OSL Currently Recruiting Research Projects

Diagnostic testing using imaging devices such as the Oculus Keratograph 5M is the mainstay of Dry Eye disease assessment. With the increased prevalence and focus on dry eye disease worldwide, we are seeing an increase in the development of new technologies and devices to help clinicians assess and diagnose of dry eye and ocular surface disease. This project aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy of E-Swin tearcheck versus the Oculus Keratograph 5M. Evidence will determine whether these new up-coming devices are beneficial to clinicians and whether they, ultimately, aid in treatment of patients with dry eye disease.

Contact: Isaac Samuels

Key staff and students

• Professor Jennifer Craig (Supervisor)
• Isaac Samuels (5^th year Medical student)

Inflammation is implicated in the disease path of dry eye disease with treatments that are aimed specifically to reduce inflammation dry eyes. This study aims to explore clinical measures of inflammation and compare them against laboratory analysis of inflammation to confirm the optimal parameters that should be assessed in the clinical setting in considering this mode of treatment. More information...

Contact: Catherine Shon

Key staff and students

• Professor Jennifer Craig (Primary supervisor)
• Dr Alex Muntz (Co-supervisor)
• Catherine Shon (Masters student)

Inflammasomes are a new potential target for ocular therapeutics to tackle both the tear film instability and inflammation to break the vicious circle of dry eye disease (DED). This projects aims to identify and quantify inflammasomes and its mediators in the tear film and conjunctival cells. More information...

Funding

This project is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand [20/317] and the Buchanan Charitable Foundation.

Contact: Dian Zhuang

Key staff and students

• Associate Professor Ilva Rupenthal (Principal Investigator)
• Professor Jennifer Craig (Associate Investigator)
• Dr Stuti Misra (Associate Investigator)
• Dr Priyanka Agarwal (Associate Investigator)
• Santosh Bhujbal (Doctoral Candidate)
• Dian Zhuang (Doctoral Candidate)

Thermal pulsation of the eyelids for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction is a mainstay treatment in New Zealand at specialist dry eye clinics. This project aims to explore the efficacy of a handheld thermal pulsation device that is not currently available in New Zealand from standard of care in MGD. More information...

Funding

This project is funded by Alcon Australia Pty Limited.

Contact: Catherine Shon

Key staff and students

• Professor Jennifer Craig (Supervisor)
• Catherine Shon (Clinical research optometrist)

The Rexon Eye^® is used for the treatment of evaporative and aqueous deficient dry eye disease. The non-invasive device applies low-power high-frequency electric fields on top of closed eye lids for a total of 4 sessions, of 20 minute duration. We are conducting an investigator-led randomised double-blind placebo control study to explore the efficacy of the Rexon Eye^® for the treatment of dry eye disease. More information...

Contact: Ryan Mahmoud

Key staff and students

• Professor Jennifer Craig (Supervisor)
• Ryan Mahmoud (Clinical research optometrist)

We are seeking volunteer research participants to learn about a new study drug AZR-MD-001 for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) with additional signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED). More information...

Funding

This project is sponsored by AZURA Ophthalmics.

Contact: Karien Nel

Key staff and students

• Professor Jennifer Craig (Principal Investigator)
• Dr Alex Muntz (Postdoctoral fellow)
• Karien Nel (Clinical research associate)
• Dian Zhuang (Optometrist)