Myopia fund

Cynthia QIAN, MD
Clinician and Associate Professor
Centre universitaire d’ophtalmologie, Hôpital Maisonneuve – Rosemont, Université de Montréal
Domain: Clinical Research

Grant Title: Effect of Secondary Treatment of Peripheral Avascular Retina on Myopia in Children With or Without Prior Anti-VEGF for Retinopathy of Prematurity

SUMMARY: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease that affects babies born very early, before 30 weeks of gestation. If not monitored and treated, it can lead to vision loss. Thanks to new medications called anti- VEGF agents, it is now possible to better preserve the structure of the eye in these children. However, even after treatment, certain areas at the periphery of the retina may remain without active, normal blood vessels. This raises an important clinical question: Should these areas be treated with laser later on to prevent complications such as retinal detachment, or is it better to leave them untreated to avoid interfering with the natural growth of the eye, as treatment by laser may lead to the development of myopia (nearsightedness)? This study will involve 100 children followed at CHU Sainte-Justine and Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, divided into four groups based on the treatment received at birth and whether or not they later underwent laser treatment to the peripheral retina. The objective is to compare vision, eye shape, and retinal structure across the groups. We will use advanced imaging techniques to better understand the relationship between treatment and the development of myopia. This project will help guide future decisions regarding the followup and treatment of these children, with the goal of preserving long-term vision.

Patrick ROCHETTE, PhD
Full Professor
CRCHU de Québec – Université Laval
Domain: Discovery

Grant Title: Photobiomodulation for the treatment of myopia: mechanistic understanding

SUMMARY: The myopia epidemic is progressing at an alarming rate, and it is important to focus our efforts on finding preventive and curative treatments for this disease. It has recently been shown that repeated exposure to a red light in a clinical setting slows the progression of myopia. However, the mechanisms involved remain misunderstood, and this understanding is necessary to assess the risk of this treatment and to better personalize and optimize it. The objective of our project is to better understand the mechanisms involved in the effect of red light on myopia. The development of tools to delay the progression of myopia is an emerging field of research, but advances are often fortuitous, and evidence of efficacy or convincing mechanisms are questionable. There is an important need for basic research on the subject to understand the mechanisms involved in its progression. Our work represents the beginning of an initiative on the molecular understanding of myopia and preventive/curative treatment. We are in the early stages of understanding the mechanisms of red light effects on myopia. It is a wonderful problem because everything remains to be done, but it is also challenging because we are facing the unknown. This is just the beginning of a research topic in which we could be pioneers and worldwide leaders.