Corneal opacity is responsible for 15% of declared cases of blindness and visual impairment worldwide. Corneal diseases are the most common severe disorders affecting the eye; they represent 25% of all ambulatory consultations in ophthalmology. Hereditary or acquired, they are manifested by clouding or distortion of the thin half-millimeter membrane that constitutes the cornea.

< Photograph
of a human
cornea taken
with a clinical microscope. The cornea, whose
pronounced curvature can
be seen in the photograph, is illuminated by a small light source. The light is also visible on the pigmented iris
and on the lens
at the centre
of the pupil.

Acquired disorders of the cornea are more frequent and are usually caused by a bacterial (abscess caused by contact lenses) or viral (herpes) infection or by a trauma to the eye such as lacerations or chemical burns. As for hereditary disorders, they are mostly due to enzymatic deficiencies. Corneal transplants are commonly practiced in North America, however the visual, functional and immunologic results of this surgical procedure still need to be improved.

By way of their research projects, members of the corneal axis team hope to work towards a better understanding of the normal cornea and of the changes associated with corneal pathologies and their healing. Team members are also working on new and exciting projects with hopes of developing an artificial retina using tissue engineering.
 

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure which causes patholo-gical changes in the optic disk and typical defects in the field of vision.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in North America and its incidence increases with age. It affects 2 % of the population over the age of forty and between 4 % and 6 % of the population over the age of 60. About (3) three million Americans suffer from glau-coma, but more than half don’t know it since glaucoma is insidious and rarely painful. Intraocular pressure in subjects suffering from glaucoma is often higher than 21 mm Hg. This increase in pressure called intraocular hypertension precedes, sometimes by quite a few years, the deterioration of the optic nerve.
< Optic nerve
head (the white spot to the right
of the image,
where blood vessels converge) and the macula (the dark circular spot to the left) are clearly visible (courtesy of the clinic at the École d’Optométrie).
< Optic atrophy
of the left eye
after primary
open angle glaucoma (courtesy of
the clinic at
the École d’Optométrie).

Other factors besides aging can be responsible for glaucoma: a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, vascular diseases and even severe nearsightedness. Chronic glaucoma mainly occurs in people over forty, however juvenile glaucoma, a much more aggressive form of glaucoma, touches teenagers and young adults. Since the main causes of glaucoma are still unknown, current treatments are only palliative.

In an effort to better understand glaucoma and to improve treatment, the axis team members will concentrate their research on the molecular epidemiology of glaucoma within Quebec and on the development of prognostic indicators able to measure the evolution of the disease and validate current treatments. The team will also develop research projects on the physiopathology of glaucoma.