News and Publications
On This Page: Publications | Recent News
Publications
Wilmer Magazine
Wilmer magazine provides the latest news about the patient care, research, and teaching missions taking place within the multiple divisions of the Wilmer Eye Institute.
Recent News
Arevalo Awarded Gonin Medal | Awards and Honors
April 2026 | Fernando Arevalo was honored with the Gonin Medal of the International Council of Ophthalmology. The medal is awarded every four years in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of ophthalmology. Arevalo is the fourth Wilmer faculty member to win the award and the first Latin American winner of the award.
Vision Lost, Hockey Found | Research and Innovation
4/9/26 | It had been many years since O’Connell laced up his skates and played competitively, but ironically, it was an eye disease that led him back to the ice.
Study Reveals Changes Due to Geographic Atrophy | Research and Innovation
March 2026 | National Institutes of Health research led by Malia Edwards, Ph.D., captured how blood vessels and eye tissue changed due to geographic atrophy (GA), a late-stage form of age-related macular degeneration and one of the leading causes of age-related blindness among older adults. The study findings, which were published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, will help experts identify key physical features linked to severe geographic atrophy and determine which medications can be prescribed to manage it.
New Partnership Expands Support for Eye Care in the Community | Clinical Care
3/23/26 | Thanks to support from KeraLink International, a free medical student-led screening program for eye disease is expanding its capacity and its reach.
Cigarette Smoke Accelerates Eye Aging, Study Finds | Research and Innovation
2/26/26 | A research study led by James Handa, M.D., found that people who smoke are 4 times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness among the elderly in the world, than nonsmokers. The results of the study were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Running Through Resilience | Clinical Care
Winter 2025–2026 | With support from the Lions Vision Research and Rehabilitation Center, Jackie King was able to achieve her dream of running the New York City Marathon. Now she has a new goal in sight.
A Transformative Transplant | Clinical Care
2/9/26 | Jonathan Knapp was on an Alaskan cruise with his family when his eyes suddenly became severely painful and sensitive to light. Knapp had recently recovered from a fungal infection in his eyes — or had he?
Ensign Named Director of Center for Nanomedicine | Awards and Honors
February 2026 | Laura Ensign, Ph.D., has assumed the role of director of The Johns Hopkins Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute. The center brings together engineers, scientists and clinicians working together under one roof on translation of novel drug and gene technologies.
Wilmer and the National Eye Institute: A History of Advancing Medicine | Research and Innovation
Winter 2025–2026 | Wilmer has more than 50 years’ history of leadership roles in large, multicenter clinical trials sponsored by the National Eye Institute. These landmark trials have driven medical advances and have had a significant impact on health care and public health.
Rates of Retinal Layer Thinning Predict Visual Field Progression in Glaucoma | Research and Innovation
January 2026 | In a recent study published in the journal Ophthalmology, Jithin Yohannan, Chris Bradley and colleagues report that rates of retinal layer thinning predict visual field progression in glaucoma. The findings may help to better inform clinicians about whether disease progression is present in certain situations.
Advancing Efforts to Restore Vision with Transplanted Neurons | Research and Innovation
4/29/26 | In a series of experiments, Thomas V. Johnson, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues have potentially overcome a major obstacle to restoring vision with neuron transplants in people with nerve damage. The findings were published in Science Translational Medicine and covered in this news release.
The Fight of His Life | Clinical Care
12/12/26 | An amateur boxer, John Paredes was used to shielding himself from blows to the face. But nothing prepared him for an injury he sustained while lifting weights at the gym.
Spangler Receives President’s Frontier Award | Awards and Honors
12/11/26 | Jamie Spangler, Ph.D., received the President's Frontier Award during a ceremony on Dec. 11. The annual prize is given to a Johns Hopkins University faculty member making transformative contributions to their field. Spangler, a biomedical engineer with joint appointments in the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Oncology and Ophthalmology, is a nationally recognized leader whose work is transforming how we understand and modulate the immune system.
Johnson Honored with Physician-Scientist Award | Awards and Honors
December 2025 | Thomas V. Johnson, III, M.D., Ph.D., has received a prestigious Research to Prevent Blindness Physician-Scientist Award. The RPB Physician-Scientist Award promotes the clinical, translational and basic science research of clinicians. Physician-scientists bring a unique perspective and commitment to patient care to their research, thereby enhancing the field of vision science.
“Retinal Selfies” May Provide a Window on Health | Research and Innovation
10/23/25 | The Wilmer Eye Institute and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory are collaborating to design a retinal imaging platform in the form of eyeglasses that can be used at home without special training. To do so, the team is applying a radically new technology.
Faculty Startups | Research and Innovation
Summer 2025 | Wilmer researchers and clinicians are working with the Johns Hopkins University and oversight committees to create companies to bring their treatments to market.
