Active clinical trials for "Retinal Diseases"

Objective: To test the accuracy of a referral system for diabetic eye disease conducted by a trained screener using a digital camera, a mobile medical unit and a centralized image-storing software in underserved, ethnically diverse neighborhoods in San Diego. Methods and Research Design: Retinal screening exams were offered at 8 community health centers for 1229 individuals, ages 16-80 years with diabetes throughout San Diego County over 18 months. Images were captured with a special digital camera, securely transferred to a software system and read independently by a trained technician and retinal specialist. An analysis was conducted to evaluate who had severe eye disease and how accurate the reading of the technician were compared to the expert ophthalmologist readings. The investigators would like to demonstrate that telemedicine retinal screening utilizing a mobile medical unit with a trained technician in high-risk, ethnically diverse populations can accurately detect positive and negative disease. This may be a model to increase access to retinal examination in order to meet current guidelines and can allow more efficient use of the retinal specialist to evaluate and treat disease leading to a more cost efficient method of care.

The von Hippel Lindau (VHL) gene has recently been identified as the genetic defect resulting in a syndrome of multiple neoplasias. Patients with VHL disease develop retinal angiomata, renal cysts and/or carcinomas, CNS hemangioblastomas as well as pancreatic cysts and pheochromocytomas. Investigators have shown the gene to be a tumor suppressor type proto-oncogene located at chromosomal locus 3p26. The gene includes three exons whose gene product targets a cellular transcription factor Elongin SIII. Binding of the VHL proteins to two subunits of this elongation factor inhibits transcription and may play a crucial role in the clinical development of the von Hippel Lindau phenotype.

This study will examine the extent of the vision problem in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) and try to identify the genes responsible for this hereditary eye disorder. Patients with FEVR have incomplete formation of blood vessels in the periphery of the retina (the inner part of the eye that is responsible for vision). As a result, abnormal vessels can form and retinal detachment and vitreous bleeding can occur, causing significant vision loss. Vision loss usually begins in childhood, gradually worsening over time. Some patients eventually become blind. Patients of all ages with FEVR and their family members may be eligible for this study. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Family history, especially regarding eye disease. A family tree is drawn. Blood draw for genetic testing related to FEVR. Eye examination to assess visual acuity (eye chart test) and eye pressure, and to examine pupils, lens, retina and eye movements. The pupils are dilated with drops for this examination. Fluorescein angiography to evaluate the eye's blood vessels. A yellow dye is injected into an arm vein and travels to the blood vessels in the eyes. Pictures of the retina are taken using a camera that flashes a blue light into the eye. The pictures show if any dye has leaked from the vessels into the retina, indicating possible blood vessel abnormality. Patients affected with FEVR will also undergo DEXA scan to look for osteoporosis. X-rays are used to scan the hip, forearm and spine for bone density measurements.

The medical records of 393 eyes of 326 patients with severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy were reviewed. Higher cutting rate instruments (5000 cut per minute) were used in 174 eyes and conventional instruments in 219 eyes (2500 cut per minute). The visual outcome and incidences of intraoperative and postoperative complications were compared.

Hypothesis: The RAVI-Guide provides superior patient acceptability to the conventional lid speculum during intravitreal injections Aims: To compare patient acceptance and procedural complication rates of the RAVI-Guide with those of the conventional lid speculum and caliper approach

The purpose of this study is to evaluate topographic features of the posterior pole of the eye in normal subjects as well as in subjects with diabetes mellitus but without diabetic retinopathy (DR) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The investigators proposal is a novel study to determine retinal volume of normal and diabetic subjects without DR. Specifically, the investigators will establish a standardized reference range for retinal thickness and volume that will provide standards for OCT analysis of different clinical trials for retinal diseases.

The hypothesis is that computer detection of the severity of diabetic retinopathy including the presence of clinically significant macular edema is not inferior to the detection using a dilated eye examination by a Board-certified ophthalmologist.

Fundus autofluorescence imaging has become an important diagnostic tool in ophthalmology, guiding diagnosis and assessment of progression of retinal diseases. This study investigates the performance of optimized long-wavelength autofluorescence imaging. To achieve this goal, the investigators will determine an optimal long wavelength excitation light and investigate the autofluorescence signal intensity in normals and patients with different retinal diseases. The diagnostic performance of the long-wavelength autofluorescence will be evaluated by assessing sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing a variety of degenerative retinal diseases and by comparing it to conventional autofluorescence.

When a child was born too early, it is more likely to develop an alteration of its visual function than in the case of term birth. Significant visual disturbances are found in 3% of children born prematurely, but visual impairment can be very severe, up to the loss of vision in case of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the most immature infants. The introduction of screening surveillance systems, such as WINROP software, might reduce the need for stressful eye examination in low risk neonates. This retrospective study aimed at validating the WINROP algorithm in a cohort of premature infants, born below 32 weeks of gestation, who had systematic eye examination for ROP screening over 4 year period.

The study includes preterm infants who are being screened for ROP between April 1,2016 and April 30, 2017 in 69 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Turkey. Infants with birth weight (BW) of ≤1500 g or ≤32 weeks' gestation and those with a BW of greater than 1500 g or gestational age (GA) >32 weeks with an unstable clinical course are included. The incidence of any ROP, severe ROP and treatment modalities will be determined. The risk factors for ROP development will also be evaluated.