Project Summary/Abstract
Public perception of myopia as a simple inconvenience masks its sight-threatening
consequences. Even moderate levels of myopia predispose an individual to glaucoma at rates
equal to a hypertensive's risk for cardiovascular disease. Yet, we lack specific diagnostic markers
to identify glaucoma in myopic patients. In fact, myopic eyes can exhibit anatomical changes
difficult to distinguish from glaucoma. This is alarming because half the world population is
predicted to be myopic in 30 years, which will increase significantly the global prevalence of
myopic glaucoma and associated visual impairment. Glaucoma is a complex neuropathy that
preferentially affects the ganglion cell complex (GCC). Myopia results in significant eye growth,
and appears related to glaucoma through its effect on the optic nerve head. However, the
mechanisms that link myopia and glaucoma, in particular the effect of myopic growth on the GCC,
remain unexplored. We hypothesize that glaucoma and myopia are linked via mechanisms that
sense and respond to mechanical stimuli and affect the GCC. The long-term goal of this research
is to identify the mechanisms of myopic glaucoma and explore novel neuroprotection therapeutics
to prolong ganglion cell function and survival. The overall objectives in this application are to
identify early 1) genetic, 2) cellular, 3) structural and 4) functional markers of glaucoma
longitudinally as experimental eyes develop progressive myopia compared to eyes induced with
glaucoma. The research proposed in this application is innovative because it focuses on
identifying key hallmarks of glaucoma comparing unique animal models of myopia and glaucoma
that mimic the prolonged exposure to sustained eye growth experienced by human myopic eyes
over time, which is fundamental to understanding how glaucoma can originate from myopia. This
research will have a direct positive impact as a tool to accelerate the development of novel
prevention and diagnostic strategies for myopic glaucoma, and open up new research avenues
for pharmacological interventions and experimental therapeutics to prevent glaucomatous
impairment in myopic eyes. The proposed research is significant because is expected to provide
strong evidence of the unknown nature of the myopia-glaucoma relationship, will help clinicians
address the long-standing challenge of diagnosing glaucoma in myopic eyes, epidemiologists
refine distribution patterns of myopic glaucoma, public health professionals develop prevention
strategies and campaigns, and scientists create new research avenues for myopic glaucoma.