Unraveling the mysteries of glaucoma and diabetic eye disease Within the Eye Research Institute of Canada is housed the Toronto Hospital Glaucoma Research Unit. The Unit was founded in 1989 as a collaborative research effort between Drs Flanagan and Trope. The first major study was a prospective investigation of psychophysical techniques for the early detection of glaucoma and its progression. The study was recently completed, having followed 200 subjects over a 5 year period, including a unique group of 120 high risk glaucoma suspects. Since 1991 we have been working with scanning laser tomography for the three-dimensional imaging of the optic nerve and retina, and have helped establish protocols and techniques for the quantification of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. This has also led to the establishment of a multi-disciplinary research program investigating the mechanical and vascular aspects of the nerve head using an enucleated human eye model. More recently we were able to launch an active research program investigating ocular blood flow, as related to both glaucoma and diabetes. Another collaborative research program involves the investigation of blood pressure changes during different sleep stages in progressive glaucoma. Initial results suggest a link with sleep apnea. In collaboration with industry we have developed new methods for imaging early retinal oedema using scanning laser tomography. This has been applied to diabetic macular oedema and animal models of oedema.

 

 
 

	Research Technicians	Graduate Students
	Inka Tertinneg Shelly Culp-Stewart	Kit Guan Ronan Rogers

 

  a). Submitted Papers

1. Venkataraman ST, Hudson C, Fisher JA, Rodrigues L, Mardimae A, Flanagan JG: Retinal arteriolar and capillary vascular reactivity in response to isoxic hypercapnia. Am J Physiol – Heart Circ Physiol.

2. Dhillon S, Shapiro CM, Gouws P, Trope GE, Flanagan JG. The Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on the Optic Nerve. Br J Ophthalmol.

3. Guan K, Hudson C, Lam WC, Mandelcorn M, Devenyi RG, Flanagan JG. Retinal Hemodynamic Changes in Diabetic Macular Edema. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.

4. Sehi M, Flanagan JG, Zeng L, Cook RJ, Trope GE. The Association between Diurnal Variation of Optic Nerve Head Topography, Intraocular Pressure and Systemic Blood Pressure in Untreated Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.

5. Sigal IA, Flanagan JG, Tertinegg I, Ethier CR. Modeling individual-specific human optic nerve head biomechanics. Part I: IOP-induced deformations and influence of geometry. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology (under review)

6. Sigal IA, Flanagan JG, Tertinegg I, Ethier CR. Modeling individual-specific human optic nerve head biomechanics. Part I: Influence of material properties. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology (under review)

b). Publications

9. Rachmiel R, Buys Y, Flanagan JG, Chipman M, Trope GE. Intermediate-term outcome and success of superior versus inferior Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. J of Glaucoma (in press).

8. Sigal I, Flanagan JG, Tertinegg I, Ethier CR. Predicted extension, compression and shearing of optic nerve head tissues. Exp Eye Res. 2007. 85:312-322.

7. Duench S, Simpson T, Jones LW, Flanagan JG, Fonn D. Assessment of variation in bulbar conjunctival redness, temperature, and blood flow. Optom Vis Sci. 2007 Jun;84(6):511-6.

6. Kourkoutas D, Buys YM, Flanagan JG, Hatch WV, Balian C, Trope GE. Comparison of glaucoma progression evaluated with Heidelberg retina tomograph II versus optic nerve head stereophotographs. Can J Ophthalmol. 2007 Feb;42(1):82-8.

5. Chew HF, Markowitz SN, Flanagan JG, Buys YM. The effect of pupil dilation on driving vision in Canada. Can J Ophthalmol. 2007 Aug;42(4):585-91.
Dhillon S, Shapiro CM, Flanagan J. Sleep-disordered breathing and effects on ocular health. Can J Ophthalmol. 2007 Apr;42(2):238-43. Review.