High-resolution blood flow imaging of the optic nerve head and behind-the-eye microcirculation
High-Resolution Flow Imaging of Optic Nerve Head and Retrolaminar Microvascular Circulation
This project will develop advanced 3D imaging to measure blood flow around the optic nerve head to help people with or at risk for glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170709 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be taking part in work to create and refine high-resolution 3D imaging methods that can show blood flow in the optic nerve head and the tiny vessels behind the eye. The team will combine fast optical imaging (like high-speed OCT/OCT-A) with complementary 3D flow techniques to capture blood movement in three dimensions. They plan to compare blood-flow patterns across people with different eye pressures, ages, and racial backgrounds to understand who is most vulnerable to glaucoma-related damage. Some data will be collected from people with or at risk for glaucoma at the research site.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with primary open-angle or normal-tension glaucoma, those with elevated intraocular pressure, older adults, or anyone at increased risk of glaucoma-related vision loss.
Not a fit: People without optic nerve disease or those whose eyes cannot be imaged well (for example, because of dense cataract or media opacity) are unlikely to benefit directly from this imaging-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal early blood-flow changes that allow earlier detection or more personalized monitoring to help prevent vision loss from glaucoma.
How similar studies have performed: OCT-A and other optical imaging methods have successfully imaged retinal and choroidal vessels, but high-resolution 3D flow imaging focused on the optic nerve head and retrolaminar circulation is relatively new and only partly tested.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Qifa — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Qifa
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.