Vision Science Graduate Program
Vision Science
In the Vision Science program we study the eye, the visual system their problems. This includes both the pathogenesis of visual dysfunction and the amelioration of visual disabilities. Vision science is multidisciplinary, and can include any discipline that relates to the eye and its problems. Both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees provide breadth through a variety of courses offerings. The non-thesis MS degree allows those with an undergraduate degree in Optometry to build on their knowledge of the eye and vision science. The thesis-based M.S. and Ph.D. degrees also add depth to the training of vision scientists through original research leading to a thesis or a dissertation.
Research: The Program includes a highly active group of multidisciplinary scientists, mostly from within the School of Optometry but also from Physics, Bioengineering, Intelligent System Engineering, Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology. Research areas include imaging, optics, neuroscience, visual development, visual impairment and correction, visual psychophysics, cell and molecular biology, genetics and biophysics, and involve both basic science and translational research.
Funding: Exceptional students can be financially supported through a combination of grants, fellowships, and teaching activities.
Research Areas
Anterior segment disorders and dry eye
Injuries, allergies, inflammation, dry eye, corneal disorders, cataracts, and presbyopia can affect the eye’s ability to focus. Our researchers are discovering new ways to detect, diagnose, and correct anterior segment disorders, both with and without contact lenses.
Glaucoma and visual function
Our researchers are developing new methods to improve the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, a disease that affects 70 million people worldwide and is most severe in the elderly and in underserved populations.
Retinal disease
Our faculty are internationally known for their contributions to the science of retinal function and disease, retinal imaging technology, color vision, and visual processing. Their developments in preventing vision loss and blindness have the potential to save the vision of millions of people worldwide.
Clinical optics and myopia
Through cutting-edge clinical optics research, our faculty are improving the vision and clinical care of patients at our own clinics and around the world. We often work closely with the leading members of the contact lens and vision care industry to develop novel, improved optical designs and safer, more efficient contact lenses.
Low vision and mobility
Loss of peripheral vision, low vision, balance problems, and contrast sensitivity all affect a patient’s daily quality of life. Through research, we’re advancing visual rehabilitation methods for patients who are elderly, visually impaired, or blind.
Pediatric vision
Our research leads to earlier detection of pediatric eye problems, such as amblyopia (or “lazy eye”), and easier treatments for children and their parents. We are also working toward understanding and preventing permanent vision loss in children.
Traumatic brain injury
The eyes are a window into concussions and other traumatic brain injuries, and our researchers are focused on diagnosing and managing those injuries before they cause significant damage.
About Bloomington, IN
About Bloomington, IN
Indiana University is a major public research university founded in 1820. It currently enrolls over 33,000 undergraduates and 10,000 postgraduate students on the Bloomington campus with over 110,000 students in the university system. Bloomington campus is always referred by visitors as one of the most beautiful campuses around the world. The School of Optometry has very active research and graduate programs with numerous collaborations with other disciplines within the university. The School has several major teaching clinics as well as outreach affiliations. Bloomington is a relaxed community located in a beautifully wooded and hilly area of the state where cultural and recreational opportunities abound, housing costs are low, schools are excellent, and commuting time is short. More information about the School is available at www.optometry.iu.edu, and about the University at www.indiana.edu.
Faculty
- Dr. Bonanno use modern cell and molecular biology techniques to understand fluid transport in the cornea and the maintenance of corneal transparency.
- Dr. Burns' group uses novel adaptive optics imaging to investigate changes to the retinal vasculature in diabetes as well as to find new applications for imaging in glaucoma.
- Dr Candy’s group study visual development in infants and young children, in particular the roles of visual optics, eye movements and visual perception in typical and atypical development.
- Dr. Cheng's lab utilizes novel protocols to probe eye lens biology from super-resolution microscopy to cell patterning to tissue biomechanical testing. Her research aims to unlock the cellular and molecular mechanisms that influence normal aging and age-related pathologies of the lens, including cataracts and presbyopia that diminish visual acuity and quality of life for millions of people world-wide.
