Microbiome and Ocular Inflammatory Disease

National Eye Institute

Investigators

Abstract

What precipitates ocular inflammatory episodes remains unknown, but a possible potentiating factor is the microbiome. The microbiome has become increasingly studied with the advent of new techniques, but these have not been applied to uveitis. We wish to evaluate microbiome composition in patients with the ocular inflammatory diseases: uveitis and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who may have a recent onset untreated disease or be on standard therapy. A total of 65 participants will be enrolled in this study. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Microbiome samples from an existing control population of healthy volunteers established by Dr. Jonathan Braun of UCLA will be used as a comparison for the microbiome samples obtained from the participants in this study. Peripheral blood samples from an existing control population of healthy volunteers established at the NEI will be used as a comparison for the peripheral blood samples obtained from the participants in this study. This is an observational, cross-sectional, single-center study. Participants will receive a complete ocular examination with clinical testing as determined clinically and will undergo an anoscopy for collection of rectal fluid specimens or will submit a stool sample. The outcomes will be related to the comparison of the various microbiome samples to controls and between groups. In addition, comparisons will be made to these findings and the immunome.