Less than 1/32 of an inch thick, the retina is a complex piece of tissue at the back of the eye made up of over 100 million nerve cells. These cells, or neurons, form over 50 functional groups, that each play a unique role in processing visual information as it is passed from the outer photoreceptor layer to the inner retinal ganglion cells, and from there to the brain through the optic nerve. Dr. Sivyer’s research aims to understand how these functional groups contribute to this process by visualizing individual neurons and recording their responses to computer-generated movies projected onto the isolated retina. Defining these functional circuits will ultimately lead to a greater understanding of many eye diseases, including glaucoma, a major cause of irreversible blindness that damages optic nerve fibers and their attached retinal ganglion cells. Understanding these effects, and how they disturb normal retinal circuits, will lead to new treatments for this and other causes of blindness that affect the inner retina.