- Dr. Elsner is interested in the impact of aging, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema on visual performance and developing low cost approaches to retinal imaging
- Dr. Hassan is a clinician-scientist conducting low vision studies that investigate how vision loss affects a person’s ability to maintain their balance control, their ability to make safe and accurate street-crossing decisions and how visual impairment affects a person’s gait and eye-movements as they walk to perform a task.
- Dr. Kollbaum's team at the Clinical Optics Research Lab (CORL) collaboratively performs cutting-edge translational clinical optics research aimed at improving the vision of patients through a combination of optical metrology, optical modeling, and psychophysical and clinical testing. This work focuses on myopia, presbyopia, the ocular surface, and other novel optical interventions and technologies.
- Dr Liu’s lab uses state-of-the-art conditional gene loss-of-function and gain-of-function mouse model to delineate the signal transduction and transcriptional regulations of ocular anterior segment development and diseases. Two mouse models are currently funded by NIH to elucidate patho-etiology of Neurotrophic Keratitis (NK) and Keratoconus (KTCN).
- Dr. Miller’s lab develops and applies powerful optical imaging systems to study structures and processes in the living eye that was previously not possible. These instruments open up exciting new directions to study both normal and pathological vision.
- Dr. Port’s research interests are centered on using the visual-saccadic system as a model for how the nervous system processes sensory information and produces action. His laboratory is currently following two lines of research. The first studies the underlying neurophysiology of a stable visual world the second tests whether mathematical models of information processing and decision-making accurately describe the underlying neurophysiological computations. He applies these to understanding the impact of concussion.
- Dr. Srinivas’ current research interests are (1) regulation of barrier integrity of corneal endothelium, (2) regulation of aqueous humor outflow by trabecular meshwork cells, and (3) pharmacokinetics of topical drugs to the eye.
- Dr. Swanson’s group combines perceptual data and imaging data to improve our understanding of the biological damage caused by ocular diseases that affect the retinal nerve fiber layer, and how this relates to perceptual loss. The goal is to develop improved methods for assessing effectiveness of treatments.
- Dr. Tankam’s lab uses a translational research approach from disease understanding using animal models to disease diagnosis and management on human subjects. The group focuses on developing imaging systems, e.g. combined OCT and Flourescence Microscopy, that can track the dynamics of cellular processes in vivo and follow-up these processes over time in a single specimen. .
- Dr. Valapala's primary focus is on deciphering cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) degeneration during the pathogenesis of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Our specific focus is on the role of transcription factors that regulate both autophagy and lysosomal function in the RPE.
Recent Publications
- Alluwimi, M. S., W. H. Swanson, et al. (2018). "A basis for customising perimetric locations within the macula in glaucoma." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 38(2): 164-173.
- Alluwimi, M. S., W. H. Swanson, et al. (2018). "Customizing Perimetric Locations Based on En Face Images of Retinal Nerve Fiber Bundles With Glaucomatous Damage." Translational Vision Science & Technology 7(2).
- Alluwimi, M. S., W. H. Swanson, et al. (2018). "Identifying Glaucomatous Damage to the Macula." Optometry and Vision Science 95(2): 96-105.
- Almutleb, E. S. and S. E. Hassan (2020). "The Effect of Simulated Central Field Loss on Street-crossing Decision-Making in Young Adult Pedestrians." Optometry and Vision Science 97(4): 229-238.
- Almutleb, E. S., A. Bradley, et al. (2018). "Simulation of a central scotoma using contact lenses with an opaque centre." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 38(1): 76-87.
- Arthur, E., A. E. Elsner, et al. (2019). "Distances From Capillaries to Arterioles or Venules Measured Using OCTA and AOSLO." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 60(6): 1833-1844.
- Arthur, E., J. A. Papay, et al. (2018). "Subtle changes in diabetic retinas localised in 3D using OCT." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 38(5): 477-491.
- Arthur, E., S. B. Young, et al. (2019). "Central Macular Thickness in Diabetic Patients: A Sex-based Analysis." Optometry and Vision Science 96(4): 266-275.
- Ashimatey, B. S., B. J. King, et al. (2018). "Evaluating glaucomatous abnormality in peripapillary optical coherence tomography enface visualisation of the retinal nerve fibre layer reflectance." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 38(4): 376-388.
