Current investigations (updates coming soon!)
Posterior Segment and Retina
Dr. Viswanathan is investigating the functional integrity of the visual pathway and localize disruptions in visual information processing to specific locations in the visual pathway.
Dr. Elsner has two NIH grants in which she proposes to differentiate between normal aging changes and disease processes in the retina. Her work will help determine why patients lose vision and aid in identifying factors that facilitate the early diagnosis and prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). She and her group are developing a low-cost and simple to use, retinal imaging device to provide a high-quality contrast image of the retina in patients with diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and other changes who need to be screened for complications leading to loss of vision.
Optics
The Borish Center remains at the forefront in research that relates vision and visual performance to the wavefront aberration map.
Dr. Begley continues her investigation of the optical consequences of dry eye and tear break-up time. [read more about her research]
Refractive Error and Correction
Orthokeratology has been a long-time interest of Dr. Soni and has been a major part of the Borish Center's research program. Drs. Soni, Horner, and Himebaugh continue to study the effect of overnight orthokeratology on refractive error. The Borish Center is preparing for a national clinical trial to determine the effect of overnight orthokeratology on myopia progression in children. Another study underway involves directly comparing two topography systems to determine the ease of using one of these instruments for the fitting and follow-up of recently approved orthokeratology lenses.
Industry-funded studies that explore the performance of spectacle lenses, especially presbyopic progressive addition lenses, are a major component of Borish Center investigations. Drs. Soni and Horner are researching a new progressive lens design not yet available for marketing.
Dr. Lyon is a member of the national Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). Several of PEDIG's current studies attempt to determine the effect of different patching and atropine schedules in the treatment of amblyopia in older children. The goal of these studies is to design more appropriate treatments for this common vision problem in children.
Dr. Lyon is involved in the national Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial-2 (COMET-2). This randomized clinical trial examines the differences between progressive addition lenses and single vision lenses on the progression of myopia in children. The National Eye Institute through the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) funds this study.
Dr. Soni is using a new device that measures an individual's exact visual behavior ("eye mover" or "head turner") to determine whether it can predict a subjective preference for different designs of progressive addition lenses.
After participating in the early phases of FDA clinical testing of Pirenzepine ophthalmic gel for Valley Forge Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Soni and the Borish Center staff eagerly await the initiation of the FDA Phase III clinical trial.
Cornea and Contact Lenses
Under the guidance of Dr. Soni, the overnight orthokeratology program continues to grow. The Borish Center is currently hosting Dr. Yuko Kamei, an ophthalmologist from Tokyo Women's Medical University. Dr. Kamei is conducting a number of investigations in overnight orthokeratology.
Dr. Robert Mandell from University of California, Berkeley, and Dr. Soni are collaborating on an investigation of a new soft contact lens for the correction of presbyopia.
Infrastructure
In 2000, an electrodiagnostic facility managed by Dr. Viswanathan, was established in the Borish Center with funding from the Borish Center, the IU School of Optometry, Indiana University's office of Research and the University Graduate School. The equipment housed in this room is capable of measuring electoretinograms (ERGs-non-invasive technique for the objective estimation of retinal function), electro-oculograms (EOGs-non-invasive technique for the objective evaluation of retinal pigment epithelial function), and visually evoked cortical potentials (VECPs-non-invasive technique for the objective estimation of the functional integrity of the visual pathway as a whole).
The Borish Center maintains a database of people interested in participating in clinical trials. This database enables the Borish Center to respond quickly to requests for subjects who meet specific study requirements. The online subject registration form on the BCOR Website makes it easy for patients to sign up as potential research subjects.
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Previous investigations
Posterior Segment and Retina
The Borish Center supported a five-year investigation on the effectiveness of proton radiation therapy [see Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute] on age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). This study, completed in 1999, was conducted at the IU School of Optometry's Community Eye Care Center, IU School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, and the IU Cyclotron Facility. Dr. Thomas Ciulla (Department of Ophthalmology) was the principal investigator who collaborated with others who included Drs. John Cameron, Susan Klein, and Chuck Bloch (IU Cyclotron Facility); Dr. Ron Danis (Department of Ophthalmology); Drs. John Morphis and Newell Pugh (Department of Radiation Oncology); and Drs. Susana Chung, Malinovsky, and Soni (IU School of Optometry).
