Wide-view cornea imaging to detect keratoconus
Wide-field corneal microlayer tomography for keratoconus
This project is building a wide-field corneal OCT scan to spot tiny early changes in the cornea in people with or at risk for keratoconus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11250039 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will develop a new wide-field optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner that images the cornea’s micro-layers, focusing on the epithelium and Bowman’s layer across the entire cornea. They will take high-resolution images in people with keratoconus and in healthy volunteers to quantify structural and optical differences. The project aims to find earlier, subtle signs of keratoconus before visible changes in corneal shape occur. If the imaging works as hoped, it could be used to detect disease earlier and inform treatment timing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with suspected or early keratoconus, a family history of keratoconus, or recent unexplained changes in vision or corneal topography would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with unrelated eye diseases or those with advanced keratoconus who have already had crosslinking or corneal transplantation are less likely to benefit from this imaging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could allow earlier detection of keratoconus so treatments like corneal crosslinking might be offered before significant vision loss.
How similar studies have performed: Standard OCT and other corneal imaging methods have detected some microstructural changes, but this wide-field microlayer tomography is a novel approach that has not yet been widely tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Coral Gables, United States
- University of Miami School of Medicine — Coral Gables, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ruggeri, Marco — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Ruggeri, Marco
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.