Safety And Efficacy Of A Surgically Implanted Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis (Bionic Eye)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,233,826.00
Summary
A bionic eye is a electronic device which can stimulate the remaining visual pathway in a person who is blind, to restore some basic vision. Our team have previously shown that our novel bionic eye device can be safely implanted in a patient, and can give improvements in vision when tested in a laboratory environment. The next stage of the research is to provide patients with a more advanced device, which will contain more electrodes and also be able to be taken home.
Pathways To Treatment In Blinding Genetic Retinal Eye Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,956.00
Summary
Blinding eye diseases with genetic contributing factors affecting the retina or light-sensing part of the eye, damage the vision of millions of people worldwide. The vision impairment is irreversible, untreatable, and worsens with age. In this project, we will use technological breakthroughs in genome correction and sequencing, in combination with stem cell and mouse model applications, to develop pathways to treatment of these currently incurable diseases.
A Randomised, Multi-Centre, Placebo Controlled Trial Of Fenofibrate For Treatment Of Diabetic Macular Oedema With Economic Evaluation (FORTE Study)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,588,132.00
Summary
Our project aims to test if adding an inexpensive oral medication, fenofibrate, is effective at improving treatment of diabetic macular oedema. We will use a well-designed, adequately powered, multi-centred randomised placebo controlled trial to test if fenofibrate can treat currently untreatable forms of diabetic macular oedema, and if it can be combined with current treatments to improve outcomes and reduce costs and risks to patients.
Nanoparticle-based Anti-VEGF Treatment For Ocular Neovascularization
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$576,921.00
Summary
Diseases like AMD and DR are the leading cause for substantial and irreversible vision loss as a direct effect of pathologic ocular neovascularization and have a significant economic impact on individuals, families, health systems and countries. Nowadays, the treatment requires frequent intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF antibody with all the risks of an invasive intraocular procedure. Nanotechonoly-based drug delivery system will provide a less invasive treatment for this kind of disease.
A System For Measurement Of Vision-specific Quality Of Life Using Item Banking And Computer Adaptive Testing (ViSBank)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$831,155.00
Summary
When evaluating medical treatments, it is important to consider all effects from the patient’s perspective; their quality of life. This project utilises new technology to develop an adaptable, computerised, internet-based system to measure the effects of eye diseases and their treatments on patients’ quality of life. This system will provide for more accurate, precise and efficient measurement than existing methods.
Interplay Of Genetic And Environmental Factors On Age-related Cataract Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$217,519.00
Summary
We aim to investigate factors influencing the development of age-related cataract, using data collected from two population-based studies of older persons: the Blue Mountains Eye Study and the Beaver Dam Eye Study (USA). We will assess genetic susceptibility to the two common forms of age-related cataract, replicated in two Asian samples, and determine how genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to the development of cataract in some older persons.