Beyond traditional treatments: breakthroughs in amblyopia and MS

Denver, Colo. (April 21, 2026)—Two studies presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology’s (ARVO) 2026 Annual Meeting explored innovative approaches in advancing treatment options for vision-related neurological conditions. One study identified a potential therapy for amblyopia that may offer benefits beyond traditional approaches. The second study discovered links between inflammation and cholesterol in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing optic neuritis, offering new insights into potential treatment strategies.

Applying basic neuroplasticity principles to improve amblyopia therapy

Lazy eye, or amblyopia, begins in early childhood and is the leading cause of vision impairment in children. Early detection and treatment are key to preventing long-term vision issues. In addition to glasses, common treatments include eye patches and medicated eye drops, which block or blur the better-seeing eye. While these approaches can improve vision, they rarely restore normal depth perception. Newer video-based therapies aim to train both eyes to work together, but they have not consistently outperformed traditional patching methods.

Eric Gaier, MD, PhD, Eileen Birch, PhD, and their team at the Retina Foundation of the Southwest tested a novel brain-guided therapy, determining whether there is a better treatment than patching. This therapy was inspired by the principle of timing-dependent synaptic plasticity, in which connections between neurons are strengthened when one neuron fires just before the other. In their clinical trial funded by the National Eye Institute, children watched 3D movies “in which images to the two eyes were shifted by a fraction of a second to strengthen connection between the weaker eye and the brain.”

The participants that used the timing-based treatment showed greater improvements in both depth perception and vision than those who got treated with only patching over the same amount of time. Gaier said, “Amblyopia therapeutic strategies should be motivated by and rooted in basic principles that govern neuroplasticity. Our randomized clinical trial results show that applying a timing-based dichoptic therapy with 3D movies led to double the visual acuity benefit and remarkable improvements in stereoacuity compared with patching.”

Abstract title: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Timing-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity Driven Approach to Amblyopia Treatment
Presentation start/end time: Tuesday, May 5, 10:00 – 10:15am MT
Location: Mile High 1A – Colorado Convention Center
Presentation number: 2508

Targeting vision damage in multiple sclerosis

In 25 to 50 percent of newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) cases, optic neuritis (ON), an inflammation of the optic nerve, is the first symptom. Researchers led by Oliver Gramlich, PhD, investigated new ways to reduce this painful effect of MS. Studies have shown that disruptions in cholesterol levels may contribute to vision loss in a lab model of MS (EAE). Hence, their study focused on identifying links between certain genes responsible for aiding the body in cholesterol recycling, inflammation and the central nervous system (CNS) pathology in the EAE model.

The team studied optic nerves in both the EAE models and MS human donor tissue samples. In the EAE model, they found that the microglia, the nervous system’s immune cells, lost their ability to keep a healthy cholesterol balance. In the optic nerves, they saw significant inflammation and a decrease in visual clarity. They also discovered that specific genes related to inflammation and cholesterol, such as CD36, SOAT1, NLRP3, and PLIN2, were very active in the optic nerves. These findings were then validated in the human MS donor tissues. The study showed that the microglia in the optic nerve were unable to manage cholesterol, triggering a strong inflammatory response.   

Gramlich shared, “Our study shows that cholesterol dysregulation in the optic nerve reflects broader disease pathology seen throughout the central nervous system in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These findings could help guide new treatment approaches aimed at targeting these impaired lipid-processing pathways to reduce inflammation, mitigate disease progression and rescue vision in patients with MS.”

Abstract title: Optic Nerve Cholesterol Dysregulation Mirrors CNS Pathology in MS
Presentation start/end time: Wednesday, May 6, 2:30 – 2:45pm MT
Location: Mile High 1A – Colorado Convention Center
Presentation number: 4426

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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members include approximately 10,000 eye and vision researchers from over 75 countries. ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders. Learn more at ARVO.org.

Media contact:
Jenniffer Scherhaufer, MMC, CAE
1.240.221.2923
media@arvo.org