Understanding vision problems in amblyopia and their brain basis
Official title: Orientation Processing Deficits in Amblyopia: Neural Bases to Functional Implications
Funded at State College of Optometry · NIH-10843859 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into how amblyopia affects the way people see things, especially how their brains understand different directions, to help find better ways to treat this common vision issue.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State College of Optometry NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $204,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R21EY035085-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10843859 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with amblyopia, particularly children and adults experiencing visual distortions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without amblyopia or those with other unrelated visual disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates amblyopia, a condition where vision is impaired despite healthy eyes, affecting 2-3% of the population. The team will explore how amblyopia distorts visual perception, particularly focusing on how the brain processes orientation. By using advanced techniques like psychophysics and electrophysiology, they aim to uncover the neural mechanisms behind these perceptual distortions and their implications for daily life. The findings could lead to better understanding and treatment options for individuals with amblyopia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for patients with amblyopia, enhancing their visual function.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding visual processing in amblyopia, but this approach aims to delve deeper into the neural encoding aspects, making it a novel exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
State College of Optometry
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zaidi, Qasim — State College of Optometry
- Study coordinator: Zaidi, Qasim
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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High-resolution 7T fMRI to understand developmental causes of amblyopia
This project uses ultra-high field brain imaging to learn how amblyopia develops in people, with an emphasis on how vision sources interact in early life.
-
A smart occlusion dose monitor to help kids with amblyopia wear patches
A new device called AmblyoGo helps children with amblyopia wear their eye patches more consistently by automatically tracking patch wear and sharing simple feedback with families and clinicians.
-
Better treatments for amblyopia (lazy eye) and binocular vision in children
This compares a patch-free, activity-based therapy to standard eye patching to help children with amblyopia (lazy eye) improve vision and stick with treatment.
-
How attention can change eye suppression in amblyopia (lazy eye)
This project tests whether directing attention to the weaker eye can reduce visual suppression for adults with amblyopia (lazy eye).
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Understanding how attention affects vision in lazy eye
This study is looking at how focusing your attention can help improve vision in adults with lazy eye, and it aims to find new ways to treat this condition by understanding how the brain works in these situations.
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Investigating visual perception issues in children with amblyopia
This study is looking at how kids with anisometropic amblyopia see things differently, especially when it comes to recognizing patterns and contrasts, and it aims to learn more about their vision challenges through fun visual tests and advanced imaging techniques.
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.