Flinders' Professor Jamie Craig

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has awarded an A$9.46 million grant to Flinders University’s Ophthalmology Eye and Vision Clinic team to help convert genetic discoveries in primary open angle glaucoma into new clinical practices.

The five-year programme, led by Flinders Professor of Ophthalmology Jamie Craig, will use CRISPR/Cas editing and next-generation gene sequencing approaches and run the world’s only DNA bank of patients to understand advanced glaucoma genetics.

“This work will directly and indirectly lead to a change in clinical practice, which will result in improved outcomes for patients with or at risk of developing this blinding condition,” said Professor Craig. “We are currently monitoring approximately 1,500 patients to investigate how genes and eye tests can be used to predict the risk of developing severe glaucoma in people with early signs of the disease. This will ensure that high risk individuals can access treatment early, while those at low risk can be spared unnecessary treatment and seen less often by vision experts.”

The annual economic cost of glaucoma in Australia has been estimated at more than $144 million.