Centre for Eye Research Australia

Corneal scarring affects as many as 10 million people worldwide, leading to long-term vision loss after injury or disease. A way to prevent scarring would lead to much better outcomes from all kinds of conditions - from eye injuries to infections.

Thanks to support from the Weary Dunlop Foundation, Dr Yang is working to develop an eye drop that aims to use the same anti-scarring protein in the skin to help prevent scarring. If successful, the treatment could be part of treatments for soldiers receiving eye injuries in the field, veterans at risk from infection and many people outside of the military at risk of scarring.

Our thanks to the Weary Dunlop Foundation for supporting this research.

For someone with a damaged cornea, a corneal transplant is often their last hope of restoring sight. 👁️

The Lions Eye Donation Service (LEDS) has been at the forefront of eye tissue donation for over 30 years – restoring the vision of thousands through the gift of end-of-life eye donations.

Head of LEDS Dr Heather Machin is ensuring that legacy continues by looking to future trends.

“It’s a really exciting time for eye banking, and I’m looking forward to helping bring the latest practices to LEDS,” she says.

Throughout her career, Dr Machin has played an important role globally as a member of several organisations that have helped shaped eye banking.

“There is a global movement towards cellular therapies in the cornea, more bioengineering, greater support for biobanking and more collaborations throughout the organ and tissue community,” Dr Machin says.

Did you know a lab can use up to five times more energy and water than an office building? 💡 When combined with frequent use of single-use items, such as latex gloves and syringes, medical research has a big environmental impact. 🌲

Our Community Climate Action Group aims to reduce this impact wherever possible – taking advantage of our new, more sustainable location.

The path to greener research includes a reduction in electricity by improving our lab equipment and practices. And we're donating excess equipment to Rotary Australia’s MediShare who distribute to people around the world who can use it. ♻️

CERA Laboratory Manager Sheridan Keene says single-use equipment is an issue across medical research and healthcare, with ophthalmology producing some of the most waste.

“The average surgery time is so short many procedures can be performed in a day, and a lot of consumables are needed for each surgery. Any changes we make can have a really big impact.”

People living with diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) often need frequent injections to prevent vision loss.

“This can be uncomfortable, risky and expensive to the healthcare system," says Associate Professor Guei-Sheung (Rick) Liu.

Associate Professor Liu, in collaboration with Oculus BioMed, envision a single gene therapy injection that enables the body to produce its own treatment – controlled through eye drops.

“Our work with Oculus BioMed aims to solve this issue by a novel gene therapy approach. No more eye injections needed.”

Women living with diabetes have a greater risk of developing a condition called diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy. We're working to make it easier for them to have sight-saving eye checks.

Led by Professor Lyndell Lim and Associate Professor Andrew Symons, the study is trialing a system where women can receive their eye screening at the same time as their obstetrics appointment.

They're using an AI-assisted portable camera, which was generously donated earlier this year by Jaqui Maree & George Stamas AM.

“Patients will receive an on-the-spot assessment of whether they need referral to an ophthalmologist for urgent care or can continue with in-clinic screening once per trimester,’’ says Professor Lim.

The 'Your eyes and diabetes' guide provides the essential information you need to help keep your eyes healthy, as well as a glimpse into the diabetic eye disease research happening at CERA.

You can download it for free by signing up to our monthly Eye News emails!

The theme of this year’s National Diabetes Week is ‘Unite in the Fight for tech’, which is about Australians living with diabetes having equitable access to the technology they need to live well.

Research led by Dr Wenyi Hu and Associate Professor Lisa Zhuoting Zhu has shown integrating an AI-powered scan into routine healthcare could potentially increase detection of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy, while also reducing healthcare costs.

“If by making this test cheaper and able to be introduced into routine care for everyone, we can find and save the sight of people who might not yet know they have diabetes,” says Dr Hu.

“A universal screening program, which is accessible to as many people as possible, could mean more people are able to start treatment before they lose their vision.”

The AI scan developed requires minimal training, and the portable camera could make healthcare more accessible to regional Australia and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that might not have regular access to eyecare.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, our team met yesterday on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples for a special guest presentation from Abe Ropitini from the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc.

