Mātai Medical Research Institute will host a distinguished team of eye experts and eye health researchers this week in a series of free presentations open to the public.
The talks will explore topics from how our brains and eyes work together to create vision to highlighting research at Mātai into glaucoma and other eye diseases using MRI models.
It is an opportunity to learn how advanced imaging and research enhance our understanding of eye health, and to see how the latest developments in eye research can provide insights into the future of treatment.
People can find out more about the event and its guest speakers, and register, on the Mātai website.
The research projects are supported by Mātai, the Vision Research Foundation, the Eye Institute Auckland, Rapanui Trust, the JN & HB Williams Foundation and GE Healthcare.
Presentations
The Miracle of Vision
Dr Graham Wilson will explore the extraordinary complexity and wonder of human vision, highlighting how our eyes and brain work in harmony to create the vivid, detailed world we perceive. Through scientific insights, he reveals what makes vision one of nature’s most remarkable miracles.
Wilson is an honorary clinical associate professor at the University of Otago and a principal investigator at Mātai Medical Research Institute. He is also an ophthalmologist in Gisborne.
Stress and deformation of the eye, orbit, and optic nerve
Dr Jesse Gale will discuss the critical role mechanical stress (physical pressure) plays in optic nerve diseases and how innovative tests may unlock new insights into eye health.
Radiogenomics – The future of precision medicine in age-related eye disease
Dr William Schierding will talk about how he uses radiogenomics (the incorporation of genetics and brain imaging) in precision medicine.
The next generation of clinical testing will identify those with the highest disease risk by bringing together a comprehensive picture of you - clinical data (such as eye and MRI exams), genetic and family history, and personal risk factors (like age and diet).
This approach will identify early markers of the pathological development of eye diseases like glaucoma, paving the way for personalised treatments.
Advanced MRI techniques for glaucoma research
Dr Loxlan Kasa will present his research at Mātai, which involves quantifying the visual pathway in glaucoma patients using advanced diffusion MRI models and his goal of developing automated approaches to study the role of dynamic eye movement in various diseases, particularly glaucoma.
The details
What: The Miracle of Vision, expert presentations on eye health and research.
Where: Mātai Research Institute, 466 Childers Rd, Te Hapara.
When: 5pm Friday, October 25