Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Open Access

Josh Zhaoxu Yuen

Biography

Dr. Josh Yuen is an assistant professor in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and Western University of Health Sciences (College of Optometry). He graduated from State University of New York, College of Optometry, New England College of Optometry. He is a Therapeutic/Glaucoma Specialist Optometrist in Texas with a PhD in Ophthalmology and Vision Science. His research interests include the regulation of retinal blood flow in ocular disease of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and the neuroprotection factors for glaucoma. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He also serves in Institutional Review Board (voting member) for VA Central Texas Health Care System and Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (Reviewer).

Research Interest

• The regulation of retinal blood flow in ocular disease of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
• The dysfunction of endothelium-dependent nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vasodilation in retinal arteriolar function is the cause of the retinal blood flow change in many ocular diseases. The triggers in the retinal vascular dysfunction include increased production of reactive oxygen species, pro-inflammatory factors, and a reduction in the intracellular levels of L-arginine, the nitric oxide precursor. The regulatory mechanism involved in the retinal arteriolar during normal and disease states could yield amenable targets for therapies for retinal vascular dysfunction.
• The neuroprotection factors for glaucoma
• The optic nerve atrophy in glaucoma is the main reason why patient loss their vision. Besides the lowering intraocular pressure eyedrops, there is no other medicine for treating glaucoma. Recently studies showed that Brimonidine not only lower eye pressure but also increase retinal blood flow. My research has showed that brimonidine can dilate the retinal arteriolar in animal model. To find new agent to dilate retinal blood vessels and provide more nutrition to retinal nerve fiber will be a new treatment direction in the future.