Active clinical trials for "Glaucoma, Open-Angle"

The purpose of this study is to determine how well the DDLS (Disc Damage Likelihood Scale) (which is a method used by the eye doctor to evaluate how healthy the optic nerve is) measures up to the standard glaucoma tests: OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography), the HRT (Heidelberg Retinal Tomography) and the HVF (Humphrey Visual Field).

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness using various instruments in ocular hypertension, normal-tension glaucoma, primary open angle glaucoma, keratoconus and normal eyes.

The purpose of this study is to learn how pigment is released from the iris (the colored part of the eye) in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome. It will do this by examining the response of the pupil (the central opening of the iris) to a flash of light to determine what is happening in the iris to cause release of the pigment. In pigment dispersion syndrome, pigment released from the iris is deposited in other parts of the eye, including the trabecular meshwork-a filter-like tissue in the front of the eye. Aqueous fluid (fluid continuously produced by the eye) normally flows out of the eye through the trabecular meshwork. In some patients, the pigment deposits may block tiny holes in the meshwork, preventing the fluid from flowing out. This can cause an increase in eye pressure that may lead to glaucoma and some loss of vision. Understanding how pigment is released from the iris may help predict the course of pigment dispersion syndrome and identify which patients will likely develop increased eye pressure. Patients with pigment dispersion syndrome and normal volunteers may be eligible for this study. All participants will have the following procedures, which will be completed in two clinic visits: First visit Examination of the front of the eyes, including the cornea, iris and lens. Vision testing and measurements of visual field and eye pressure. Examination of the trabecular meshwork. For this test, a contact lens is placed on the eye after the eye has been numbed with anesthetic drops. Second visit Refraction (dilation of the pupils with drops) and examination of the back of the eyes, including the optic nerve. Reaction of the pupils to low-level infrared light (pupillography). During this 15-minute test, the patient or volunteer wears a lightweight headband with two small cameras mounted on it. The cameras-one which views the eye and the other the subject's field of view-record pupil dilation and position. The test results in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome will be compared with those in normal volunteers. Patients will be followed every 6 months (or more often, if medically indicated) during the 3-year study to determine changes in eye pressure or visual field. Volunteers will be asked to return about once a year for 3 years for repeat pupillography.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a new method to reduce intraocular pressure in eyes with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. SLT may also be effective for cases with previously failed ALT procedures. We will study the efficacy and safety of the SLT procedure.

This is a prospective, multi-centre, cross sectional observational study to determine the prevalence of ocular surface disease (OSD) in glaucoma patients, nationwide. The study also analyses sub group of OSD prevalence, stratified according to the treatment types (i.e. preserved, preservative-free, and combination of preservative-free and preserved eyedrops), and illustrates the patient perspective on OSD.

The overarching goal of our research study is to evaluate changes in visual function and optic nerve topography (the structure of the back of the eye) in patients with glaucoma (increased susceptibility to pressure inside the eye that can cause loss of vision) or those with an increased risk of developing the disease. The purpose of this study is to determine the best methods for detecting the presence or progression (worsening over time) of glaucoma in patients with and without myopia and its effects on daily and visual function and quality of life. With several sources of NIH and foundation funding over the last twenty years we have designed a robust research protocol to address the most challenging aspects of glaucoma management. The most recent focus of this research is 1) to improve our ability to detect open angle glaucoma in individuals with myopia and in individuals of European and African descent, 2) to determine whether monitoring of the retinal vasculature with new optical imaging instruments can improve glaucoma management and elucidate the pathophysiology of the disease, and 3) to differentiate between age-related changes and glaucomatous progression. The grants supporting this project include 3 NIH funded studies, 1) the University of California, San Diego UCSD -based "Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study" (DIGS funded since 1995): 2) the "African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study" (ADAGES funded since 2002), 3) the Brightfocus Foundation National Glaucoma Research Program and 4) the UCSD-based "Diagnosis and Monitoring of Glaucoma with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography" (funded since 2018). The ADAGES is a multi-center study with data collection also conducted at 2 other academic sites, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Columbia University. Enrolled healthy participants, glaucoma suspects and glaucoma patients are generally asked to return for two or more visits a year for several years. We then analyze whether the glaucoma patients are progressing and what factors influence their glaucoma status compared to healthy subjects and individuals suspected of having glaucoma.

To explore an effective diagnostic tool of glaucoma through the dynamic analysis of computerized pupillary light reflex assessment device (CPLRAD) pupillography based on iris recognition techniques and investigate its feasibility in glaucoma screening.

Long term follow up of subjects in the IDE study for iStent Inject to monitor safety

Retinal ischemia is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Recent findings have confirmed that there is a direct correlation between the levels of venous oxygen saturation and the degree of the glaucomatous disease, presumably due to a decrease in retinal cell metabolism. However, glaucoma patients have been suggested to have a different pattern in retinal venous circulation. For instance, the observation of a visible pulsating central retinal vein is a phenomenon that can be seen in up to 98% of the healthy individuals but is identifiable in less than 50% of glaucoma patients. While the nature of these venous changes are not year clear, the lack of a visible pulsating flow could suggest an increased intraluminal venous pressure due to some obstruction from both ocular or extraocular structures. This undetermined increase in venous pulse pressure could then significantly decrease perfusion pressures and therefore further decrease oxygen supply to the retinal tissues. The investigators will therefore try to determine if there is a significant difference between the oxygen saturation of the retinal vessels in both glaucoma patients with and without a visible pulsating central vein

In this study, the investigators will collect tissue from patients undergoing trabeculectomy for primary open-angle glaucoma treatment. This tissue would normally be discarded. These trabecular meshwork (TM) cells can be cultured and used experimentally to better understand the mechanisms of glaucoma. These TM biopsies will be cultured on the same day as the trabeculectomy using established techniques.