Akron Children’s Hospital announced a major boost to its pediatric eye‑care program with a $2 million research endowment from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. The foundation will match the hospital’s contribution, creating a $4 million fund to study eye‑movement disorders, pupil reactions, and their connection to brain activity.
Local leadership drives the effort
Dr. Faruk H. Örge, the chief of pediatric ophthalmology at Akron Children’s, highlighted the impact of conditions like nystagmus—uncontrolled, repetitive eye movements that can impair vision, learning, and quality of life. “It can significantly impact vision, learning and quality of life,” Örge said in a press release.
Örge’s work builds on a legacy of research at the hospital. In 2025, the American Academy of Ophthalmology honored him with a Distinguished Service Award for his collaboration with Dr. David Epley of Children’s Eye Care in Kirkland, Washington, and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation’s Pediatric Ophthalmology Education Center. Together they created the “Retinopathy of Prematurity Virtual Reality Project,” which shortened the learning curve for diagnosing crossed eyes from weeks to days.
Expanding the research lab
The new endowment will fund a full‑time specialist in functional near‑infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a portable, non‑invasive method that measures brain activity by tracking blood‑oxygen changes near the brain’s surface. The hospital will also deepen partnerships with the Cleveland Clinic’s Neurosciences Lab and Cleveland State University. Two doctoral candidates focusing on artificial intelligence and deep‑learning algorithms will join the research team.
Akron Children’s eye‑movement recording lab already holds more than 18,000 recordings—the largest collection of its kind, according to the hospital. By analyzing these patterns, researchers hope to differentiate types of nystagmus, understand why symptoms improve or worsen, and evaluate treatment responses such as surgery, medication, and contact lenses.
Potential broader impact
Studying eye movements and pupil reactions offers clues about how the nervous system processes visual information. “By recording and studying the eye movements and pupil reactions of patients and matching them with brain‑wave algorithms, we hope to unlock new truths about the brain that could lead to better understanding of a number of vision and neurological conditions affecting children,” Örge explained.
The research could also shed light on broader neurological and behavioral conditions, providing valuable insights for clinicians and families across Ohio.
Foundation support and community benefit
Robert Bigley, assistant secretary and office administrator for the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, said the hospital was selected for its proven expertise in pediatric ophthalmology. Established in 1956, the foundation has invested more than $190 million in research, patient care, and education, including over $45 million specifically for pediatric ophthalmology and ophthalmic genetics.
“Every year, we work with each of the institutions and work on what the goals are, and then we measure the goals,” Bigley added. The endowment will enable Akron Children’s to hire additional staff, expand its lab capabilities, and accelerate discoveries that benefit local children and families.
What this means for Akron families
Earlier diagnosis and more precise treatment options can help children with eye‑movement disorders achieve better visual outcomes and avoid long‑term learning challenges. Parents in the Akron area can look forward to faster referrals, advanced testing, and access to cutting‑edge therapies without needing to travel far from home.
For more information about the research program or to support pediatric eye health, families can contact Akron Children’s Hospital’s ophthalmology department.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
