A group of diseases that damage the optic nerve – glaucoma can lead to loss of vision or blindness and is the leading irreversible cause of preventable blindness in NZ. Most people experience no early symptoms because vision loss is gradual and affects the peripheral vision. When treated early, most patients will avoid blindness. Vision Research Foundation uses novel techniques and approaches to improve glaucoma care and treatment, and to speed progress toward a cure.
Dr Schierding’s research will explore the relationship between telomere length and major causes of blindness, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, and diabetic eye disease, using innovative big data analytical techniques and the UK Biobank. The study has the potential to enhance research and medical education and disrupt conventional approaches to healthcare.
Exploring the role of dynamic movement of the eye and the optic nerve in glaucoma.
The optic nerve is the vital structure that transmits the electrical signal from the retina in to the brain allowing us to see. Many conditions can damage the optic nerve in children but some are rare and not well understood. Research focusing on these rare optic nerve diseases (neuropathies) include those arising from raised intracranial…
Supervised machine learning allows scientists to use data to make predictions about the future, including predicting the risk that an individual may develop a disease. This project aimed to produce a glaucoma risk prediction algorithm to aid early diagnosis and management of primary open-angle glaucoma. Glaucoma has both genetic and environmental risk factors. In this…
Glaucoma is not well understood. It is a progressive disease of the optic nerve, located at the back of the eye. It is recognised that elevated eye pressure, or intraocular pressure (IOP), is a risk factor for the development of glaucoma. However, only 40-50% of glaucoma patients have elevated IOP. Furthermore, not all individuals with…
One of the major medical challenges for interplanetary travel is that long periods without gravity can cause worsening vision. Vision Research Foundation (VRF) and the Rapanui Trust are supporting this study at Mātai Charitable Trust, medical imaging research organisation, based in Gisborne. The research is led by Dr Jesse Gale with a team that includes other eye…
Alzheimer’s disease and glaucoma are two age-related neurodegenerative diseases that frequently co-occur in the elderly and may share key disease pathways. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve and is the leading cause of preventable blindness in Aotearoa. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, affecting 70,000 New Zealanders. It…
Telomeres are structures made from DNA sequences and proteins found at the ends of chromosomes. The play a crucial role in a crucial role in cell fate and aging. In young humans, telomeres are approximately 8,000-10,000 nucleotides long. Telomeres have three major purposes; Protection: they protect the end of chromosomes by forming a cap. Without telomeres,…
By Vision Research Foundation Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, affecting more than 70 million people. The most well-recognised risk factor for glaucoma is elevated eye pressure or intraocular pressure (IOP). The IOP is the balance between production and drainage of aqueous fluid, which is the fluid that bathes the internal structures…
Vision Research Foundation is a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Register, CC59798
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Vision Research Foundation.