The Borish Center hosted Dr. Bruce Martin and students from the IU Medical Sciences Program in Bloomington as they conducted a series of studies focusing on the effect of physical exercise on intraocular pressure. Drs. Henderson and Malinovsky from the IU School of Optometry were co-investigators on these projects.
Optics
The purchase of a wavefront aberrometer (COAS, Wavefront Sciences, Inc) which is based upon the Shack-Hartmann measuring technique resulted in numerous research investigations.
Dr. Soni's investigations included exploring 1) monochromatic aberrations introduced by soft multifocal contact lenses, and 2) changes in central corneal aberrations following overnight orthokeratology procedure.
The Borish Center also supported studies by graduate students from the vision science lab of Professors Thibos and Bradley. Members of the Thibos lab determined the validity, reliability, and repeatability of wavefront aberrometry; Dr. Cheng used retroillumination to visualize optical aberrations caused by tear film break-up; and Dr. Charles Coe correlated wavefront aberration maps to visual quality through subjective spectacle prescriptions.
Drs. Kollbaum and Bradley used the aberrometer in the development of new contact lens corrections designed to either increase (multifocal lenses) or decrease (aberration-correcting) optical aberrations. They also developed techniques that simultaneously monitored ocular aberrations as a function of contact lens position in real time.
Drs. Thibos and Miller and researchers at The Egg Factory developed a new product called "electronic spectacles." In the near future, the first prototypes will become available for clinical testing.
Refractive Error and Correction
Under the guidance of Drs. Soni and Tracy Nguyen, the Borish Center was 1 of 13 US sites that conducted a Phase II FDA investigation for Valley Forge Pharmaceuticals to determine the usefulness of Pirenzepine ophthalmic gel in halting the progression of myopia in children.
The Borish Center's research program in orthokeratology headed by Drs. Soni and Nguyen has been a leader in studying the effectiveness and reversal of the procedure. In 2004, the Borish Center completed a study investigating the underlying mechanism that allows the flattening of the central cornea and the temporary reduction or elimination of myopia.
Cornea and Contact Lenses
In 2004, Dr. Bonanno completed a series of investigations exploring the human cornea's need for oxygen. These NEI/NIH funded investigations measured several aspects of corneal physiology--including oxygen tension, epithelial permeability, and stromal pH.
In 2004, the Borish Center completed the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) trial. The CLEK Study was an eight-year observational study with over 1,200 patients participating at 15 clinics across the US. The study examined the progression of keratoconus and changes in patient quality of life. This study was funded by the NEI. Drs. Lowther and Colleen Riley were principal investigators; Drs. Begley, Nikole Himebaugh, and Kollbaum were co-investigators.
Dr. Begley was the primary organizer of the Dry Eye Investigation Study Group (DREI), involving collaborative dry eye research among 5 schools of optometry and private practices in North America. This group studied the symptomatology of dry eye and developed new tests to diagnose the disease.
Dr. Soni's collaboration with a group in Austria to develop new products for the eyecare industry resulted in the marketing of a multifocal soft contact lens in Europe. The researchers explored various relationships between optics, contrast sensitivity, lens movement, and visual acuity quality.
The investigators of the Borish Center have collaborated with contact lens industry to develop advanced eye care products. These investigations have been conducted in collaboration with Alcon, Allergan, Bausch & Lomb, CIBA, Extreme H2O, Menicon, Ocular Sciences, Polymer Technology, and Vistakon.
Multidisciplinary
IU School of Optometry and Borish Center investigators participated in the Benton-IU Multidisciplinary Assessment Project. They collaborated with researchers from IU Speech and Hearing, Education, and Psychology Departments in examining the predictors of academic success among elementary school children in Benton County, Indiana. Borish Center Administrative Committee member Chuck Watson was the principal investigator for the project. Other investigators included David Goss, Doug Horner, Andrya Lowther, and Bill Rainey (Optometry); Phil Connell, David Eddins, Mary Gospel, Gary Kidd, and Betty Watson (Speech and Hearing); and Glenn Krueger (Benton Community School Corporation).
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