Abe shared stories of history and culture, and discussed the challenges First Nations peoples face in accessing healthcare and the importance of breaking down cultural barriers in moving forward together.

Most importantly, Abe gave us a welcome reminder that the work we do every day could have a huge impact.

“You have a real opportunity to be at the interface of contributing to reconciliation in a really instrumental and substantial way,” he said.

“We are hopeful the work you do will lead to breakthroughs that result in more effective treatments, more effective screening, and ultimately, better outcomes for communities.”

A big thank you to Abe Ropitini for his time. Abe is a proud Māori man of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Maniapoto iwi, with ancestral links to Palawa Country, Tasmania – and the Executive Director for Population Health at VACCHO.

Pictured: Head of Human Resources Ari Siggins, Abe Ropitini and CERA Consumer Involvement and Advocacy Lead Kelly Schulz are standing together and smiling directly at the camera. They are standing in front of a large, sectioned window with The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (partially obscured) and Melbourne skyline in the background with a bright grey sky.

We’re incredibly grateful to our many generous supporters who donated to the 2024 mid-year appeal in support of our research into age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50.

We recently highlighted the incredible work being done by Associate Professor Guei-Sheung (Rick) Liu and his team to develop a simple eye drop for the ‘wet’ form of AMD. The hope is making repeated, invasive and costly injections a thing of the past.

“It would not only significantly advance the clinical management of AMD, but also diabetic retinopathy and potentially many other eye diseases. It would also make treatment more accessible, enabling uptake in disadvantaged communities and developing nations,” says Associate Professor Liu.

No one should have to live knowing their future is literally unclear, with the fear of vision loss on the horizon. Thanks to your generous support we can give hope to those living with treatable forms of AMD, working towards less invasive procedures to curtail their vision loss.

🧬 CERA Head of Retinal Gene Therapy Dr Tom Edwards joins Lien Trinh on the latest episode of Talking Eyes! They speak about the work to find gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and the importance of our collaborative VENTURE Study in identifying those suitable for future clinical trials. 🧬

Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences at UniMelb

🔥Talking Eyes Final Episode 8 has dropped! 🔥 I got the chance to discuss Fixing the Code with this fantastic human in ophthalmology Dr. Tom Edwards from Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA). We talk Lego, genes and about the revolutionary therapies that have been developed to change cellular instructions and prevent blindness. I learnt a lot, not just about genetics, but also what happens in clinical trials to get therapies out there, and the amazing people behind them.



It may be the last episode for Season 1, but subscribe to the podcast and stay updated for Season 2... >>links in bio

Thanks to philanthropic support, Associate Professor Dawkins is looking for a better way of treating a sight-threatening bacterial infection called endophthalmitis. 👁️

“Today, when people come in with an infection, we kill the bugs with antibiotics, but we want to also stop the body’s immune response from damaging the retina,” she says.

Despite one in 3300 people developing the condition after invasive ophthalmology procedures, little research has been done globally.

Associate Professor Dawkins says her early work has already found cytokines, a type of protein, that play a role in the disease.

“We’re looking to see if targeting those cytokines can change the inflammatory response, which means we could develop an antibiotic-independent therapy.”

This NAIDOC Week, we’re celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Australia's First Peoples have inhabited the continent for millennia, forming a rich tapestry of distinct groups – each with their own culture, customs, language and laws. These groups represent the world's oldest cultures, which continue to thrive in traditional and contemporary forms.

CERA is based in East Melbourne on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples. The area around us has been central to the Aboriginal civil rights movement in Melbourne and health care.

The Community locally has long lived up to this year’s NAIDOC theme of ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, which honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture.

If you’d like to know more about the history of NAIDOC, or celebrate by taking part in local events, you can visit their website: https://ow.ly/hkE450SwCtW

Victorian Naidoc

Our monthly newsletter is just around the corner, brimming with the latest news 📰 and stories 📖 of vision research. 🔬👀

Subscribe to Eye-News, and we'll email it directly to your inbox. 🗞️📬

👉 https://ow.ly/zpju50SvHha 👈

Thanks to your generous support, PhD student Satheesh Kumar is using cutting-edge science to explore a new possibility in treating inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). 💡

“This support will help me continue my research into RNA base editing and understand its potential for treating inherited retinal disease,” says Satheesh.

