Monday, June 30, 2025 6/30/2025

Wide-field corneal microlayer tomography for keratoconus

Award Number: R01EY033429
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Wide-field corneal microlayer tomography for keratoconus - PROJECT SUMMARY The long-term goal of this project is to improve diagnosis and management of keratoconus. The efficacy of corneal crosslinking for progressive keratoconus has generated interest in detecting the disease at an earlier stage in hopes of preventing progression leading to vision loss. Yet, there is currently no clinical evidence supporting the benefits of early treatment of keratoconus with crosslinking. The primary barrier in designing studies that address this question is the lack of diagnostic technology to identify keratoconus in the early stages. The project addresses this technological need. Current keratoconus diagnosis relies primarily on measurements of corneal shape. Since shape changes are secondary to microstructural alterations, a method to image the corneal microstructure could enable detection of keratoconus at an earlier stage. Alterations in the corneal epithelium and Bowman’s layer are among the first histophatologic signs of keratoconus. Our goal is to develop the first widefield OCT imaging modality to quantify structural and optical alterations of the epithelium and Bowman’s layer from the center to the periphery of the cornea. The technology will then be used to prove that alterations in Bowman’s layer and epithelium can be quantified across the entire cornea in keratoconus subjects. The project has two specific aims: Aim 1: To develop Widefield Corneal Microlayer Tomography (wCMT). The technology is based on high-resolution OCT combined with a new beam scanning approach to enable widefield imaging of the cornea. We will develop OCT image processing tools to generate the first volumetric thickness and optical scattering maps of the epithelium and Bowman’s layer over the entire cornea. The system and software will be tested on healthy and keratoconus subjects. Aim 2: To map the alterations of Bowman’s layer and epithelium over the entire cornea with wCMT in keratoconus. We will prove that wCMT can quantify alterations in Bowman’s layer and epithelium from the center to the periphery of the cornea. Data acquired on control subjects and patients with early-stage to moderate keratoconus will be used to prove that wCMT can detect alterations in Bowman’s layer and epithelium from the early stage of the disease. In the long term, the technology will have an important positive impact as it lays the foundation for the discovery of structural biomarkers that will enable the detection of keratoconus at an earlier stage.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $403,248 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI	1320 S DIXIE HWY STE 1200	CORAL GABLES	FL	33146	MIAMI-DADE	USA	Vision Research	000	4	12/20/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$403,248
														Subtotal = $403,248

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $403,516 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI	1320 S DIXIE HWY STE 1200	CORAL GABLES	FL	33146	MIAMI-DADE	USA	Vision Research	000	3	12/26/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$403,516
														Subtotal = $403,516

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $403,627 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI	1400 NW 10TH AVE	MIAMI	FL	33136	MIAMI-DADE	USA	Vision Research	000	2	2/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$403,627
														Subtotal = $403,627

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $403,700 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI	1600 NW 10 AVE	MIAMI	FL	33136	MIAMI-DADE	USA	Vision Research	000	1	12/22/2021	NEW	$403,700
														Subtotal = $403,700

Grand Total All Awards = $1,614,091

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Wide-field corneal microlayer tomography for keratoconus

Award Number: R01EY033429

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer