Understanding vision problems in premature infants
Official title: Planning the VICTORY (VIsual ComplicaTions Of PrematuRitY) Study
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-10840906 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to gather important information about retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature babies, using advanced technology to understand how both medical and social factors can affect their vision and overall health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $231,950 |
| NIH project number | 5R34EY034969-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10840906 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are extremely preterm infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not premature or who do not have retinopathy of prematurity may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to plan a large-scale study that will collect detailed social, clinical, and biomarker data to better understand retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a condition that can lead to blindness in premature infants. The study will involve multiple centers and will utilize advanced techniques such as retina imaging and artificial intelligence to analyze the data. By focusing on both the medical and social factors affecting these infants, the research seeks to identify the causes and consequences of visual impairments in this vulnerable population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies for vision problems in premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using multicenter observational studies and advanced imaging techniques to study similar conditions, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dammann, Olaf — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Dammann, Olaf
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Long-term endotypes of prematurity-related lung disease in former preemies
A long-term study looking at why some babies born very early develop lasting breathing problems and how their genes might explain these different paths.
-
Deep learning tool to diagnose retinopathy of prematurity in newborns
A new AI-based diagnostic tool uses eye images from premature babies to help clinicians identify treatment-needed retinopathy of prematurity.
-
Cortical dystonia in kids born early
Researchers are studying why premature birth leads to dystonia in cerebral palsy and looking for new ways to help children and adults who have this condition.
-
AI-enhanced wide-field eye scans for detecting retinopathy of prematurity
Using faster handheld wide-field eye scans plus AI to find early signs of retinopathy of prematurity in premature babies and help guide treatment.
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.