Ophthalmology Research Laboratory
The goals of this laboratory are to study the mechanisms and treatment of ophthalmic diseases in domestic animals.
Lab Members
Brian Gilger, Principal Investigator
Alison Clode, Principal Investigator
Beth Salmon, Laboratory Supervisor
Research
Our laboratory has four main areas of ongoing research:
Ocular Inflammation and Immunology
- Diseases studied include uveitis, glaucoma, keratitis, and dry eye
- Current projects include:
- studies involving chronic recurrent inflammation in the eye, specifically in eyes with naturally occurring models of uveitis, such as equine recurrent uveitis
- characterization and treatment of immune-mediated keratitis, specifically in horses
- evaluation of the treatment and prevention of lens capsular fibrosis
- studies of the development and treatment of infectious keratitis, especially fungal keratitis
- evaluation of in vitro and in vivo models of ocular disease
Ocular Pharmacology and Drug Delivery
- Multiple ongoing studies provide greater insight into how drugs are deposited and metabolized in the eye, and what effects they exert in treatment of diseases
- Projects include:
- the development and evaluation of sustained ocular drug delivery devices for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases of the eye. Several medications have been evaluated and developed for use in horses, including the cyclosporine drug delivery device.
- evaluation of mechanisms for sustained drug delivery for treatment of glaucoma
- ocular pharmacology of suprachoroidal drug delivery
- ocular pharmacology of ocular anti-fungal drugs
- ocular pharmacology of anti-inflammatory drugs
- evaluation of an ocular perfusion model to study ocular pharmacokinetics
- microbubble contrast enhanced ultrasonic drug delivery
Ocular Imaging
- Imaging of normal and disease ocular conditions is vital to our understanding and teaching of such conditions, and helps us follow individual patients to maximize treatment of disease conditions.
- Ongoing projects involving ocular imaging include:
- the use of high frequency ocular ultrasound and contrast ocular ultrasound to help improve our understanding of effects of glaucoma on the eye, as well as to continually redefine ocular parameters necessary to improve our understanding of vision in domestic animals
- use of the RetCamII ocular imaging system to perform advanced imaging of the ocular posterior segment and iridocorneal angle
- infrared (IR) digital imaging to help improve our understanding of several ocular diseases involving changes in iridal pigmentation (e.g., uveal melanoma, pigmentary keratitis, and uveitis), and to improve post-operative monitoring, specifically in horses following corneal transplant surgery
Vision
- Overall understanding of parameters important to understanding vision in animals is being increased through various efforts within our laboratory.
- Ongoing projects involving vision include:
- refraction of horses is being evaluated to improve our understanding of vision in this species
- studies involving ocular ultrasound which allow us to redefine certain aspects of ocular refraction, leading to improved postoperative vision in animals undergoing corneal and lens surgery
- other advanced methods of vision testing are being developed and evaluated
Recent Research Presentations
Salmon JH, Charlton AN, Colitz CMH, Gilger BC. Celecoxib-incubated acrylic intraocular lenses suppress lens epithelial growth in a canine ex vivo model of posterior capsule opacity (PCO). Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Abstract. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Ft Lauderdale, FL, May 2011.
Gilger BC, Seiler GS, Salmon JH, Mantuo R, Dayton P. Distribution of contrast after injection into the anterior suprachoroidal space using 2D and 3D ultrasound in pig eyes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Abstract. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Ft Lauderdale, FL, May 2011.
Gilger BC, McMullen RJ, Clode AB, Pate DO, Harrington J, Hempstead J. Clinical characteristics and treatment of endothelial immune mediated keratitis in horses. Dorothy Havemeyer Equine Ophthalmology Symposium. West Palm Beach Florida, April 1 – 2, 2011.
Gilger BC, Seiler GS, Salmon JH, Mantuo R, Dayton P. Distribution of contrast after injection into the anterior suprachoroidal space using 2D and 3D ultrasound in pig eyes. Dorothy Havemeyer Equine Ophthalmology Symposium. West Palm Beach Florida, April 1 – 2, 2011.
Gilger BC, Salmon JH. Effect of acrylic intraocular lenses on experimental lens epithelial cell ingrowth. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, October 2010; San Diego, California.
Harrington JT, McMullen Jr RJ, Cullen JM, Gilger BC. Evaluation of the acute structural and histopathologic effects of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation in the large animal eye. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, October 2010; San Diego, California.
McMullen Jr RJ, Buso RD, Salmon JH, Davidson MG, Gilger BC. Effect of 1% tropicamide induced mydriasis on spherical refraction of the adult horse. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, October 2010; San Diego, California.
