Myopia Research Lab

Myopia Research Lab

Myopia Research Activities

The myopia research laboratory was established at the L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad in the year 2017. Research at the myopia lab involves both basic and applied aspects of myopia mainly investigating epidemiology, pathogenesis/causation of myopia/pathologic myopia to eventually develop a cost-effective anti-myopia strategy that can be used worldwide for myopia control. The multifactorial influence on myopia causation, the complex gene-environment interactions makes it difficult to draw concrete conclusions in myopia research through cross-sectional studies. The research in this lab focuses on investigating the temporal development of signs (both in the centre and periphery of the eye) to identify novel optical and imaging markers for myopia/high myopia/pathologic myopia via longitudinal and short-term defocus studies.

Myopia Research Activities

Myopia Research Activities

Myopia Research Activities

Myopia Research Activities

To volunteer in myopia research, please feel free to write to: myopiaresearch@lvpei.org, Phone: +91 8121010419

Myopia Research Team

Pavan Kumar Verkicharla

Dr Pavan Kumar Verkicharla

Scientist - Myopia Research Lab
Prof. Brien Holden Eye Research Centre
Head & Consultant Optometrist - The Myopia Centre
DST INSPIRE Faculty - INSA, India
L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad

Rohit Dhakal

Rohit Dhakal

Consultant Optometrist – The Myopia Centre
PhD student- LVPEI and City, University of London
Research Optometrist - Myopia Research Lab
Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre
Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Science
L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad


Research Optometrists


MANOJ MANOHARAN

MANOJ MANOHARAN

SWAPNIL THAKUR

SWAPNIL THAKUR

SWAPNIL THAKUR

SATISH GUPTA

RAKESH MALDODDI

RAKESH MALDODDI

SRUTHI CHAMARTY

SRUTHI CHAMARTY


Project Coordinator


SANTOSHI KUMARI MADDALI

SANTOSHI MADDALI

External collaborators

  • Prof PadmajaSankaridurg, Brien Holden Vision Institute, University of New South Whales, NSW, Australia
  • Professor David Atchison, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
  • Dr John Lawrenson, CITY - University of London, UK.
  • Dr Ranjay Chakraborty, Flinders University, Australia

Scientific Publications

  1. Dhakal R, Shah R, Huntjens B, Verkicharla PK, et al. Time spent outdoors as an intervention for myopia prevention and control in children: an overview of systematic reviews. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2022.
  2. Thakur S, Dhakal R, Verkicharla PK. Short-Term Exposure to Blue Light Shows an Inhibitory Effect on Axial Elongation in Human Eyes Independent of Defocus. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021;62(15):22.
  3. Abdullah H, Verkicharla PK, Ballae Ganeshrao S. Extent of foveal fixation with eye rotation in emmetropes and myopes. J Optom. 2021;S1888-4296(21):00088-1.
  4. Gupta SK, Chakraborty R, Verkicharla PK. Electroretinogram responses in myopia: a review. Doc Ophthalmol. 2021.
  5. Thakur S, Verkicharla PK, Kammari P, Rani PK. Does myopia decrease the risk of diabetic retinopathy in both type-1 and type-2 diabetes mellitus? Indian J Ophthalmol. 2021;69(11):3178-83.
  6. Thakur S, Verkicharla PK. Greater axial elongation associated with low accommodative lag: new insights on accommodative lag theory for myopia. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2021;41(6):1355-62.
  7. Vasudeva A, Dhakal R, Vupparaboina KK, Verkicharla PK. Do rectus muscle parameters vary between emmetropes and myopes? Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2021;41(6):1300-7.
  8. Damani JM, Annasagaram M, Kumar P, Verkicharla PK. Alterations in peripheral refraction with spectacles, soft contact lenses and orthokeratology during near viewing: implications for myopia control. Clin Exp Optom. 2021:1-10.
  9. Bhandary SK, Dhakal R, Sanghavi V, Verkicharla PK. Ambient light level varies with different locations and environmental conditions: Potential to impact myopia. PLoS One. 2021;16(7):e0254027.
  10. Priscilla JJ, Verkicharla PK. Time trends on the prevalence of myopia in India - A prediction model for 2050. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2021;41(3):466–74.
  11. Hathibelagal AR, Manoharan MK, Verkicharla PK. Do myopes have deficits in peripheral flicker sensitivity? J Optom. 2021;S1888-4296(21):00004-00002.
  12. Lawrenson JG, Dhakal R, Verkicharla PK, et al. Interventions for myopia control in children: a living systematic review and network meta‐analysis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021;(4).
  13. Verkicharla PK, Kammari P, Das AV. Myopia progression varies with age and severity of myopia. PLoS One. 2020;15(11):e0241759.
  14. Dhakal R, Verkicharla PK. Increasing time in outdoor environment could counteract the rising prevalence of myopia in Indian school-going children. Curr Sci. 2020;119(10):1616-19.
  15. Dhakal R, Vupparaboina KK, Verkicharla PK. Anterior Sclera Undergoes Thinning with Increasing Degree of Myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020;61(4):6.
  16. Chakraborty R, Ostrin LA, Benavente-Perez A, Verkicharla PK. Optical mechanisms regulating emmetropisation and refractive errors: evidence from animal models. Clin Exp Optom. 2020;103(1):55-67.
  17. Verkicharla PK, Das AV. Technology and myopia. Community Eye Health. 2019;32(105):S9-S10.
  18. Dhakal R, Goud A, Narayanan R, Verkicharla PK. Patterns of posterior ocular complications in myopic eyes of Indian population. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):13700.