Skip to content

Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.
The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at OPM.gov.

NEI Research News

Thanks to the work of NEI scientists and grantees, we’re constantly learning new information about the causes and treatment of vision disorders. Get the latest updates about their work — along with other news about NEI.

Source
153 items
Grantee News

Fighting Blindness: TSRI Scientists Bring a Key Protein into Focus

NEI-funded scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have discovered how a protein called α2δ4 establishes proper vision.
Grantee News

New Method to Detect Ultrasound with Light

A tiny, transparent device that can fit into a contact lens has a bright future, potentially helping a range of scientific endeavors from biomedicine to geology.
Grantee News

USC Roski Eye Institute researchers publish largest eye study of age-related macular degeneration in Latino population that analyzes impact on quality of life

The University of Southern California (USC) Roski Eye Institute researchers and clinicians published results of the largest population-based study of adult Latinos and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Patient undergoes and eye exam. Courtesy National Eye Institute.

Age-related macular degeneration before and after the era of anti-VEGF drugs

In a study of nearly 650 people with the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD), half still had vision 20/40 or better after five years of treatment with anti-VEGF drugs that are injected into the eye.
Grantee News

USC Roski Eye Institute Researchers Publish Largest Eye Study Among Chinese Americans Identifying More Effective Ways to Prevent and Treat Blinding Eye Diseases for This Racial Group

Researchers and clinicians at the University of Southern California Roski Eye Institute have published results of the NEI-funded “Chinese American Eye Study” in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Grantee News

Discovery Identifies New RX Target for Age-related Macular Degeneration & Alzheimer's

Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans have shown that a protein critical to the body’s ability to remove waste products from the brain and retina is diminished in age-related macular degeneration.
The researchers developed a technique to study live cells in patches of retina, shown here by confocal microscopy. After 2 hours, the vast majority of the cells are alive (green); only a few cells at the perimeter have died (stained red with a dye).

Retinal Cells Work with Little Reserve Energy; May Explain Vulnerability to Eye Diseases

Our eyes are especially demanding when it comes to energy: Along with our brain, they require a substantial amount of power to keep them functioning and healthy.
Fundus photograph of age-related macular degeneration showing drusen.

International Study Reveals New Genetic Clues to Age-Related Macular Degeneration

An international study of about 43,000 people has significantly expanded the number of genetic factors known to play a role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 and older.
The findings suggest that people may be able to lower their risk of AMD by eating a healthy diet, exercising and by not smoking.

Diet, Exercise, Smoking Habits and Genes Interact to Affect AMD Risk

People with a genetic predisposition for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) significantly increased their odds of developing the blinding eye disorder if they had a history of smoking and did not exercise or eat enough fruits and vegetables.
NIH study raises doubt about any benefits omega-3 and dietary supplements like these may have for cognitive decline. (Photo courtesy of NEI)

NIH Study Shows no Benefit of Omega-3 or Other Nutritional Supplements for Cognitive Decline

While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons.