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How Does Glucose Protect The Retina And Optic Nerve Against Ischaemia?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,171.00
Summary
Raised blood sugar levels are generally considered to be bad for nerve cells, especially those in the eye. But we have made a groundbreaking discovery finding that in the short-term, sugar can rescue nerve cells in the eye from death caused by lack of blood flow. In this project we will investigate how this remarkable effect is achieved.
Implications Of Retinal Neurodegeneration In Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$602,213.00
Summary
Recent research has shown that “early signs” of Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) can be detected in the eyes. My research focus is to determine which particular changes in the retina are associated with AD. I will also investigate if blocking the production of beta amyloids (proteins produced in AD) in the eye will indeed help reduce their load in the brain and hence delay the onset of AD. Results from this research maybe used for early diagnosis and future medicinal studies that target the eye in AD.
Heterogeneity In Processing And Signalling By The Notch Family Of Receptors In Vascular Development And Remodelling.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,716.00
Summary
Formation and remodelling of the blood vessels is a critical feature of development. In addition, numerous disorders including psoriasis, arthritis, blindness, heart and brain ischemia, neurodegeneration, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, respiratory distress and osteoporosis among others are characterised by defective blood vessel patterning. The significance associated with understanding how Notch genes direct blood vessel formation is paramount, as this knowledge will inform future research.
INTRARETINAL OXYGEN CONSUMPTION AND THE PREVENTION OF HYPOXIA IN RETINAL ISCHEMIA
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$164,444.00
Summary
Adequate oxygen supply to the retina is critical for normal visual function. The oxygen is normally supplied by the blood flowing in the two circulations that support the retina. These are the choroidal circulation, lying behind the retina, and the retinal circulation, which supports the front half of the retina. The retinal circulation is particularly vulnerable to vascular disease and insufficient blood flow (ischemia). Vascular changes are involved in a wide range of retinal diseases which ar ....Adequate oxygen supply to the retina is critical for normal visual function. The oxygen is normally supplied by the blood flowing in the two circulations that support the retina. These are the choroidal circulation, lying behind the retina, and the retinal circulation, which supports the front half of the retina. The retinal circulation is particularly vulnerable to vascular disease and insufficient blood flow (ischemia). Vascular changes are involved in a wide range of retinal diseases which are currently responsible for the majority of new blindness in our community. The choroidal circulation is relatively robust, and offers a potential avenue for increasing oxygen delivery to the retina in the clinical management of ischemic retinal diseases. The feasibility of such an approach is strongly dependent on the oxygen requirements of the retina, and how this is influenced by retinal ischemia. We plan to find out how much oxygen is consumed by the many different layers within the retina under normal conditions and then determine how this changes under ischemic conditions. We will then see if we can supply enough oxygen from the choroid by a combination of raising the oxygen content of the blood, increasing choroidal blood flow, and reducing the amount of oxygen used by the outer half of the retina. Our experiments will be done in laboratory rats, but the same principles are readily transferable to humans if they prove to be beneficial in protecting the retina from ischemic damage. Our study will also quantify the relationship between oxygen levels in the blood stream, and those in the different layers of the retina. This information may prove valuable in the treatment and the prevention of other retinal diseases where the manipulation of the intraretinal oxygen environment is an exciting new avenue of research.Read moreRead less
New Dynamometric Techniques For Predicting Glaucoma Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$171,825.00
Summary
