Eye imaging and exams to find and track sickle cell–related eye damage
Official title: The eye as a window into sickle cell disease morbidity
Funded at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware · NIH-11179267 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses eye exams and newer imaging tools to find and follow vision-threatening changes in people with sickle cell disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Wilmington, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2014 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $238,909 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM109021-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179267 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with sickle cell disease — including children (often starting around age ten), teens, and adults — who can attend eye exams and imaging visits are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without sickle cell disease or those whose vision loss is already advanced and irreversible are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient’s view, the team will combine routine dilated eye exams with advanced imaging to spot early retinal blood-vessel blockages and abnormal vessel growth that can threaten sight in sickle cell disease. They plan to screen children and adults and follow changes over time so problems can be caught before symptoms appear. The researchers will compare standard exams with novel imaging approaches to see which methods reveal retinal injury earlier or more reliably. The goal is to improve how doctors diagnose and monitor sickle cell retinopathy so timely treatments can prevent vision loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect sickle cell retinopathy earlier and enable treatments that reduce the risk of blindness.
How similar studies have gone: Standard yearly dilated exams have limited sensitivity, and while newer retinal imaging methods have shown promise, they are still being tested for routine use.
Where this research is happening
-
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
Wilmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jin, Jing — Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
- Study coordinator: Jin, Jing
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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.