Yi NY, Salmon JH, Colitz CMH, Gilger BC. A 4-day incubation with celecoxib inhibits lens epithelial cell proliferation in an ex vivo lens capsule model of posterior capsular opacification (pco). American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, October 2010; San Diego, California.
Clode AB, Davis JL, Salmon JH, LeFevers HL, Gilger BC. Aqueous humor and plasma concentrations of terbinafine following topical ocular administration to normal equine eyes. International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium, Vienna, Austria, June 4, 2010.
Gilger BC, Clode AB, McMullen R, Salmon JH, Matheson E. Intravitreal rapamycin for treatment of equine recurrent uveitis. International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium, Vienna, Austria, June 4, 2010
Pate DO, Gilger BC, McMullen RJ, Clode AB. Healing outcome with topical antifungals for stromal abscesses in the horse (1993-2009). International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium, Vienna, Austria, June 4, 2010.
Gilger BC, Salmon JH. Ocular posterior segment drug distribution from a single injection into the anterior suprachoroidal space. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Abstract. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Ft Lauderdale, FL, May 2010.
Gilger BC, Pate DO, McMullen R, Clode AB. Superficial keratectomy for the management of superficial IMMK. American College of Veteirnary Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, November 5, 2009.
Gilger BC, Salmon JH, Wilkie DA, Utter M, Komaromy A, Brooks DE, Stoppini R, Ledbetter EC, Nell B, Labelle A. Long-term control of equine recurrent uveitis using a suprachoroidal cyclosporine matrix reservoir drug delivery device. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, November 5, 2009.
Recent Research Publications
Pate DO, Clode AB, Olivry TM, Cullen JM, Salmon JH, Gilger BC. Immunohistochemical and immunopathologic characterization of superficial stromal immune mediated keratitis in horses. Am J Vet Res 2011 (In press).
Seiler GS, Salmon JH, Mantua R, Feingold S, Dayton PA, Gilger BC. Distribution of contrast after injection into the anterior suprachoroidal space using 2D and 3D ultrasound in pig eyes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011 (In press)
Clode AB, Davis J, Davidson G, Salmon JH, Lefevers H, Gilger BC. Aqueous humor and plasma concentrations of a compounded 0.2% solution of terbinafine following topical ocular administration to normal equine eyes. Am J Vet Res 2011;14(1):41-47.
Clode AB, Davis JL, Salmon JH, Gilger BC. Aqueous humor and plasma concentrations of ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin following topical administration to normal equine eyes. Vet Ophthalmol 2010;71(5):564-569.
Crasta M, Clode AB, McMullen Jr RJ, Pate DO, Gilger BC. Effect of three treatment protocols on acute ocular hypertension after phacoemulsification and aspiration of cataracts in dogs. Vet Ophthalmol 2010;13:14-19.
Edelhauser H, Rowe-Rendleman CL, Robinson MR, Dawson DG, Chader GH, Grossniklaus HE, Rittenhouse KD, Weber DA, Kuppermann BD, Csaky KG, Olsen TW, Kompella UB, Holers VM, Hageman GS, Gilger BC, Campochiaro PA, Whitcup SM, Wong W. Ophthalmic drug delivery systems for the treatment of retinal diseases: basic research to clinical applications. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010;51(11):5403-5420.
Gilger BC, Wilkie DA, Clode AB, McMullen RJ, Utter M, Komaromy A, Brooks DE, Salmon JH. Long-term outcome after implantation of a suprachoroidal cyclosporine drug delivery device in horses with recurrent uveitis. Vet Ophthalmol 2010;13(5):294-300.
McMullen Jr RJ, Davidson MG, Campbell NB, Salmon JH, Gilger BC. Evaluation of 30- and 25-diopter intraocular lens implants in equine eyes after surgical extraction of the lens. Am J Vet Res 2010:71:809-816.
Wiener AL, Gilger BC. Advancements in Ocular Drug Delivery. Vet Ophthalmol 2010;13(6):395-406.
Velagaleti PR, Anglade E, Khan IJ, Gilger BC, and Mitra AK. Topical delivery of hydrophobic drugs using a novel mixed nanomicellar technology to treat diseases of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Drug Delivery Today 2010;10(4):42-47.
Clode AB. Therapy of equine infectious keratitis: A review. Eq Vet J 2010, Supplement 37:19-23.
McMullen RJ, Clode AB, Gilger BC. Infrared digital imaging of the equine anterior segment. Vet Ophthalmol 2009;12:125-131.
Yi NY, Salmon JH, Gilger BC. Quantitative differences in mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2, -4, and -9 in normal equine eyes and eyes with equine recurrent uveitis. Res Vet Sci 2009; 26: 520-52.