Nervous system causes and treatment for chronic eye-surface pain
Central nervous system mechanisms and treatment response in chronic ocular surface pain
This project looks at whether long-lasting eye-surface pain is driven by changes in the brain and spinal cord and whether people with that pattern respond to treatments that target the nervous system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145750 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have ongoing burning, irritation, or aching of the eye, this project will enroll people with chronic ocular surface pain and collect medical history, sensory testing (including responses to topical anesthetic), and brain imaging to look for signs of amplified pain processing. Researchers will compare patients who have pain with little visible eye damage or other widespread symptoms to those whose pain seems clearly caused by the eye. They will track how people respond to different treatments and link those responses to the nervous-system measurements. The aim is to identify subsets of patients who might benefit from therapies aimed at the central nervous system rather than only the ocular surface.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with persistent eye-surface pain (burning, irritation, aching) that has not improved with standard topical treatments or who have little visible eye surface damage are the best fit.
Not a fit: People whose pain is clearly caused by an active, treatable eye surface condition with obvious findings or who get good relief from standard surface treatments may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better diagnosis and more effective, targeted treatments for people whose chronic eye pain is driven by nervous-system changes.
How similar studies have performed: Nervous-system–targeted approaches have helped other chronic overlapping pain conditions like fibromyalgia, but applying these methods specifically to chronic ocular surface pain is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Lott, Lindsey Blake — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: De Lott, Lindsey Blake
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.