# Adaptive Optics Imaging of Human Retinal Vascular Structure and Function

> **NIH NIH R01** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $461,710

## Abstract

Summary
Diabetes and other retinal vascular diseases are a major cause of vision loss. This work builds on our
measures of vascular remodeling in diabetes using adaptive optics (AO) retinal imaging. AO retinal imaging
provides highly accurate and reproducible measures of both structural changes to the vascular walls of
arterioles, and functional measures of blood flow and neurovascular coupling between visual stimulation and
blood flow. By taking advantage of the precision of AO imaging we can make highly reproducible and accurate
measurements of changes to retinal microvessels.
In Aim 1 we will test the hypothesis that using a unique index of vascular wall damage which is insensitive to
sampling biases can act as an index of diabetic damage. We will also generate a new measure of arteriole
damage based on variability in the thickness of the vessel walls, presumably arising from endothelial and
pericyte cell loss. We will then test whether these easily measured biomarkers are sensitive to local retinal
ischemia, and can be used to measure progression of DR. Improving measurements in early DR is important
as the clinical pathology is ultimately a consequence of these early changes. We will also test whether
impaired neurovascular coupling is associated with these vascular changes. In Aim 2 we will measure early
changes to the cone photoreceptors in diabetes, including both local areas of less reflective cones and regions
of disordered cones and relate these changes to vascular changes. By also measuring visual sensitivity in
areas with cone changes and those without we will test the hypothesis that imaging measurements can be
used to understand the sensitivity changes occurring in DR. In Aim 3 we will for the first time, measure
quantitative 3D flow maps of entire regions of the retinal vascular network. Flow maps include information as
to where blood is flowing, velocity, size and in which direction allowing network quantification. Because the
distribution of flow through a vascular network is sensitive to physical and biological constraints, flow maps will
change markedly as capillary occlusion occur.
By combining our state-of-the-art for retinal imaging of the vasculature with clinically available data we will
continue to better understand the anatomical and functional basis for clinically observable damage. This work
will advance our long term scientific goals of understanding the role that early vascular changes play in vision
loss, our clinical goal of developing new approaches to identify those individuals most at risk for damage, as
well as allow improved monitoring of future treatments on an individual basis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10747334
- **Project number:** 5R01EY024315-10
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen A Burns
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $461,710
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-12-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10747334

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10747334, Adaptive Optics Imaging of Human Retinal Vascular Structure and Function (5R01EY024315-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10747334. Licensed CC0.

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