Vision scientists received two federal grants totaling nearly $4 million from the National Eye Institute to support groundbreaking research aimed at better understanding the myopia epidemic and the brain’s response to visual stimuli.
Lawrence Sincich, PhD, professor, was awarded a $2.1 million R01 grant to lead a four-year study titled “Elementary Cone Photoreceptor Representation in Primary Visual Cortex.” The research seeks to uncover how the brain interprets signals from individual cone photoreceptors, the cells in the retina that convert light into electrical signals.
Using advanced adaptive optics technology, Sincich’s team will observe how neurons in the brain’s primary visual cortex respond to both clear and degraded visual input.
“We are studying how individual cells in the first part of the brain that processes vision respond to images when we alter the natural content,” Sincich said. “Each of these brain cells is tuned to certain visual patterns, and we want to see exactly how those responses differ between when images are clear and when they have lost some fidelity, as happens in retinal degeneration.”
The research has implications for understanding how the brain compensates for vision loss caused by diseases such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
“By measuring how these neurons react to normal versus degraded stimuli, we will learn the degree to which they are resilient to retinal degeneration,” Sincich said. “Knowing the answer is important for understanding why patients with eye problems often fail to notice they are missing some vision.”
The project will also fund the development of specialized optical instruments, support extensive physiological data analysis and provide training for emerging scientists, including those who already hold Doctor of Optometry degrees.
In a separate but equally impactful initiative, Timothy Gawne, PhD, FAAO, professor, received a $1.9 million R01 grant to investigate the growing epidemic of myopia, or nearsightedness, a condition affecting more than 40 percent of U.S. adults and nearly one billion people worldwide.
Safal Khanal, OD, PhD, FAAO, assistant professor, is co-investigator on the four-year study, which aims to understand environmental factors contributing to myopia and develop effective prevention strategies.
“Myopia is not just a matter of needing glasses or contact lenses,” Gawne said. “The increased axial length of the eye remains a major risk factor for vision-threatening diseases.”
The research will focus on three key areas: evaluating the anti-myopia effectiveness of real-world visual scenes, improving Repeated Low-level Red Light (RLRL) therapy and developing objective recommendations for lighting spectra.
“We know that what you are looking at can affect eye growth, but there's little information on how complex, real-world scenes impact the development of myopia,” Gawne said. “Our novel experimental methods will help us predict the effectiveness of different visual environments.”
Gawne’s team will also work to refine RLRL therapy, which has shown promise in slowing myopia progression in children. Contrary to the name, current RLRL methods involve extremely high-intensity light exposure, which may pose safety risks.
“We need to find a balance,” Gawne said. “Our goal is to create a therapy that is both effective and safe, using moderate-intensity ambient red light.”
The final aim of the study is to analyze artificial lighting spectra to determine their impact on eye growth and myopia risk.
“Artificial light sources vary widely in their spectra, and some of them could be a significant risk factor for myopia,” Gawne said. “By understanding these effects, we can provide guidelines that may have a substantial public health impact.”
Gawne’s research will utilize animal models, with findings expected to translate to human applications and potentially revolutionize myopia prevention and treatment.
“Our ultimate aim is to improve public health and prevent vision loss,” he said. “This grant will enable us to take crucial steps toward achieving that goal.”
Together, these two research projects underscore UAB Optometry’s commitment to advancing vision science. By exploring how the brain processes visual signals and investigating the environmental factors driving the global rise in myopia, the school continues its innovative efforts that align with its mission to improve eye health through research, education and patient care.
These grants not only support transformative discoveries but also foster the development of future leaders in optometric science.