BrightFocus Foundation’s National Glaucoma Research program has awarded a two-year, $182,000 grant to Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, associate professor of physiology & biophysics and ophthalmology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, to study how repeated elevations in intraocular pressure contribute to aging and epigenetic reprogramming. The research aims to uncover why aging makes retinal cells more vulnerable to stress and identify new strategies to protect against glaucoma-related damage. With glaucoma affecting approximately 4 million U.S. adults and often going undetected until irreversible vision loss occurs, this work has the potential to improve early detection and intervention. BrightFocus is currently funding 38 glaucoma research projects worldwide, investing nearly $8 million in groundbreaking studies. This grant highlights the vital role of donor support in advancing scientific discoveries that may one day lead to better treatments and prevention.