A new way to understand evaporative dry eye
Official title: Defining a new model of evaporative dry eye disease
Funded at Michigan State University · NIH-11398342 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are building a lab model to better understand why people develop evaporative dry eye so treatments can be improved.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $426,839 |
| NIH project number | 7R21EY037056-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398342 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with evaporative dry eye—especially those with meibomian gland dysfunction or signs of excessive tear evaporation—would be the most likely future candidates to benefit from follow-up trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose dry eye is primarily due to low tear production (aqueous-deficient dry eye) or who have unrelated eye diseases may not see direct benefits from this specific model.
What this research studies
This project will create and test a lab model that mimics evaporative dry eye seen in people. The team will use animal models and laboratory assays to study how tear-film breakdown, gland function, and lipid-related pathways contribute to evaporation. They will measure changes on the eye surface, biochemical signals, and factors that affect tear stability. Results are intended to make preclinical testing of future therapies more relevant to human dry eye.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed the development of more effective treatments and tests for evaporative dry eye.
How similar studies have gone: Some animal and lab models for dry eye exist, but this project aims to create a more faithful and useful model and is relatively novel in its focus.
Where this research is happening
-
Michigan State University
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leonard, Brian C. — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Leonard, Brian C.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Stabilizing the tear film to relieve evaporative dry eye
This project tests new ways to stabilize the tear film in people with evaporative dry eye, with the goal of longer-lasting comfort.
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Mitigating Dry Eye Symptoms by Improving Indoor Air Quality
Aimed at adults with dry eye symptoms, this study tests a low-cost, multi-faceted plan to improve indoor air and reduce eye discomfort.
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Tear microRNA patterns in women and men with dry eye
Researchers will look at tiny RNA molecules in tear fluid from people with dry eye to find patterns linked to sex and race.
-
Immune causes of chronic dry eye
This work looks at how certain immune cells make dry eye persist in adults and aims to point toward better, longer-lasting treatments.
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A new type of plug to help relieve dry eye symptoms
This study is working on a new type of eye plug that can help make life easier for people with dry eyes by using special materials that adjust to their needs, aiming to provide more comfort and better results than current treatments.
-
Preventing dry eye disease and age-related Meibomian gland dysfunction
This study is looking at how changing the support structure around eye glands might help prevent dry eye and related issues as we age, and it aims to find new ways to help people who struggle with dry eyes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.