New ways to understand and treat vision loss after eye radiation
Official title: Characterization and treatment of a novel model of radiation optic neuropathy using the tree shrew
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11312563 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops a new animal model and tests possible treatments for optic nerve damage that can cause vision loss after radiation for uveal melanoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $121,171 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA286349-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312563 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have had or will have radiation treatment for uveal melanoma and are concerned about radiation-induced optic nerve damage are the most likely to be helped by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People whose vision loss is due to other causes (for example, non-radiation glaucoma, trauma, or congenital disorders) may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
If you’ve had radiation for uveal melanoma and worry about losing vision, this work aims to recreate radiation optic nerve injury in an animal whose eye anatomy is similar to humans. Researchers will use the tree shrew model to study how pressure and tissue changes at the optic nerve head lead to nerve damage and rim thinning. They will combine insights from patient records (which linked higher eye pressure to greater risk) with lab experiments to try interventions that protect the optic nerve. Lab success could point to treatments worth testing in people in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new ways to prevent or treat radiation-related optic nerve damage and reduce blindness after eye radiation.
How similar studies have gone: Clinical observations suggested a pressure-related risk for radiation optic neuropathy, but few animal models reproduce human optic nerve anatomy and there are no established treatments, so this is a relatively novel translational approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roddy, Gavin W — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Roddy, Gavin W
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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.