Clinical Studies Currently Recruiting Patients

The National Eye Institute supports studies conducted at the Clinical Center on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland and at vision research centers nationwide.

Studies Conducted on the NIH Campus

Please visit the NIH Clinical Research Studies database for complete descriptions and contact information for studies currently recruiting patients at the NIH Clinical Center.

You may also contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office (PRPL) of the NIH Clinical Center at 1-800-411-1222. PRPL staff will refer physicians to the appropriate NIH contact person who can provide more details about the individual studies and the criteria for patient referral.

Studies Conducted Nationwide

The studies listed below are being conducted at research centers around the country that are looking for patient volunteers.

• Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Ethnicity and Refractive Error (CLEERE) Study, The

Purpose: 

• To compare and contrast normal eye growth, ocular component development, and refractive error development in Hispanic, African-American, and Asian schoolchildren with what happens in Caucasian children from the Orinda Longitudinal Study of Myopia.
• To investigate risk factors for the development of myopia.
• To conduct DNA-based studies on nearsighted children and their families.

Study Chairs: Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, (614) 292-6603, zadnik.4@osu.edu

• Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials: Lucentis-Avastin Trial (CATT)

Purpose: 
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of treatment of subfoveal, neovascular AMD with Lucentis on a fixed schedule, Avastin on a fixed schedule, Lucentis on a variable schedule, and Avastin on a variable schedule.




Study Chairs: Daniel F. Martin, MD
Stuart L. Fine, MD, (216) 444-0430, MARTIND5@ccf.org

• Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS)

Purpose: 

• The primary purpose is to determine whether infants with a unilateral congenital cataract are more likely to develop better vision following cataract extraction surgery if they undergo primary implantation of an intraocular lens or if they are treated primarily with a contact lens. In addition, the study will compare the occurrence of postoperative complications and the degree of parental stress between the two treatments.

Study Chairs: Scott Lambert, M.D. , (404) 778-5522, slamber@emory.edu

• Intravitreal Ranibizumab or Triamcinolone Acetonide as Adjunctive Treatment to Panretinal Photocoagulation for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Purpose: 

• To find out if treatment with an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone or an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab can prevent loss of vision caused by panretinal photocoagulation treatment.

Study Chairs: Alexander J. Brucker M. D., (215) 662-8675, ajbrucke@mail.med.upenn.edu Neil M. Bressler, M.D., (410) 955-8342, nbressler@jhmi.edu

• Intravitreal Ranibizumab or Triamcinolone Acetonide in Combination with Laser Photocoagulation for Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose: 

• To find out which is a better treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME): laser alone, laser combined with an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone, laser combined with an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, or intravitreal injection of ranibizumab alone.

Study Chairs: Neil M. Bressler, M.D., (410) 955-8342, nbressler@jhmi.edu Michael J. Elman, MD, (410) 686-3000, elman@elmanretina.com

• Multi-Center, Randomized, Phase II Clinical Trial to Study the Effects of Preservative-Free Triamcinolone Acetonide and Avastin® in Combination with Photodynamic Therapy in Participants with Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration (VERTACL)

Purpose: 

• VERTACL will investigate whether a triple therapy, Avastin®, half fluence verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT), and triamcinolone acetonide-preservative free (TAC- PF), results in improved 12-month vision outcome compared to Avastin® alone in participants with neovascular AMD.

Study Chairs: Karl G. Csaky, MD, PhD, (919) 681-6099, karl.csaky@duke.edu Frederick Ferris, MD, (301) 496-6583, flf@nei.nih.gov

• Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial (SCUT)

Purpose: 

• To determine whether adding topical steriods to antiobiotic treatment improves the outcomes of bacterial corneal ulcers, especially visual acuity.

Study Chairs: Thomas M. Lietman, M.D., (415) 476-1442 , tom.lietman@ucsf.edu

• Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS (SOCA)--Longitudinal Study of Ocular Complications of AIDS (LSOCA)

Purpose: 

• To monitor trends over time, in the incidence of CMV retinitis and other ocular complications of AIDS
• To determine the effect of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)-induced immune status on the risk of developing CMV retinitis and other ocular complications of AIDS
• To determine the characteristics (clinical, virologic, hematologic, and biochemical) of a population at high risk for CMV retinitis and other ocular complications of AIDS
• To evaluate the effects of treatments for CMV retinitis and other ocular complications on visual function, quality of life, and survival.

Study Chairs: Douglas A. Jabs, M.D., M.B.A., (410) 955-1966

• Systemic Immunosuppressive Therapy for Eye Diseases Cohort Study

Purpose: 

• To evaluate whether immunosuppressive therapy for ocular inflammatory disease is associated with increased long-term risk of mortality and/or cancer.
• To evaluate outcomes of ocular inflammatory diseases.

Study Chairs: John H. Kempen, M.D., Ph.D.