Glaucoma is a major cause of blindness in our community. The biggest risk factor for glaucoma is raised intraocular pressure. However, the exact cause of the disease remains unknown. Through our basic science studies in animals we have discovered that changes in blood flow in the vessels at the optic disk may be involved in the disease process. In recent clinical trials we discovered that the presence or absence of pulsations in the retinal veins at the disk was both an indicator of severity and ....Glaucoma is a major cause of blindness in our community. The biggest risk factor for glaucoma is raised intraocular pressure. However, the exact cause of the disease remains unknown. Through our basic science studies in animals we have discovered that changes in blood flow in the vessels at the optic disk may be involved in the disease process. In recent clinical trials we discovered that the presence or absence of pulsations in the retinal veins at the disk was both an indicator of severity and progression of glaucoma. This is a major breakthrough because there is no other means of predicting in which glaucoma patients vision loss will develop most rapidly. This information will be very helpful in deciding which patients should have the most agressive treatment to restore normal intraocular pressure. This project seeks to develop a new commercial device to make such an examination easy for any clinical ophthalmologist. The device allows the doctor to examine the vessels at the disk whilst applying slight pressure to the eye to temporarily raise intraocular pressure. A footswitch is pressed when the doctor sees the vessels pulsate. The required force is recorded by a laptop computer and the data stored along with the patients details. Now we have confirmed the ability of such a measurement to predict the rate of visual field loss in glaucoma, such a measurement will become much more widespread in clinical ophthalmology, offering a new and large scale opportunity for such instrumentation. Our device will be easy to operate, more comfortable for the patient, and will be of major diagnostic value in glaucoma clinics worldwide.Read moreRead less
The Significance Of Glial Dysfunction In Retinopathy Of Prematurity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$311,567.00
Summary
Abnormalities in cells at the back of the eye called photoreceptors are associated with at least 50% of all cases of blindness in this country.This project will determine whether substances released from dying photoreceptors cause the death of neighbouring cells. In addition we will examine whether treatments that block the actions of these released substances can prevent the death of photoreceptors, thereby providing a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of devastating eye diseases.
I am an epidemiologist investigating: 1) the frequency, pathogenesis, risk factors and impacts of common age-related eye disease, particularly focused on the four leading causes of blindness: age-related macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy; 2) the potential for screening and clinical diagnostic value of retinal imaging and retinal vascular signs as predictors of major systemic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Measurement And Prognostic Significance Of Retinal Vessel Parameters In Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$264,175.00
Summary
We propose that structural micro-vessel changes associated with blood pressure develop early in childhood and that these may predict future cardiovascular risk in adulthood. In order to address this important issue, we will measure retinal vascular diameter and other microvascular signs from retinal photographs taken of a large population-based sample of Sydney schoolchildren (n-4,093) during 2003-2005. This project included 1740 6-year olds and 2353 12-year olds from 52 schools across Sydney. A ....We propose that structural micro-vessel changes associated with blood pressure develop early in childhood and that these may predict future cardiovascular risk in adulthood. In order to address this important issue, we will measure retinal vascular diameter and other microvascular signs from retinal photographs taken of a large population-based sample of Sydney schoolchildren (n-4,093) during 2003-2005. This project included 1740 6-year olds and 2353 12-year olds from 52 schools across Sydney. Almost all had photos taken. We will test the hypothesis that retinal arteriolar calibre in children is strongly influenced by ambient (current) blood pressure, after accounting for confounding influences of image magnification (eye shape , size and refraction) and size of the child (body mass). We also predict that familial, eye and general health factors also determe diameter of retinal vessels, and will account for these in the analysis. We will test the notion that certain retinal vessel branches or trunks will be more affected by blood pressure variability than others. This finding, if shown, could improve our understanding of retinal micro-vessel signs in older adult populations and may assist developments of rapid image scanning to assess vessel diameter. In a pilot study grading retinal vessel diameters from one eye of a random sample of the 6-year old images, we found that increasing blood pressure was strongly associated with slightly narrower retinal arterioles. Though modest in magnitude, this effect was highly significant and was independent of other factors found to determine retinal vessel diameter. Evidence is emerging that cardiovascular disease may be linked to BP levels in early life. It seems possible that retinal micro-vessel changes in children may also predict future cardiovascular risk in adulthood. This research will evaluate measures to study the long-term effects of variations in blood pressure and its genesis in childhood.Read moreRead less