Keeping An Eye on The Sky

Luckily, an opportunity at Houston Methodist offered him a chance to pursue this lifelong passion. “After coming to Houston Methodist in 2009, I became involved in researching a condition known as Space Flight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS),” Lee explained. “I authored the original paper that described the condition, which is characterized by increased pressure in the head and eyes as fluid shifts upward during microgravity.” While the exact cause and risk-factors for SANS are still unknown, the condition affects about 70% of astronauts who spend more than six months at a time in space, causing blurred vision, far-sightedness, and swelling of the optic nerve. These symptoms can linger even after astronauts return to Earth, impacting terrestrial quality of life and potential for future space travels. Lee attributed some of the unknowns of this mysterious condition to the difficulty of conducting relevant research. For example, SANS only occurs in microgravity, making it hard to evaluate the condition. Researching the condition from the extra-terrestrial perspective is also limited due to a lack of experience in safely performing medical procedures in space. Additionally, the sample size, or number of affected astronauts, is small.

Despite these challenges, Lee remains motivated to better understand the causes of SANS. His continued research is critical as we near closer to NASA’s lengthy planned trips to the moon and Mars. Preparation to combat SANS is key, as astronauts must receive medical treatment on board during the Mars voyage because they are too far away to be transported back to their home planet. Thus, Lee and NASA colleagues have been developing a miniaturized wearable goggle that can noninvasively measure sharpness of vision and track intracranial pressure. The goggle will utilize virtual reality and artificial intelligence technology to maintain astronaut eye and brain health during long space trips. Houston Methodist’s collaboration with NASA makes Lee’s research possible, affording him the opportunity to view real-time data on astronaut eye health from both Houston’s Johnson Space Center and the International Space Center. “Specialized equipment at NASA facilities allows us to image the eye through real-time pictures and ultrasounds so we can see who is developing SANS, consult in treating the condition, and gather data for clinical research,” said. Beyond the eye, Lee has also published research on other space flight-associated topics, such as the future of personalized medicine for astronauts and NASA’s impact on terrestrial medical technologies, including advancements in cancer detection, surgical robots and pacemakers. “I’m extremely interested in terrestrial applications of space flight medicine,” Lee added. “It’s been an exciting time understanding disease implications on both space travel and terrestrial health.” Looking back on his childhood, Lee never would have imagined he would become an internationally recognized expert in SANS and a NASA consultant, but now he has the best of both worlds combining his passions for clinical research and space travel.