In certain aspects, the present disclosure provides methods and materials for detection and characterization of retinal ganglion cells in a sample. In accordance with certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for detection of disease or diseased states related to retinal ganglion cells. In some forms the disclosure provides for a method for diagnosing a disease or diseased state related to retinal ganglion cells in a patient, the method comprising the step of detecting in a body fluid of the patient one or more markers associated with the disease or diseased state.

The present invention relates to a combination of biomarkers for diagnosing age-related macular degeneration which is composed of two or more blood biomarkers specific for the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration with increased diagnostic performance. In addition, the present invention relates to a composition for diagnosing age-related macular degeneration, a diagnostic kit and a method for providing information necessary for the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration, using the combination of biomarkers. The combination of biomarkers for diagnosing age-related macular degeneration according to the present invention was confirmed to exhibit excellent sensitivity and diagnostic performance compared to other biomarker combinations, and it was also confirmed to exhibit high diagnostic capacity in two stages of early and late age-related macular degeneration when the protein quantitative values of the combination of biomarkers and the basic clinical information were combined and analyzed.

Methods and devices to identify contact lens wearers predisposed to contact lens discomfort are described. The methods and devices involve obtaining a tear film sample from a person and determining an amount of interleukin-17A present in the tear film sample.

A kit and methods for diagnosing and treating a dry eye disease or other ocular disease are provided, which include determining whether a reduced level of a histatin is present in a biological fluid sample from a subject.

Provided herein are screening methods and animal models related to intraocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), for example, for identifying candidate therapeutics for treating or preventing eye diseases, such as AMD. Also provided herein are compounds/compositions that are useful for killing or inhibiting the growth of a microorganism, such as Bacillus megaterium. Further provided herein are methods of using the compounds/compositions for treating infections with a microorganism, such as Bacillus megaterium and for treating or preventing diseases or disorders associated with such infections, such as AMD.

Provided are screening methods and animal models related to intraocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). For example, provided are screening methods for identifying candidate therapeutics for treating or preventing eye diseases, such as AMD. The screening method can be an in vitro screening method or an in vivo screening method, e.g., using an animal model described. Animal models are also provided herein, for example, for screening candidate therapeutics for treating or preventing eye diseases, such as AMD. Methods of preparing the animal models are also described.

The disclosure relates to formulations and methods for the in vitro testing of ocular irritants. It was discovered that adding an antioxidant formulation to in vitro ocular irritation tests, including for example, a biochemical ocular irritation test, a reconstituted human corneal epithelium (RhCE) ocular irritation test and an excised eye depth of injury (DoI) test, substantially reduces the rate of false positives without diminishing test sensitivity, resulting in more accurately predicting ocular irritancy of test substances. More particularly, the disclosed method employs relatively high physiologic concentrations of one or more antioxidants that are normally present in tears. In a variation, much higher concentrations of one or more antioxidants may provide protection against in vivo exposure to ocular irritants.

The present invention relates to agents for use in the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of myopia in a subject, wherein said agents are capable of decreasing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and/or signaling of another receptor susceptible for amphiregulin in a subject in a direct or indirect manner. The present invention further relates to agents for use in the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of hyperopia in a subject, wherein said agents are capable of increasing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and/or signaling of another receptor susceptible for amphiregulin in a subject. Furthermore, the present invention relates to methods for the diagnosis of myopia or hyperopia in a subject, comprising the steps of (a) providing a biological sample from the subject; (b) determining the amphiregulin level in said sample; (c) comparing the level determined in step (b) to the amphiregulin levels found in emmetropic subjects or subjects going to be emmetropic; and (d) determining that the subject has myopia or is predisposed for the development of myopia in case the level determined in step (b) is higher than the amphiregulin levels found in emmetropic subjects or subjects going to be emmetropic; and determining that the subject has hyperopia or is predisposed for the development of hyperopia in case the level determined in step (b) is lower than the amphiregulin levels found in emmetropic subjects or subjects going to be emmetropic. Finally, the present invention relates to a method for identifying agents which associate with amphiregulin or fragments or variants thereof.

This disclosure relates to biomarkers for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and methods of use thereof, e.g., methods of the use of biomarkers for determining that a subject has Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) or determining the stage of AMD in a subject.

The present invention provides a medicament for improving or preventing a symptom relating to a retina and/or light reception, the medicament comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of maintaining or enhancing the phosphorylation state of Unc119; a method for screening for a substance capable of improving or preventing a symptom relating to a retina and/or light reception, the method comprising the step of selecting a substance capable of inhibiting calcineurin, or selecting a substance capable of activating casein kinase 2; and an agent for inhibiting retinal degeneration and an agent for protecting a retina, the agents each comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance capable of maintaining or enhancing the phosphorylation state of Unc119.