Retinal Vascular Research Unit

Epidemiology of retinal vascular signs

Several large epidemiological studies examine the relationship of retinal vascular signs to subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension in Australia (the Blue Mountains Eye Study, the AusDiab Study, Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study), the United States (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Beaver Dam Eye Study) and Asia Pacific (Funagata Study, Singapore Malay Eye Study). a new NHMRC funded study is investigating genetic markers for retinal arteriolar narrowing and risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease using DNA and retinal images collected from the Blue Mountains Eye Study.

Retinal vascular imaging to predict stroke, dementia and diabetic retinopathy

Three NHMRC funded multi-centre clinical studies are examining the predictive ability of retinal vascular signs as markers of stroke (Multi-Centre Retinal Stroke Study), dementia (Aspirin for the prevention of cognitive decline in the Elderly Study) and diabetic retinopathy (Sydney Pediatrics Study).

Clinical diabetic retinopathy studies

Studies to determine risk factors and impact of diabetic retinopathy and early vascular changes are ongoing. A Retinal Vessel Endothelial Function Study investigates the hypotheses that retinal changes are associated with endothelial dysfunction, using the Dynamic Retinal Vessel Analyzer (Imedos, Jena Germany). The RVEEH is conducting a study to implement and evaluate a novel diabetic retinopathy screening strategy in people with diabetes. An NHMRC funded study in collaboration with Westmead Children's Hospital aims to determine the associations of retinal vascular changes and risk of diabetic microvascular complications in individuals with type 1 diabetes aged 12-20 years.

Novel retinal imaging software

We have several developmental research projects in retinal vessel imaging (fractals branching patterns, tortuosity) in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, University of Melbourne and School of Computing, National University of Singapore.

Clinical trails in retinal vascular diseases

Clinical trails in diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion (Thunderbird, Resolve, Posurdex, Advance, Macugen, BRVO Lucentis, Restore).

Epidemiology of age-related eye diseases

The objectives of this research program are to describe the prevalence, incidence, risk factors and impact of major age-related eye diseases, including myopia, angle-closure glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and age-related maculopathy.

Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre (RetVIC)

RetVIC is developing capability in diagnostic analysis of retinal images for early prediction of vascular diseases. We have demonstrated that retinal vascular changes predict the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, dementia, kidney and other vascular conditions, years before their development and independent of current diagnostic methods. We are integrating this new technology with state-of-the-art computer-based imaging systems and telemedicine capability for image delivery from rural and remote areas to conduct clinical trials and community screening studies; perform cost-benefit and feasibility analyses to demonstrate the clinical utility. An NHMRC Development Grant funds a program to transform retinal vascular imaging from a research platform to a clinical practice tool that can be used as a test for screening, detecting and monitoring CVD risk in Australian populations.