Optical And Neural Limits Of Visual Performance In Myopia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$191,902.00
Summary
Short-sightedness (myopia) is one of our most common eye problems, affecting approximately 20% of people. It is usually due to the eye becoming too long for its power. While we can correct short-sight with contact lenses, spectacles and more recently refractive surgery, recent evidence shows that the vision of corrected myopes is poorer than that of people who have good distance vision without the need for an optical correction. This reduction is present even when the optical minification of spe ....Short-sightedness (myopia) is one of our most common eye problems, affecting approximately 20% of people. It is usually due to the eye becoming too long for its power. While we can correct short-sight with contact lenses, spectacles and more recently refractive surgery, recent evidence shows that the vision of corrected myopes is poorer than that of people who have good distance vision without the need for an optical correction. This reduction is present even when the optical minification of spectacle lenses is taken into account (the lenses used to correct short-sightedness make objects look smaller). It is possible that the anatomical changes to the eye that occur in short-sightedness are the cause of the reduced vision. Even if the optics can be fully corrected with refractive surgery, as is now being proposed, this may not result in excellent vision. The anatomical changes may occur in different parts of the eye and depending on where they occur the nature of the visual reduction will vary. The location of the retinal changes may also be important in terms of eventual pharmacological treatments for short-sightedness. In addition, the significance of the visual reduction, in terms of its effect on the functioning of short-sighted people, e.g. ability to perform under less than optimal visual conditions such as in the presence of glare or reduced light levels, is not known. We plan to investigate this by identifying the optical and neural contributions to visual performance in short-sighted people.Read moreRead less
Myopia And Colour Vision: Potential Impact Of Colour Vision Gene Variation On Susceptibility To Myopia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$227,947.00
Summary
The frequency of myopia has shown a rapid increase in recent years but the underlying cause remains largely unknown. Our recent work on severe myopia with dichromacy has indicated that some forms of myopia may arise through changes in cone visual pigments and the arrangement of cone photoreceptors in the retina which impact on the feedback loop between image formation and eye elongation. This study seeks to explore this link in detail in myopia patients that possess normal colour vision.
Uncovering The Aetiology Of Myopia Through Identification Of Refraction And Ocular Biometric Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,786.00
Summary
Myopia or short-sightedness affects 1 in 4 people in the Western world and is a major source of uncorrected vision loss, as well as blindness. This proposal aims to identify genes in myopia using a new technique called genome wide association. We will apply this technique to individuals collected through a population based Eye study to allow us to identify these genes. The outcomes of this work will allow us to identify high risk individuals as well as develop new measures to prevent myopia.
The Sydney Myopia Study: Prevalence And Risk Factors For Myopia And Other Eye Conditions In School-age Children.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$596,375.00
Summary
This study aims to establish the exact extent of increasing levels of myopia in young Australians and the frequency of other treatable eye conditions such as reduced vision in one eye (amblyopia) and squint. We also aim to exam in detail, risk factors associated with myopia, such as parental myopia, living conditions and educational pressures, particularly those associated with reading and other forms of near-work. Increased understanding of factors leading to increasing myopia prevalence may en ....This study aims to establish the exact extent of increasing levels of myopia in young Australians and the frequency of other treatable eye conditions such as reduced vision in one eye (amblyopia) and squint. We also aim to exam in detail, risk factors associated with myopia, such as parental myopia, living conditions and educational pressures, particularly those associated with reading and other forms of near-work. Increased understanding of factors leading to increasing myopia prevalence may enable design of preventive strategies that could limit future increases in the ocurrence of myopia in Australia. The prevalence of myopia is increasing world-wide. In many Asian countries, it has reached epidemic proportions (80-90%) in young, educated people. In many other countries close to half the younger population is now short-sighted. Data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study and Melbourne Visual Impairment Project in older persons have suggested that the prevalence of myopia is increasing in Australia. Comparison with our recent pilot study on school children indicates that myopia prevalence has increased 2 to 3-fold in recent decades. Myopia or short-sightedness is now one of the five major causes of blindness. In countries where the prevalence of myopia is high, it is one of the top three. Myopia requires expensive optical and-or surgical correction of the refractive error for visual functioning. Unfortunately correction does not prevent the development of visual impairment and blindness from complications of myopia. Late in life, even low myopia is associated with an increased risk of both glaucoma and cataract. Myopia therefore imposes additional major health costs because of the burden of eye disease and the support costs for people affected by myopia-associated low vision or blindness. With increasing prevalence, the health care costs of myopia are likely to continue to rise in Australia.Read moreRead less
Outcomes Of The Arterial Switch Operation: A Multi-centre Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$86,733.00
Summary
The arterial switch operation is the surgery of choice for children born with transposition of the great arteries, a congenital heart defect where the main two vessels of the heart arise from wrong pumping chambers of the heart. There are very few studies looking at adults after this operation. We aim to study all patients who have had an arterial switch. The results of this study will further increase our knowledge of the long term consequences of having the arterial switch operation.