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Glaucoma News |
Glaucoma Genetics Lab - Major Discoveries / Advances
- Discovery of the first glaucoma gene (myocilin) - 1997
- Discovery of a new low pressure glaucoma gene (TBK1) - 2011
- Identification of a key pathway by which gene defects lead to low pressure glaucoma (autophagy) - 2012
- Engineering a transgenic mouse that has the same TBK1 gene defect as our glaucoma patients - 2012
- Production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that carry known glaucoma-causing mutations - 2013
Our Research
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Glaucoma Stem Cell Research
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Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study
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Pigment Dispersion Syndrome
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Normal Tension Glaucoma
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Cavitary Optic Disc Anomalies
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Animal Models of Eye Disease
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Exfoliation Syndrome
Glaucoma Stem Cell Research
The Fingert Lab is collaborating with Dr. Budd Tucker at the University of Iowa's Institute for Vision Research to create a bank of stem cells derived from skin biopsies from glaucoma patients. This project will allow us to produce specific cell types (i.e. cells that make up the optic nerve) which were previously unavailable for our research program. With these cells we will now be able to study the biology of glaucoma in the most relevant tissue the retinal ganglion cells that make up the optic nerve!
Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study
Genetic Studies of the Ocular Hypertension Treatments Study (OHTS) Participants
Project Summary. Eye doctors diagnose patients with glaucoma by taking measurements of key features of the eye that are quantitative or numerical. Some of these quantitative features of glaucoma are eye pressure (measured in mm Hg), thickness of the cornea (measured in microns), the shape of the optic nerve (measured as the cup-to-disc ratio); and the extent of vision loss. The genes that control the magnitude of quantitative features of glaucoma likely contribute risk for developing disease.
Pigment Dispersion Syndrome
Genetic Studies of Pigment Dispersion Syndrome
Pigment dispersion syndrome is an eye condition in which the pigment from the iris is released within the eye and leads to elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma in some patients. Pigment dispersion syndrome may afflict as many as 2.5%. Those with pigment dispersion syndrome are at high risk for developing a related form of glaucoma, pigmentary glaucoma.
Normal Tension Glaucoma
Genetic Studies of Normal Tension Glaucoma
Project Summary. Glaucoma often runs in families. In rare cases, a large number of family members have normal tension glaucoma that is passed down from generation to generation in an obvious pattern. We have enrolled several such families with normal tension glaucoma into our research program.
Cavitary Optic Disc Anomalies
Genetic Studies of Cavitary Optic Disc Anomalies (CODA)
Cavitary optic disc anomalies (CODA) is a congenital disease in which the optic nerve is deeply excavated at birth much like cupping that occurs in severe cases of glaucoma.
Animal Models of Eye Disease
Genetic Studies of Animal Models of Eye Disease
More information about this research coming soon.....
Exfoliation Syndrome
Exfoliation syndrome is a common condition in which a flaky white material is deposited in many tissues of the eye (the lens, the cornea, and the drainage structures) and throughout the body. Exfoliation syndrome is an important cause of glaucoma as up to half of those with exfoliation syndrome eventually develop a secondary glaucoma (exfoliation glaucoma).
For more information, click here