Because of its location behind the iris, the ciliary muscle is probably the least-studied structure in the human body…
Why is that a problem?
It is the muscle that allows us to focus our eyes to see papers or books or computers during reading. There are no known diseases or disorders of the ciliary muscle! Either it is an incredibly resilient muscle or we do not know when problems occur because it is hard to see.
With OCT, we can now see the ciliary muscle.
With the technological advances in imaging that have been achieved through optical coherence tomography, we are now able to view the ciliary muscle in both children and adults without touching the eye or using harmful radiation. Our laboratory has acquired several thousand images of the ciliary muscle in almost two thousand patients. We are also the first and only laboratory in the world to study this muscle in children. We are currently studying the relationship between nearsightedness and the size of the ciliary muscle. We are also the only laboratory in the world that has imaged the ciliary muscle during reading in children. Finally, our latest research endeavors include developing new technologies that will change how eye care is provided worldwide.