Value Proposition:
- Non-invasive measurement of glaucoma progression and response to medication
- Applicable for use on existing optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging data
- Quantifiable and dynamic biomarker of intraocular pressure-related changes to the eye
- Patient-specific approach to assess glaucoma risk and progression
Technology Description:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins developed a software that measures glaucoma progression and response to medication. This method measures mechanical strain on the optic nerve head in response to elevated IOP and glaucoma medication change. The software is applied to clinically-available optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging data and quantifies in-vivo displacement and strain within the eye. In a pilot cohort, researchers found that their software could accurately detect a reduction in eye curvature and strain relief in patients who began IOP-lowering medication. This method was able to track a patient’s disease progression over multiple clinic visits and provided a reliable readout of medication efficacy.
Unmet Need:
Current diagnosis and management of glaucoma relies on intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring and optic nerve head imaging. These methods, however, fail to accurately detect disease progression in all patients, especially at early stages of disease. An improved method to measure glaucoma progression and response to IOP-lowering medication is needed.
Stage of Development:
- Clinically validated in small patient cohort.
- Looking for partners to develop & commercialize software as a clinical glaucoma diagnostic and disease management tool.
Data Availability:
Data available upon request.
Publication:
IN VIVO BIOMECHANICAL STRAIN RESPONSE OF THE LAMINA CRIBROSA TO INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE CHANGE AS A RESULT OF GLAUCOMA MEDICATION CHANGE (https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/68047)
Biomechanical Strain Responses in the Optic Nerve Head Region in Glaucoma Patients After Intraocular Pressure Lowering; Zhuochen Yuan, Cameron A. Czerpak, Michael Saheb Kashaf, Harry A. Quigley, Thao D. Nguyen. medRxiv 2023.05.30.23290662; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.05.30.23290662