RNA – ribonucleic acid – plays a key role in how our bodies follow ‘instructions’ stored in our genes. 🧬

RNA reads DNA – the instructions our bodies need to operate – and acts as 'messengers' of those instructions to the rest of the body.

Gene therapies often focus on correcting mistakes in DNA, but Satheesh is instead looking at editing RNA. 🔬

By editing the 'message' instead of the 'instructions', the technique has the potential to result in safe treatments for many different IRDs.

Head of Ocular Oncology Research Dr Rod O’Day is leading CERA and The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in a global trial aiming to protect vision and reduce the need for eye removal ahead of eye cancer treatment.👁️

“We want to reduce the size of tumours that are very large, which would require enucleation – removal of the eye – so they can be treated with an eye-conserving therapy instead, typically radiation," he says.

“And for those who are already going to be treated with radiation, we want to reduce the dose of radiation used, to try to preserve the delicate structures in the eye and maintain as much vision as possible.”

Current treatments for Uveal melanoma – a rare, malignant eye cancer – require removal of the eye or radiotherapy resulting in significant vision loss for over half of patients.

Uveal melanoma sometimes develops from a more common, benign eye lesion called choroidal nevus, which affects about six per cent of people in Australia.

Exciting news for our Deputy Director Professor Peter van Wijngaarden who has been appointed as the new Executive Director of The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

During his time at CERA, Peter has made an outstanding contribution to ophthalmology, medical research and public health, through his involvement in the first National Eye Health Survey and his role in founding the national diabetes eye screening program KeepSight.

His team’s research aims to develop a simple eye test to detect the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

We're thrilled that Peter will continue to work closely with CERA as an Honorary Researcher and that his important Ophthalmic Neuroscience work will continue at CERA under the leadership of Dr Xavier Hadoux.

Congratulations Peter, we look forward to our ongoing collaboration and look forward to seeing what you achieve at The Florey.

https://www.cera.org.au/new-appointment-for-cera-deputy-director/

At the heart of our research bringing hope to people affected by vision loss and blindness lies the generosity and passionate advocacy of our supporters. We couldn’t do it without you.

So if you haven’t made a donation, there’s still time before the end of the financial year.

Donate by midnight this Sunday: https://ow.ly/zIbP50SqBme

You may be familiar with Colin and Pam, who've been sharing their stories of living with age-related-macular degeneration (AMD). And right now, they’re feeling grateful.

“I’m really pleased to hear that so many people have responded to the CERA mid-year appeal so far,” says Pam.

“It gives me a great feeling of optimism for the future knowing there are so many generous people out there in the community supporting the research being done by CERA, who are working to find ways to improve the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.”

Every dollar towards our research counts, so if you haven’t donated, now is the time.
👉 https://ow.ly/GjzN50SqBkt 👈

Leading expert and Head of Macular Research Professor Robyn Guymer AM has appeared on ABC Radio National's Health Report for a wide-ranging chat with Dr Norman Swan about all things age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

📻 Listen as Prof Guymer discusses the work she’s leading at CERA to find ways to treat AMD before it threatens vision and a recent study into the effects of aspirin.

Can aspirin treat macular degeneration? - ABC listen Age-related macular degeneration is a common disease which leads to a loss of central vision.

🌟We’re grateful to Heather Herbert for the legacy gift she’s chosen to leave to CERA – which she hopes will contribute to lasting change for those affected by vision loss and blindness🌟

“If I can afford to do it, and my family doesn’t need the money, it’s best to donate it to something useful. Every bit helps,” says Heather.

To all our CERA supporters, a big thank you. It's your support – no matter how big or small – that is helping us move closer to our ultimate goal of one day preventing vision loss and finding cures to restore sight.

