Sept. 26, 2024 — The American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) and Meta Reality Labs have announced a collaboration to fund an open-science research initiative, three independent research studies totaling $1.5 million, to accelerate the study of visual experience as it affects myopia onset and progression.

"In partnership with Meta Reality Labs, AAOF is pleased to announce this open-science research initiative,” said AAOF president, Rachel A. Coulter, O.D., M.S., FAAO, FCOVD. “This industry-sponsored research opportunity opens the door to transformative partnerships, where academic rigor meets real-world application, to drive innovation and create solutions to benefit both science and society."

Although numerous studies have explored visual experience, they have often been conducted independently, making it difficult to combine data and address this complex research issue on a larger scale, AAOF and Meta Realty Labs share. To overcome this, the initiative will utilize an open-science model for the research grants, requiring researchers to publicly share not only their findings but also the underlying data. This will enable other researchers to compare, harmonize, and reproduce results, fostering collaboration to better understand the role of visual experience in myopia development.

The details on submission criteria and the application process for these research grants will be revealed during the AAOF’s Awards Celebration Brunch at the Academy 2024 Indianapolis meeting on Nov. 9.