nfectious uveitis and ocular infections are a major cause of ocular morbidity and blindness worldwide. While timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for improved visual outcomes, a definitive diagnosis is often not possible given the significant knowledge gap in factors predisposing to eye infections and the limitations of available diagnostic tests in ophthalmology. The core hypothesis of this proposal is that the bacterial and viral constituents of the ocular surface are involved in ocular health and disease. The goal of this project is to understand this potential pathogen reservoir, the ocular surface microbiome and virome, and to identify infectious agents involved in ocular infections. We propose to advance the capabilities of ocular molecular diagnostics and enhance the understanding of the pathogenesis of ocular infections