An immersive 3D Eye Model is helping patients understand the potential damage caused by eye disease.

“When patients have a better understanding of what will happen if their condition deteriorates, they will be more motivated to take control of their treatment,” says Associate Professor Elaine Chong, CERA Senior Research Fellow and Head of Ophthalmology at The Royal Melbourne Hospital.

While current glaucoma treatments can effectively slow or stop vision loss for many people, a large number stop treatment within the first several months.

This prompted Associate Professor Chong and ophthalmology registrar Dr Joos Meyer to work with designers and artists to develop One Right Eye: a 3D eye model literally modelled on a person’s right eye.

“In One Right Eye, you can actually see the damage caused to the optic nerve in glaucoma, which would otherwise be extremely hard to understand.”

Clinicians can also use the 3D eye model to zoom in and out to show the damage caused age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.

Figuring out how ‘good’ cholesterol works in people living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could be the key to unlocking new treatments preventing vision loss.

That's the aim of a study led by Dr Carla Abbott, who says ‘good’ cholesterol can protect against heart disease and stroke – however, previous studies have shown that people with AMD have higher levels in their bloodstream.

“It is an anti-inflammatory that helps flush ‘bad’ cholesterol out of the body – but in people with AMD the function of the ‘good’ cholesterol appears to change.”

You can find out more about this study, supported by Macular Disease Foundation Australia, in our 2023 Annual Review.

Professor Robyn Guymer AM and her team have found a deposit in the eye called reticular pseudodrusen that is linked to a person developing late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

They are also researching potential new treatments for AMD, including one using an Australian-made laser that aims to slow the progression of intermediate AMD in people who have the earliest signs of cell death.

The laser delivers a very short and targeted pulse of energy, meaning the team can effectively target a crucial layer of cells without damaging surrounding tissue.

Donate today to support this potentially game-changing AMD research: https://ow.ly/1xyl50Skwb0

Have you checked out our free 'Healthy ageing eyes' guide? It gives you a snapshot of the major ageing eye diseases you need to know about – and simple steps you can take now to protect your vision for the future 👀

It's just one of the eye health resources you can download for free by signing up to Eye News 👉https://ow.ly/w0KH50SixHc

Applications to join our new Consumer Advisory Group (CAG) close tomorrow!

We're seeking people with lived experience of eye disease or vision loss, or carers of people who do, to improve our research.

As a member of the CAG, you’ll play a crucial role in shaping research and policy development with your unique insights and experiences. You'll have the opportunity to advocate for the needs of those with eye disease and vision loss, collaborate with researchers and experts, and ensure our work remains inclusive and impactful.

Join us in our mission to eliminate the major eye diseases that cause vision loss and blindness and to reduce their impact on people’s lives.

Apply now!

📅 Deadline: 14 June 2024

For more details and to apply, visit our website https://www.cera.org.au/careers-and-study/independent-consumer-member-consumer-advisory-group/

Independent Consumer Member – Consumer Advisory Group | CERA We’re looking for independent members to join our Consumer Advisory Group.

Professor Robyn Guymer AM and the Macular Research team are investigating all facets of ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

“Age-related macular degeneration has early, intermediate and late stages, and most of the major research is focused on the late stage where vision is already threatened.

"We are much more interested in trying to stop people getting there in the first place.”

Support their world-first work to find a way to treat AMD before a person loses their vision. Donate today: https://ow.ly/8Vtm50SgzUu

Congratulations Dr Sherene Devanesen (OAM) on her well-deserved recognition in this year's King's Birthday Honours list.

Her years of leadership, particularly support of our joint research strategy with The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, has helped power us towards our joint goal of preventing vision loss and restoring sight.

We’d like to congratulate our Board Chair Dr Sherene Devanesen (AM), for receiving a Member of the Order of Australia during the King’s Birthday Honours list for significant service to community health through governance and administrative roles.

Dr Devanesen has been Board Chair at the Eye and Ear since 2015 and has long held professional, committee and advisory roles across several health services over the last few decades.

Her advice, experience and guidance to our hospital and many others cannot be understated and her recognition is well deserved.