Childhood glaucoma is a pediatric condition leading to significant visual impairment. Juvenile-onset primary open angle glaucoma (JOAG) is a subtype of primary glaucoma, and the disease presents from four years to early adulthood. The disease is identified by increased pressure within the eye and progressive death of neurons in the back of the eye, which can eventually lead to blindness in children.
Read MoreThe fovea is a specialized retinal area that enables high-acuity vision, and we use it to detect fine spatial details and colors. In mammals, only humans and some primates have a fovea, but we know relatively little about how the fovea is formed.
Read MoreBy studying these changes over time with and without the drug, we will begin to understand the cellular and metabolic mechanisms responsible for this devastating group of diseases that cause childhood blindness. These studies will move us closer to developing a novel drug capable of treating vision loss in this diverse set of inherited diseases regardless of gene mutation.
Read MoreOn January 12, 2022, SK Michael Daniels, Right Eminent Past Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of North Carolina presented a Sword of Merit on behalf of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation during the stated meeting of Nazareth Commandery No. 41 to SK D. Trent Carter, Eminent Commander of Nazareth Commandery
Read MoreIt is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Most Eminent Past Grand Master William Jackson Jones, GCT, on January 31, 2022. He was a true Masonic Christian Gentleman who will be greatly missed by his family, Masonic and Templar family, dental patients, and community.
Read MoreOver the last year, Dr. Meier has successfully developed a way of quickly measuring the specific neural deficits that underlies an individual’s poor vision. She plans to use this same task in children, while recording brain responses over time. Her long-term aim is to develop a way of measuring brain responses in young pre-verbal children. Once they know a child’s specific neural deficits, clinicians can generate individualized treatments that target his or her specific pattern of neural abnormalities – resulting in faster and better treatment.
Read MoreThe proposed study presents a unique opportunity to gain new insights into the establishment of a functional retinal network but also identify new regulatory signaling events allowing us to modulate blood vessel growth essential for alternative therapies such as ROP. 3
Read MoreUnderstanding this causal sequence is critical to developing treatments that address the cause(s) of juvenile myopia, not just the symptoms as current treatments do. This is extremely important because myopia is estimated to affect 30% of the world’s population already (the cost in the US alone being $4 billion a year) and will affect 50% of the world’s population by 2050.
Read MoreDr. Hwang hopes that our research will lead to new ways to prevent childhood blindness in Stickler syndrome.
Read MoreDr. Gamuyao is researching the ANXA3 protein is a novel regulator of abnormal pathologic blood vessels in the retina and is a promising target for ROP treatment. Despite its emerging importance, the information on the role and mechanism of ANXA3 in ROP is still inadequate.
Read MoreThe long-term goal of this proposal is to discover new regulatory mechanisms to provide therapeutic targets and drugs in the adult brain for recovery from Amblyopia.
Read MoreCurrently, Grand Master’s Club donors receive a plaque, lapel pin, and a Crusaders Cross up to the first five Grand Masters Clubs. However, many of our members have asked the foundation to make a change to the Jewel. Because of these requests, the Jewel now includes five tiers with five levels within each tier, each tier has a different colored center but still has quadrants representing the different levels.
Read MoreThis study will establish ceramide as a potentially important therapeutic target for RP and ways to lower ceramide levels as a possible therapeutic strategy for other retinal diseases.
Read MoreThe Children's Eye Foundation of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (CEF of AAPOS) is extremely grateful to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation (KTEF) for their transformative investment in Stop Infant Blindness in Africa (SIBA).
Read MoreEndorsed by Grammy Award winning musician, Stevie Wonder, the program is launching in Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda and will eventually spread to hospitals throughout Africa. The Knights Templar Eye Foundation invested in fully supporting Phase 1 of this initiative with a gift of $684,800. These funds will supply hospitals in these regions with training teams and all the equipment necessary to end preventable blindness and vision loss from Retinopathy of Prematurity.
Read MoreWhen I reflect back on my early career, it could have gone in any of several different directions – private practice, industry, or academic medicine with a focus on education, administration, or research. The grant I received from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation in 1997 gave our group the support we needed to study ROP, and it allowed me to begin to develop skills as a clinical researcher. Subsequently, I chose to devote a large part of my career to helping find better treatments for ROP and other pediatric eye diseases.
Read MoreThe Knights Templar Eye Foundation, in partnership with Lookout Commandery No. 14 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is excited to announce a one-of-a-kind original handwritten work by Sir Knight George Cooper Connor.
Read MoreAs we emerge out the COVID pandemic and begin to put normality back into our lives, let us not forget the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. For over 50 years, the Sir Knights of the Grand Encampment have supported this noble cause through their generous donations.
Read MoreThis Sword was in recognition of Sir Knight Bussey donating a total of $25,000 over the past two years to receive 25 Grand Master Clubs which the Knights Templar Eye Foundation automatically recognizes this great accomplishment by awarding a Sword of Merit.
Read MoreDuring the visit they attended a comprehensive overview of the mission and operations of the Foundation. Topics included Career-Starter Research Grants, Competitive Renewal Grants, Endowed Professorships and Research Endowments along with all the wonderful organizations that the Foundation is in partnership with.
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