Western Australian ophthalmologist Professor David Mackey has been awarded the 2023 Glaucoma Australia (GA) ‘Quinlivan’ Research Grant. He will use the funds to investigate the normal range of intraocular pressure (IOP) in children and young adults, and whether it predicts glaucoma later in life.
Mackey, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at The University of Western Australia, was announced as the 2023 recipient by GA and its patron, governor-general Mr David Hurley.
As the world’s most published author in glaucoma genetics, he said data on the range and changes of IOP during childhood and early adulthood is limited in both people with a high genetic risk of glaucoma and the general population.
“Although we can now provide a newborn baby their genetic risk for developing glaucoma in adult life, we do not know when we need to initiate examination or intervention in at-risk individuals,” he said.
“We lack data on the normal range of IOP in children and have presumed it is the same as for adults. Funding from the Quinlivan Research Grant will enable us to collect and analyse data from young participants in the Raine Study, whose parents have been followed by researchers for their entire lives. This will enable never-before-possible research into the genetic, lifestyle and intergenerational aspects of IOP, as well as the creation of an IOP reference range for children.”
Co-investigator and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Samantha Lee said new technology allowed researchers to more easily – and less invasively – measure IOP in children with minimal discomfort or without anaesthetic eye drops.
“We will measure eye pressure in children from the third generation of the Raine Study cohort, to determine the normal range in this age group. We will also examine young adults to determine eye pressure changes through early adult life and whether genetic risk influences pressure at a young age,” she said.
“This will improve our ability to monitor children and young adults at high risk of developing glaucoma and allow more timely intervention with the aim of decreasing glaucoma blindness.”
GA CEO Mr Richard Wylie said the organisation was committed to supporting Australian research projects like this that aim to increase the rate and reliability of early detection of glaucoma.
“Being able to identify a child or young adult in need of sight saving glaucoma treatments is a blessing and we are incredibly proud to support Prof Mackey and his team in this important work,” he said.
Hurley added: ““I congratulate Professor Mackey on receiving the 2023 Glaucoma Australia ‘Quinlivan’ Research Grant. Since his pioneering work into glaucoma genetics research in 1994, Australia has led the world in this field. I’d like to thank Professor Mackey and his follow researchers for their continued work, and I wish them the very best in their future endeavours to eliminate glaucoma blindness.”
The GA ‘Quinlivan’ Research Grants are awarded following rigorous evaluation, based largely on the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) process, along with peer review. Submissions are reviewed by the GA Independent Research Panel consisting of internationally recognised experts in glaucoma research including the fields of ophthalmology, optometry and pharmacy.
The research funds are made possible by donors who support GA’s William A. Quinlivan Research Fund.
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