Research | De Lott Research Group

Our research focuses on understanding and improving the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic disorders that cause vision impairment and eye pain. The brain plays a crucial role in processing sensory information, and when these neural pathways become dysfunctional, they can lead to vision loss, double vision, unusual visual phenomena (such as static-like vision), and chronic eye pain. These symptoms can be profoundly disabling, yet effective treatments remain limited.

One of our primary research areas is chronic eye pain caused by amplified sensory processing in the brain—similar to mechanisms seen in other chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia. Our goal is to redefine how ocular pain syndromes are conceptualized, diagnosed, and treated, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Beyond our work on eye pain, we also study the broader impact of vision and neurologic impairments on overall health, disability, and quality of life. Additionally, we assess the quality of neurologic and ophthalmic care in the United States, aiming to inform and improve clinical practices. Importantly, our research prioritizes real-world functionality and patient experiences, ensuring that our findings translate beyond the lab into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.

Research Areas

• Central nervous system mechanisms underlying chronic eye pain and chronic visual symptoms
• Multimodal treatment strategies for chronic eye pain and other chronic visual symptoms
• Development of patient reported outcome measures for patients with myasthenia gravis and other neuro-ophthalmic conditions
• Quality of life for neuro-ophthalmic conditions
• Optimizing decision making for neuro-ophthalmic conditions
• Optimizing health care delivery for patients with neuro-ophthalmic conditions