# Telemetric Microsensor for Glaucoma

> **NIH NIH R44** · H-CUBED, INC. · 2020 · $380,716

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Glaucoma is an optic nerve disease in which there is progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells leading to
irreversible loss of vision. It is estimated to affect 2% of the general population. More than 2.3 million
Americans are affected with glaucoma and it is estimated to account for nearly $3B in direct medical costs.
It is estimated that 4% of Caucasian patients and 8% of African-American patients will experience blindness
due to glaucoma. It is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
High intraocular pressure (IOP) is the single largest, as well as the only modifiable, risk factor associated
with glaucoma. Measuring and reducing IOP to levels that reduce the progression of visual field loss and
nerve degradation is the current management approach for glaucoma. Typical treatment consists of IOP
measurement in a clinical setting with a drug therapy of self-administered eye drops such as timolol and
latanoprost. During periodic follow-ups, IOP and eye health is assessed and medication is adjusted as
necessary until further progression is stopped or reduced.
Reproducible and accurate IOP measurements are a critically important element of disease management.
Goldman Applanation Tonometry (GAT) is the standard for measuring IOP. The significant limitations of
GAT are that it provides an indirect IOP measurement and measures IOP at a single moment in time.
However, even with these limitations, GAT has remained the gold standard for measuring IOP in the
management of glaucoma. To overcome this, we propose the use of a micro-miniature, telemetric pressure
sensor device for measuring IOP continuously and directly. The successful Phase I feasibility study
provides merit for the continuation of the project into Phase II.
For the Phase II project we propose the following Specific Aims: (1) Optimization of the telemetric pressure
sensor; (2) Demonstration of a wearable reader unit to record and display pressure measurements; and (3)
Performance of an in vivo preclinical study.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10018002
- **Project number:** 5R44EY025463-03
- **Recipient organization:** H-CUBED, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Kenneth Glen Goldman
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $380,716
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10018002

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10018002, Telemetric Microsensor for Glaucoma (5R44EY025463-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10018002. Licensed CC0.

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