How children who gain sight learn to recognize objects
Project Prakash: Development of Object Perception After Late Sight Onset
['FUNDING_R01'] · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · NIH-11227675
This work looks at how children who were blind and then have sight restored learn to see and recognize objects.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CAMBRIDGE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11227675 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If my child was born blind and had surgery to restore vision, the team follows their progress to see how vision and the brain change. The program combines outreach to find children, eye surgeries or other treatments, and follow-up tests of vision and brain function. It is run in partnership with Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital in India and has screened tens of thousands of children and provided hundreds of sight-restoring surgeries. Follow-up includes behavioral vision tests and brain measurements to track what skills improve and what limits remain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children (typically infants and young children up to about 11 years) with long-standing blindness who can receive sight-restoring treatment through the program.
Not a fit: Children whose blindness cannot be treated medically, who cannot travel to the treatment centers, or who fall outside the program's age or clinical criteria may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help children regain useful vision and guide better rehabilitation so they learn to recognize objects and navigate their world more effectively.
How similar studies have performed: Previous Project Prakash work has shown that some late-sighted children rapidly gain object-recognition skills while also revealing real limits in visual recovery.
Where this research is happening
CAMBRIDGE, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — CAMBRIDGE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SINHA, PAWAN — MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- Study coordinator: SINHA, PAWAN
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.