Community screening for lazy eye using a new retinal scanner
Official title: Community-based amblyopia screening using a novel device
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11365177 · Data updated 2026-05-14
This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check NIH RePORTER for its current status.
This project compares a common autorefractor and a new retinal scanner to find lazy eye (amblyopia) in young children in clinics and community settings in Nepal.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11365177 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young children—especially preschool-aged children around 3 years up through about 11 years—who live in the communities served in Nepal and can attend clinic or community screening events.
✕Less likely to help
Adults and children who already have a confirmed amblyopia diagnosis and are receiving treatment are unlikely to benefit from this screening-focused project.
What this research studies
If your child is screened, staff will use either the usual autorefractor or a new retinal birefringence scanner to check for lazy eye. Screenings will occur both in eye clinics and out in community settings so the team can see how the devices perform in real-world locations. The researchers will also compare the costs and how many children are sent for unnecessary follow-up with each approach. The work is linked to a larger community eye health program in Nepal to help make screening practical in low-resource areas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the new device could find true cases of amblyopia more accurately and reduce unnecessary referrals, making screening cheaper and more effective in low-resource settings.
How similar studies have gone: Standard autorefractors are widely used but often give many false positives, while retinal birefringence scanning is a newer method with promising but still limited evidence outside of controlled research settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oatts, Julius — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Oatts, Julius
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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.