How the eye grows and becomes nearsighted, seen cell by cell
Official title: Molecular Mechanisms of Emmetropization and Experimental Myopia at Single Cell Resolution
Funded at State College of Optometry · NIH-11178474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at individual eye cells in a primate model to learn why eyes grow too long and cause nearsightedness in children so future treatments can be improved.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State College of Optometry NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $494,136 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033824-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents who are developing progressive myopia would be the eventual beneficiaries and potential candidates for future treatments guided by this research.
✕Less likely to help
People with stable, non-progressing myopia or adults with long-standing eye disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical, lab-based project.
What this research studies
From my point of view as someone worried about nearsightedness, researchers are using an established non-human primate model and modern single-cell genomics to map cell types in the retina, RPE, choroid, and sclera. They will compare how those cells and their genes change with visual experience and experimentally induced myopia to find the molecular signals that control eye growth. The team combines animal experiments with advanced gene-level analysis to uncover gene-environment interactions that drive post‑natal eye development. Findings aim to point to specific cellular pathways that could be targeted to slow or prevent progressive myopia in kids.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify cellular targets and biological pathways that lead to new, more effective ways to slow or prevent myopia in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and clinical studies have found some biochemical signals and partial treatment strategies for myopia, but single-cell molecular mechanisms remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
State College of Optometry
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Benavente-Perez, Alexandra — State College of Optometry
- Study coordinator: Benavente-Perez, Alexandra
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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.