How glaucoma that develops naturally in monkeys changes the eye over time
Official title: Longitudinal Ocular Changes in Naturally Occurring Glaucoma Animal Model
Funded at Wills Eye Health System · NIH-11187179 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will track eye changes over time in rhesus macaques that develop glaucoma naturally to learn lessons that could help people with open-angle glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wills Eye Health System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $589,166 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035174-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187179 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with open-angle glaucoma, early glaucoma changes, or a family history of glaucoma would be most likely to benefit from findings and to be candidates for related future human studies.
✕Less likely to help
People with angle-closure glaucoma, glaucoma caused by trauma or other specific secondary causes, or people already fully treated are less likely to see direct benefit from this animal-focused work.
What this research studies
This project follows a group of rhesus macaques that develop glaucoma on their own, without experimentally raising eye pressure. Scientists will use clinical-style imaging and vision tests to measure pressure, nerve fiber structure, and visual function over months and years. Because the disease appears naturally in these animals, the team hopes to capture how glaucoma begins and progresses without the effects of treatment or artificial injury. The findings may point to early signs and disease patterns that are hard to observe in treated human patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early warning signs and disease patterns that help diagnose glaucoma sooner and point to better treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Animal models with induced glaucoma and clinical studies have provided useful insights, but studying naturally occurring glaucoma in rhesus macaques is relatively novel and may uncover new information.
Where this research is happening
-
Wills Eye Health System
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wollstein, Gadi — Wills Eye Health System
- Study coordinator: Wollstein, Gadi
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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.