- Ashimatey, B. S., B. J. King, et al. (2018). "Novel Technique for Quantifying Retinal Nerve Fiber Bundle Abnormality in the Temporal Raphe." Optometry and Vision Science 95(4): 309-317.
- Awisi-Gyau, D., C. G. Begley, et al. (2019). "Changes in Corneal Detection Thresholds After Repeated Tear Film Instability." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 60(13): 4234-4240.
- Bhadange, Y., J. Lautert, et al. (2018). "Hypoxia and the Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor FG-4592 Protect Corneal Endothelial Cells From Mechanical and Perioperative Surgical Stress." Cornea 37(4): 501-507.
- Burns, S. A., A. E. Elsner, et al. (2019). "Adaptive optics imaging of the human retina." Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 68: 1-30.
- Cense, B., D. T. Miller, et al. (2018). "Measuring polarization changes in the human outer retina with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography." Journal of Biophotonics 11(5).
- Cheng, C., J. Parreno, et al. (2019). "Age-related changes in eye lens biomechanics, morphology, refractive index and transparency." Aging-Us 11(24): 12497-12531.
- Cheng, C., R. B. Nowak, et al. (2018). "Tropomyosin 3.5 protects the F-actin networks required for tissue biomechanical properties." Journal of Cell Science 131(23).
- Ehrlich, J. R., S. E. Hassan, et al. (2019). "Prevalence of Falls and Fall-Related Outcomes in Older Adults with Self-Reported Vision Impairment." Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 67(2): 239-245.
- Elsner, A. E., J. A. Papay, et al. (2020). "Cones in ageing and harsh environments: the neural economy hypothesis." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 40(2): 88-116.
- Ghosh, S., N. Stepicheva, et al. (2020). "The role of lipocalin-2 in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 77(5): 835-851.
- Graber, M. and S. E. Hassan (2020). "The Mind Cannot Go Blind: Effects of Central Vision Loss on Judging One's Crossing Time." Optometry and Vision Science 97(6): 406-415.
- Gyau, D. A., C. G. Begley, et al. (2018). "A simple and cost effective method for preparing FL and LG solutions." Ocular Surface 16(1): 139-145.
- Hassan, S. E., N. C. Ross, et al. (2019). "Changes in the Properties of the Preferred Retinal Locus with Eccentric Viewing Training." Optometry and Vision Science 96(2): 79-86.
- Jaskulski M, Singh NK, Bradley A, Kollbaum PS. (2020) “Optical and imaging properties of a novel multi-segment spectacle lens designed to slow myopia progression.” Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. Aug 18.
- Kellar, D., S. Newman, et al. (2018). "Comparing fMRI activation during smooth pursuit eye movements among contact sport athletes, non-contact sport athletes, and non-athletes." Neuroimage-Clinical 18: 413-424.
- King, B. J., S. A. Burns, et al. (2019). "High-Resolution, Adaptive Optics Imaging of the Human Trabecular Meshwork In Vivo." Translational Vision Science & Technology 8(5).
- King, B. J., W. H. Swanson, et al. (2020). "Assessing the Impact of En Face Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Imaging on Clinical Decision Making for Glaucoma Suspects." Optometry and Vision Science 97(2): 54-61.
- King-Smith P.E., Mauger T.F., Begley C.G., Tankam P., “Optical analysis and reappraisal of the peripheral light focusing theory of nasal pterygia formation, ” Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 61(2) 42-42(2020).
- Kokado, M., M. Miyajima, et al. (2018). "Lack of plakoglobin impairs integrity and wound healing in corneal epithelium in mice." Laboratory Investigation 98(11): 1375-1383.
- Kollbaum PS, Bradley A. (2019) ”Correction of presbyopia: old problems with old (and new) solutions. ” Clin Exp Optom. 2019 Nov 17.
- Lammer, J., S. G. Karst, et al. (2018). "Association of Microaneurysms on Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy With Surrounding Neuroretinal Pathology and Visual Function in Diabetes." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(13): 5633-5640.
- Li, S. M., E. Kim, et al. (2020). "Corneal Endothelial Pump Coupling to Lactic Acid Efflux in the Rabbit and Mouse." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 61(2).
- Li, S. M., J. Zhou, et al. (2018). "Ectodysplasin A regulates epithelial barrier function through sonic hedgehog signalling pathway." Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine 22(1): 230-240.
