Electrical stimulation to help damaged optic nerves regrow and restore vision
Restoration of Optic Nerve Function Driven by In Vivo Multimodal Electrical Stimulation
This project uses targeted electrical pulses to encourage optic nerve regrowth and improve vision for adults with optic nerve injury or optic neuropathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11303278 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are applying carefully patterned electrical fields to guide retinal nerve fibers to grow back toward their correct targets. Lab experiments showed that asymmetric electrical waveforms helped direct long-distance optic nerve regeneration while symmetric waveforms promoted nerve cell survival. In animal models of optic nerve crush, this stimulation produced partial recovery of visual signals measured in the brain. The multidisciplinary team at UC Irvine combines engineering, neuroscience, electrophysiology, and neurosurgery to refine stimulation patterns that could be safe and precise after real-world injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with vision loss caused primarily by optic nerve injury or optic neuropathies who might be eligible for future clinical stimulation treatments.
Not a fit: People whose vision loss is due to retinal disease or damage in the visual cortex rather than the optic nerve are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore partial or meaningful vision for people blinded by optic nerve damage.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory and animal studies have shown promising nerve regrowth and some functional recovery, but human testing of these specific stimulation approaches is still very limited.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gokoffski, Kimberly K — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Gokoffski, Kimberly K
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.