Blood flow problems in glaucoma
Vascular dysfunction in glaucoma
This project looks at whether improving blood flow to the retina and optic nerve can help people with glaucoma who keep losing vision despite lowering eye pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309176 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced MRI scans that measure blood flow and nerve tissue health in the retina and optic nerve. They will combine work in well-established animal models with high-resolution human imaging to link blood flow changes to nerve damage. Early animal results show reduced blood flow in glaucoma and that mild, long-term increased oxygen can improve retinal function, and this project builds from those findings. The goal is to determine if normalizing blood flow could become a new way to protect vision beyond lowering eye pressure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with glaucoma who continue to lose vision or show optic nerve damage despite well-controlled intraocular pressure.
Not a fit: Patients whose glaucoma is well controlled without signs of vascular impairment, or those with vision loss from other causes, are less likely to benefit from this line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that protect vision by improving blood flow to the optic nerve for patients who continue to worsen despite controlled eye pressure.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies from the same lab have shown reduced blood flow in glaucoma and improved retinal function with chronic mild hyperoxia, but clinical treatments directly targeting blood flow remain limited.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Muir, Eric Raymond — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Muir, Eric Raymond
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 below.