Restoring Vision After Cortical Blindness
Vision recovery in cortical blindness
This project is developing new ways to help adults who have lost their vision due to a stroke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11030298 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Stroke damage to the brain's primary visual area can cause a condition called cortical blindness, where a person loses conscious vision in part of their visual field. Currently, there are no accepted treatments to restore this vision, affecting up to half a million new cases each year. This project builds on two decades of work showing that specific visual training can help patients regain some sight. Researchers are working to improve these training methods, aiming for more effective and higher-quality vision restoration. They are also exploring why current recovery is limited, possibly due to nerve cell loss in the visual system.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 and older who have experienced cortical blindness or hemianopia due to a stroke.
Not a fit: Patients whose vision loss is not due to stroke damage in the primary visual cortex may not benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to effective therapies that help adults with cortical blindness regain lost vision and significantly improve their quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work by this team has consistently shown that gaze-contingent visual training can recover some vision in chronic cortical blindness patients.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huxlin, Krystel R — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Huxlin, Krystel R
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.