- Li, S. M., K. S. Hundal, et al. (2019). "R125H, W240S, C386R, and V5071 SLC4A11 mutations associated with corneal endothelial dystrophy affect the transporter function but not trafficking in PS120 cells." Experimental Eye Research 180: 86-91.
- Liu, Z. L., K. Kurokawa, et al. (2019). "In vivo measurement of organelle motility in human retinal pigment epithelial cells." Biomedical Optics Express 10(8): 4142-4158.
- Marsack JD, Benoit JS, Kollbaum PS, Anderson HA. (2019) ”Application of Topographical Keratoconus Detection Metrics to Eyes of Individuals with Down Syndrome. ” Optom Vis Sci. Sep;96(9):664-669.
- Nidegawa-Saitoh, Y., T. Sumioka, et al. (2018). "Impaired healing of cornea incision injury in a TRPV1-deficient mouse." Cell and Tissue Research 374(2): 329-338.
- Ogando, D. G., M. Choi, et al. (2019). "Ammonia sensitive SLC4A11 mitochondrial uncoupling reduces glutamine induced oxidative stress." Redox Biology 26.
- Okada, Y., T. Sumioka, et al. (2019). "Sensory nerve supports epithelial stem cell function in healing of corneal epithelium in mice: the role of trigeminal nerve transient receptor potential vanilloid 4." Laboratory Investigation 99(2): 210-230.
- Palochak, C. M. A., H. E. Lee, et al. (2019). "Retinal Blood Velocity and Flow in Early Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Using Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy." Journal of Clinical Medicine 8(8).
- Pan, H. Y., A. H. Alamri, et al. (2019). "Nutrient deprivation and lysosomal stress induce activation of TFEB in retinal pigment epithelial cells." Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters 24.
- Papay, J. A. and A. E. Elsner (2018). "Near-infrared polarimetric imaging and changes associated with normative aging." Journal of the Optical Society of America a-Optics Image Science and Vision 35(9): 1487-1495.
- Parreno, J., C. Cheng, et al. (2018). "The effects of mechanical strain on mouse eye lens capsule and cellular microstructure." Molecular Biology of the Cell 29(16): 1963-1974.
- Port, N. L., J. Trimberger, et al. (2016). "Micro and regular saccades across the lifespan during a visual search of "Where's Waldo" puzzles." Vision Research 118: 144-157.
- Ramasubramanian V, Meyer D, Kollbaum PS, Bradley A. (2020) ”Experimental Model of Far Temporal Field Negative Dysphotopsia Generated in Phakic Eyes. ” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. May 11;61(5):24.
- Ramasubramanian, V., D. Meyer, et al. (2020). "Experimental Model of Far Temporal Field Negative Dysphotopsia Generated in Phakic Eyes." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 61(5).
- Ramezani, K., I. Marin-Franch, et al. (2018). "Prediction Accuracy of the Dynamic Structure-Function Model for Glaucoma Progression Using Contrast Sensitivity Perimetry and Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy." Journal of Glaucoma 27(9): 785-793.
- Saeedpour-Parizi, M. R., S. E. Hassan, et al. "Hierarchical goal effects on center of mass velocity and eye fixations during gait." Experimental Brain Research.
- Saeedpour-Parizi, M. R., S. E. Hassan, et al. "Pupil diameter as a biomarker of effort in goal-directed gait." Experimental Brain Research.
- Sah RP, Ramasubramanian V, Reed O, Meyer D, Bradley A, Kollbaum PS. (2020) ”Accommodative Behavior, Hyperopic Defocus, and Retinal Image Quality in Children Viewing Electronic Displays. ” Optom Vis Sci. Aug;97(8):628-640.
- Sapoznik, K. A., T. Luo, et al. (2018). "Enhanced retinal vasculature imaging with a rapidly configurable aperture." Biomedical Optics Express 9(3): 1323-1333.
- Singh NK, Jaskulski M, Ramasubramanian V, Meyer D, Reed O, Rickert ME, Bradley A, Kollbaum PS. (2019) ”Validation of a Clinical Aberrometer Using Pyramidal Wavefront Sensing. ” Optom Vis Sci. Oct;96(10):733-744.
