for the disorder in nearly 18 years – are fruit borne from decades of foundational scientific research supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI).
Computer simulation shows deformation caused by the eye rotating towards the nose

NEI-funded research suggests repetitive strain from eye movement may play a role in glaucoma

Common, unavoidable eye movements may be a cause of glaucoma in people with normal intraocular pressure (normal-tension glaucoma), according to new research supported by the National Eye Institute.

NIH discovery brings stem cell therapy for eye disease closer to the clinic

Scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI) report that tiny tube-like protrusions called primary cilia on cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are essential for the survival of the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptors.
Grantee News

Macular Degeneration: UVA Discovers Trigger That Leads to Vision Loss for Millions

In a major step forward in the battle against macular degeneration, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered a critical trigger for the damaging inflammation that ultimately robs millions of their sight.
DSAEK Corneal transplantation

NIH study finds donor corneas can be safely preserved for longer period

Results from a large, national clinical trial show that corneal donor tissue can be safely stored for 11 days without negatively impacting the success of transplantation surgery to restore vision in people with diseases of the cornea.
patient and doctor smiling

Participation in clinical trials improves diabetes care

The development of new therapies and cures would be impossible without patients volunteering for clinical research studies.
anniversary logo

Fifty years of vision research opens window into the brain

The eye is more than a window to the soul; it is a window to the brain.
Grantee News

‘Y’ a Protein Unicorn Might Matter in Glaucoma

A protein shaped like a 'Y' made NEI-funded scientists at Georgia Tech do a double-take may change the way they think about the protein which is sometimes implicated in glaucoma.
Eyes with autoimmune uveitis show increased inflammatory cells in the eye (indicated by arrows). Treatment with p35 reduces this inflammatory response.  Credit: Charles Egwuagu.

NIH researchers unleash therapeutic potential of IL-35

NIH scientists have simplified manufacturing and dosing of a potential drug candidate for the autoimmune eye disease uveitis—a vision-threatening condition that accounts for about 15 percent of blindness in the U.S.