Space Medicine Ophthalmology: Insights from Molecular Observations to the Clinical Management of Ocular Risks in Microgravity
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Astrobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 58
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Excellent vision remains one of the most critical human aspects in ensuring safety and success on space missions. Space medicine ophthalmology encompasses the study and management of the broad spectrum of ophthalmic changes/risks that can occur in the extraterrestrial environment. Various anterior segment and posterior segment findings have been observed, including dry eye findings, an increased risk of cataract formation, and spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). SANS has been designated as a “Red Risk” for future planetary missions by NASA and is a high priority for mitigation. Molecular studies have also shown an increase in pro-inflammatory and apoptotic expression in ocular tissue, and mouse space studies have observed corneal bullae with signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber following return to Earth. The extraterrestrial environment introduces various multi-faceted risks to the eye, including fluid shifts, space radiation, lunar regolith, and weightless objects in microgravity. Various ophthalmic imaging techniques, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography, and orbital ultrasound, are available onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and have increased our understanding of microgravity-induced ocular changes. While our understanding of the eye in spaceflight has made incredible strides over the years, there is much still to be explored in this domain regarding the molecular changes, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic management of ocular risks in spaceflight.
In this Special Issue, we will cover all aspects of space medicine ophthalmology, from the molecular understanding to the clinical management of ocular risks. We invite clinicians and researchers in the field to submit original research articles, reviews, case reports, perspectives, and meta-analyses on this critical topic, with the goal of deepening our understanding of the human eye in space and protecting astronauts’ vision during spaceflight.
Dr. Joshua Ong
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- spaceflight
- space medicine
- ophthalmology
- space medicine
- microgravity
- cornea
- retina
- ocular surface
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