- Situ, P., C. G. Begley, et al. (2019). "Effects of Tear Film Instability on Sensory Responses to Corneal Cold, Mechanical, and Chemical Stimuli." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 60(8): 2935-2941.
- South, F. A., K. Kurokawa, et al. (2018). "Combined hardware and computational optical wavefront correction." Biomedical Optics Express 9(6): 2562-2574.
- Sudhir, R. R., P. P. Murthy, et al. (2018). "Ocular Spot Fluorometer Equipped With a Lock-In Amplifier for Measurement of Aqueous Flare." Translational Vision Science & Technology 7(6).
- Swanson, W. H. and B. J. King (2019). "Comparison of defect depths for sinusoidal and circular perimetric stimuli in patients with glaucoma." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 39(1): 26-36.
- Swanson, W. H., B. J. King, et al. (2019). "Using Small Samples to Evaluate Normative Reference Ranges for Retinal Imaging Measures." Optometry and Vision Science 96(3): 146-155.
- Swanson, W. H., B. J. King, et al. (2019). "Within-subject variability in human retinal nerve fiber bundle width." Plos One 14(10).
- Swanson, W. H., M. W. Dul, et al. (2017). "Individual differences in the shape of the nasal visual field." Vision Research 141: 23-29.
- Tankam P., He Z., Thuret G., Hindman H.B., Canavesi C., Coyoc Escudero J., Lepine T., Gain P., Rolland J.P., “Capabilities of Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy for the assessment of corneal disease,” J. Biomed. Opt. 24 (4), 046002 (2019).
- Tankam P., Soh J., Canavesi C., Lanis M., Hayes A., Cogliati A., Rolland J.P., Ibrahim S.F., "Gabor-domain optical coherence microscopy to aid in Mohs resection of basal cell carcinomas,” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 80 (6), 1766-1769 (2019).
- Usui-Kusumoto, K., H. Iwanishi, et al. (2019). "Suppression of neovascularization in corneal stroma in a TRPA1-null mouse." Experimental Eye Research 181: 90-97.
- VanNasdale, D. A., A. E. Elsner, et al. (2018). "Polarization Variability in Age-related Macular Degeneration." Optometry and Vision Science 95(4): 277-291.
- Wolffsohn, J. S., P. S. Kollbaum, et al. (2019). "IMI - Clinical Myopia Control Trials and Instrumentation Report." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 60(3): M132-M160.
- Xu R, Chaleles E, Rickert M, Muessel R, Meyer D, Thibos L, Bradley A, Kollbaum PS. (2019) “Small text on product labels poses a special challenge for emerging presbyopes.” Optom Vis Sci. Apr;96(4):291-300..
- Xu R, Thibos L, Lopez-Gil N, Kollbaum PS, Bradley A. (2019) “Psychophysical study of the optical origin of starbursts.” J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. Apr 1;36(4):B97-B102..
- Xu, R. F., H. C. Wang, et al. (2019). "Small-pupil versus multifocal strategies for expanding depth of focus of presbyopic eyes." Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 45(5): 647-655.
- Yoon C., Mietus A., Qi Y., Stone J.J., Escudero J.C., Canavesi C., Tankam P., Hindman H.B., Rolland J.P., "Quantitative assessment of human donor corneal endothelium with Gabor domain optical coherence microscopy," J. Biomed. Opt. 24(8) 085001 (2019)
- Zhang, F. R., K. Kurokawa, et al. (2019). "Cone photoreceptor classification in the living human eye from photostimulation-induced phase dynamics." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 116(16): 7951-7956.
- Zhang, L. L., Y. C. Wang, et al. (2019). "Aberrant expression of a stabilized beta-catenin mutant in keratocytes inhibits mouse corneal epithelial stratification." Scientific Reports 9.
- Zhang, Y. J., J. Jeffrey, et al. (2019). "Repressed Wnt Signaling Accelerates the Aging Process in Mouse Eyes." Journal of Ophthalmology 2019.
- Zhao, Y. L., P. A. Wilmarth, et al. (2019). "Proteome-transcriptome analysis and proteome remodeling in mouse lens epithelium and fibers." Experimental Eye Research 179: 32-46.