# Novel in-vivo ultrasound-based point-of-care instrument to assess myopia level and progression

> **NIH NIH R21** · RIVERSIDE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $273,595

## Abstract

This proposed project is intended to develop a novel, low-cost, compact, point-of-care (POC) ultrasound
system to assess myopia severity and progression in vivo. Myopia prevalence is increasing worldwide and
pathologic myopia is one of the leading causes of blindness. Myopia originates from structural and
mechanical changes in the sclera that precede vision-threatening ocular changes. Currently, no method
exists to assess myopia progression and severity quantitatively in vivo, and this project seeks to fill this
gap. The POC instrument to be developed will consist of a single-element, spherically focused transducer
operating at an 80-MHz center frequency mounted in a handheld probe and connected to a computer
equipped with dedicated software, hardware, and a touch screen for ease of use using a graphical user
interface. The POC instrument will collect RF, A-line data at a high pulse-repetition frequency while in
direct contact with the anterior sclera. The RF data will be processed using QUS methods to derive so-
called QUS estimates associated with the elastic and microstructural properties of the sclera. The QUS
estimates will be based on the backscatter coefficient and envelope statistics as well as on highly-
innovative passive elastography. The POC instrument will be portable, low-cost, real-time, and
nonionizing. It will be very similar to pachymeters currently used by ophthalmologists for biometric
measurements, which will facilitate its adoption by clinicians. In Year 2, the POC instrument will be
deployed at our collaborating clinical site, the Singapore Eye Research Institute, to acquire and process
data from 100 patients during a prospective clinical study aimed at assessing the value of the POC
instrument for evaluating high-myopia patients. Specifically, the clinical study will test the ability of the
system to predict myopia severity and progression. If successful, these studies will not only advance
myopia knowledge significantly, but, equally important, the proposed POC instrument will revolutionize
care for myopia patients by providing a low-cost, easy-to-use, and safe means to assess disease severity
and progression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9903615
- **Project number:** 1R21EB028084-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** RIVERSIDE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** JONATHAN MAMOU
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $273,595
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2022-04-06

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9903615

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9903615, Novel in-vivo ultrasound-based point-of-care instrument to assess myopia level and progression (1R21EB028084-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9903615. Licensed CC0.

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