Dr. Mireille Jabroun from University of Arizona Awarded $86,405 Knights Templar Eye Foundation Grant for Optic Disc Swelling Identification Research

Dr. Mireille Jabroun from the University of Arizona, Tucson was awarded an $86,405 grant for the research entitled: Functional imaging of mitochondria in optic disc swelling in children using flavoprotein fluorescence.

The optic nerve is crucial for sending visual signals to the brain. If there’s a blockage in the optic nerve, especially as it leaves the eye, it can lead to increased pressure and swelling in the tissue. Optic disc swelling appears as raised optic nerve head, redness, and bleeding around the optic nerve.

Determining the exact cause of optic disc swelling is challenging because it can be related to serious eye and health conditions. Sometimes, when both eyes are affected, it may suggest a condition called papilledema, linked to increased pressure inside the head. Distinguishing mild swelling from benign similar conditions adds to the diagnostic challenge. Optic nerve drusen are calcified nodules that can be confused with mild true disc swelling. They are often found accidentally during exams and can become more visible with age. While they are generally harmless and asymptomatic, they contribute to diagnostic confusion.

Dr. Jabroun will use different tools, like retinal imaging, to compare certain measurements in the eyes of children with disc swelling, those with pseudopapilledema, and those with healthy eyes. The researchers hypothesize that certain measurements related to retinal function will be higher in eyes with true disc swelling compared to pseudopapilledema and healthy eyes. Dr. Jabroun also aims to understand how these measurements change with age in children.

To conduct the study, children with optic disc swelling and healthy eyes are enrolled. The study uses a tool called the OcuMet Beacon, which uses a safe imaging technique to assess the retinal function.