Understanding vision problems and myopia in premature infants
Official title: The Underlying Mechanisms of Visual Impairment and Myopia in Prematurity
Funded at Oakland University · NIH-10923798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how babies born early might develop vision problems, like nearsightedness, by examining the natural activity in their eyes that helps them grow properly, with the hope of finding ways to prevent or treat these issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oakland University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $449,970 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033808-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10923798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants born prematurely, particularly those at risk for visual impairment or myopia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not premature or do not have any visual impairment or myopia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how visual impairment and myopia develop in infants born prematurely. It focuses on the role of spontaneous neuronal activity in the retina, known as retinal waves, which are crucial for normal eye development. By studying the mechanisms behind these processes, the research aims to identify potential preventive and therapeutic strategies for vision issues associated with prematurity. The study will utilize animal models to explore the cellular and molecular factors involved in these conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent or reduce vision impairment and myopia in premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in understanding the mechanisms of visual impairment in premature infants, but this specific approach is exploring novel aspects of retinal development.
Where this research is happening
-
Oakland University
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Dao-Qi — Oakland University
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Dao-Qi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding why prematurity affects vision and how to prevent it
Aims to understand how early eye development goes wrong in premature babies to prevent vision problems and nearsightedness.
-
Understanding Vision Problems in Premature Babies
This project aims to understand why premature babies often develop vision problems and nearsightedness.
-
Sulfated molecules in the back of the eye and how they shape myopia progression
This grant studies how losing certain building blocks in the eye’s outer layer may affect eye shape and the worsening of nearsightedness in pig eyes to model human disease.
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Butyrate-based approach to prevent vision loss in premature babies with retinopathy
A study is exploring whether increasing butyrate levels can prevent vision-damaging retinopathy in premature infants by addressing gut bacteria and metabolic pathways.
-
Risk profile to identify cerebral visual impairment in children
A pediatric-focused study will use existing medical records to identify risk factors and protective factors for cerebral visual impairment to help doctors screen at-risk infants earlier.
-
TopoROP: Multi-View Analysis to Diagnose Retinopathy of Prematurity
A new AI-based tool analyzes retinal images to help doctors diagnose Retinopathy of Prematurity in premature babies and other patients at risk.
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.