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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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New gene-editing technique holds potential for treating childhood blindness

Using a new experimental technique to fix faulty eye cells, a team led by University of Wisconsin researchers was able to repair a gene mutation that causes one form of childhood blindness.

Resolving a seeming contradiction, study advances understanding of visual recognition memory

Scientists have invested decades in piecing together how our vision is so good at recognizing what’s familiar. A new study overcomes an apparent discrepancy in data to reveal a new insight into how it works.

NEI grantees receive Lasker Award for imaging discovery

The Lasker Foundation cited a trio of scientists, who with NEI funding, developed OCT, one of the most widely used technologies for imaging the eye.
Nitin Verma

Filling the eye care gap down under

Nitin Verma visited NIH and shared his lifetime perspective on the delivery of vision care to underserved populations in the Australia/South Pacific region—roughly 50-million people scattered across vast stretches of land and ocean.
Fundus photo showing medium drusen

LSU Health New Orleans researchers discover a key failure in AMD that may lead to progression and vision loss

Research suggests that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) decreases an essential fatty acid, preventing the formation of a class of protective molecules and reducing repair potential.
Two boys smile at the camera. Asymmetric dark spots block parts of the image, representing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

MSU researchers discover link between cholesterol and diabetic retinopathy

Researchers found that diabetes, age-related health conditions and other metabolic disorders can lead to a buildup of cholesterol in the retina, which could contribute to diabetic retinopathy.

Short-term use of immunosuppressants not linked to cancer risk

Relatively short-term use of immunosuppressant medications to control an inflammatory disease was not associated with an increased risk of later developing cancer, according to new research.
Rhodopsin-bound nanobodies

UC Irvine researchers discover a nanobody which may lead to treatment for retinitis pigmentosa

University of California Irvine (UCI) researchers believe they have discovered a special antibody that may lead to a treatment for an inherited eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa.
Transplanted microglia

Scientists develop new therapeutic model for potentially treating incurable eye diseases

Researchers have successfully transplanted human microglia into mouse retina to create a model for studying eye disease treatments, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

Cell therapy that repairs cornea damage with patient’s own stem cells achieves positive Phase I trial results

Cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cells (CALEC) procedure shown to be safe and feasible with early positive results of restored cornea surfaces or vision gains in four patients with severe chemical burns.