Brief Lay Background
This study focuses on understanding and comparing the protein changes in the eye’s fluid, called aqueous humour, in patients with four common eye diseases: Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (FED), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK), glaucoma, and cataract.
The eye's fluid is crucial for maintaining eye health, and analysing its protein content can reveal important information about these diseases. These conditions typically require surgical intervention, however, changes in the eye's fluid persist and may be aggravated by the surgery, which can lead to treatment failure.
What problem/knowledge gap does it help address?
Currently, treatments for these conditions often rely on surgery, which is invasive and carries risk. The specific molecular changes and aqueous signals that characterise these diseases are not fully understood, which limits our ability to develop less invasive treatments and early diagnostic tools.
By studying the proteins present in the eye’s fluid, this research aims to uncover detailed information about the molecular changes linked to each disease. Understanding these changes could lead to the discovery of new markers for early diagnosis and more effective, non-surgical treatments. Ultimately, this work could improve the quality of life for patients by providing better ways to detect and treat these eye conditions before they progress to the point where surgery is needed.
Aim of the research project
The aim of this project is to identify the unique protein profiles in the eye's fluid of patients - as well as identify how these correlate with their clinical features.
Potential impact on people with sight loss
This research aims to uncover the specific proteins in the eye's fluid associated with four common eye diseases: glaucoma, FED, PBK and cataracts. By identifying these unique protein patterns, we hope to develop new, less invasive diagnostic tools and treatments.
Early detection and targeted therapies could prevent or slow down vision loss, reducing the need for surgeries. This could significantly improve the quality of life for people at risk of sight loss by providing better ways to manage and treat these eye conditions, preserving their vision and independence.
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