View clinical trials related to Eye Diseases.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to provide compassionate use of anecortave acetate sterile suspension of 15 mg for a series of five patients as a means to control pseudovitelliform detachment.
Aim: In a phase II pilot study encompassing 20 patients with Graves’ disease to evaluate the effect of rituximab: 1. Biochemically as assessed by markers of disease activity ( free T4, free T3, TSH, TSH-receptor antibodies, anti-TPO)
The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of different doses and several exposure times of intravitreal microplasmin in the setting of pars plana vitrectomy for vitreomacular traction maculopathy.
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy on pupillary dilation between the single dose versus the three doses of 1% tropicamide with 10% phenylephrine for complete ocular examination.
This study will evaluate whether therapy that suppresses the immune system given to treat inflammatory diseases of the eye is associated with a greater risk of death and of cancer. Inflammatory diseases of the eye, including uveitis, scleritis, and mucous membrane pemphigoid, are major blinding diseases. For some patients, treatment with corticosteroids is not enough to control the diseases. Researchers expect to gain information about whether immunosuppressive therapy is suitable for patients and which substances should be avoided. Also, the study will evaluate the frequency of short-term complications with immunosuppressive therapy as well as benefits that the therapy can bring to treatment of eye diseases. The medical charts of patients up to age 65 (median age range of 21 to 65) who have had an inflammatory, noninfectious eye disease may be examined for this study. A database will be constructed through a chart review of patients seen in the uveitis clinic of the National Eye Institute since 1977 and three other sites. Patients who are considered exposed to immunosuppressive therapies will be compared with two groups: the general U.S. population and an internal group of patients with the same inflammatory eye diseases who did not receive immunosuppression. Data regarding about 10,000 to 15,000 patients will be collected. Patients will not be identified by the chart reviews. The incidence of cancer will be examined as well as the outcomes of immosuppressive therapy as measured by control of the eye disease, visual sharpness, changes in the use of corticosteroids, and rates of remission-when disease symptoms are lessened. Also examined will be medical charts of a control group of patients who did not receive immunosuppressive therapy for their uveitis. Data on cancer incidence would be more difficult to obtain, requiring personal contact with patients. In such situations, patients will be contacted by phone or mail, and those providing informed consent will be asked about their medical history, including previous occurrence of cancer and other conditions. For patients who have died, the researchers will attempt to communicate with the next of kin regarding this medical information.
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.
This study will identify patients with anterior segment disease who may be eligible to participate in current or future NEI studies on this disease. Anterior segment disease includes all disorders that affect the eye surface, anterior chamber, iris and ciliary body and lens of the eye. The eye surface is composed of the cornea, conjunctiva, eyelids, lacrimal and meibomian glands, and the interconnecting nerves. Patients of any age with anterior segment disease may be eligible for this screening study. Participants will be evaluated with some or all of the following tests and procedures, depending on the nature of their eye problem: - Medical history and brief physical examination. - Eye examination, including measurement of visual acuity (eye chart) and eye pressure, examination of the pupils, eye movements, structures in the front of the eye (cornea, conjunctive, etc.), the lens, and the structures in the back of the eye (retinal, optic nerve, etc.). - Photographs of the eye to help assess the status of the cornea and conjunctive and to evaluate any changes that may occur in the future. - Assessment of tear and surface status. The amount of tears the eyes can produce is measured by placing a small piece of sterile paper in the corner of the eye every 5 minutes. Special orange and green dyes are placed in the eyes to determine the health status of the surface of the eye. - Corneal or conjunctival biopsy. A small tissue sample from the surface of the eye may be removed for laboratory examination to help diagnose a condition that is unclear. For this procedure, the eye is numbed with anesthetic eye drops. The required tissue is collected, an antibiotic ointment is placed in the eye to prevent infection, and a patch may be placed over the eye for 12 to 24 hours. - Blood draw for tests to study the cause of the patient's eye disease. - Other diagnostic tests as needed. - DNA testing to look for a genetic pattern associated with the patient's eye disease. Patients who are found eligible for an NEI study will be offered participation in that study. Patients who are not eligible for current studies will be advised about treatment options.
This study will evaluate a system developed to grade the severity of age-related cataract, a common cause of vision loss in older adults. Cataract research requires methods to simply and accurately determine the type and severity of cataracts in order to develop new, possibly non-surgical, treatments. Patients 50 years of age and older with one of the three major age-related cataract types (nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular) may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from among patients enrolled in other National Eye Institute protocols. Participants will have their eyes examined independently by two ophthalmologists with a biomicroscope, a magnifying device routinely used during eye examinations. The doctors will use the new grading system to record if a cataract is present, and if so, how severe it is. The examination includes measurement of visual acuity (vision chart test) and examination of the lens, retina, pupils and eye movements. Photographs of the eye will be taken using a special camera that flashes a bright light in the eye.
This study will evaluate and treat children or adults with inherited or developmental eye conditions. It will allow specialists in pediatric ophthalmology, genetic ophthalmology, and ocular motility at the National Eye Institute (NEI) to learn more about the course of various pediatric, genetic, developmental, and eye movement diseases thorough long-term observation and treatment. It will also serve as the first step in determining the eligibility of patients who may wish to enroll in other NEI clinical research studies or undergo standard eye treatments. Children with eye conditions, especially inherited or developmental conditions, and adults with eye disorders that began in childhood or that likely have a genetic or developmental component may be eligible for this study. Participants will undergo some or all of the following procedures: - Medical history, including family history. - Physical examination and possibly routine blood tests, x-rays tests, standard eye movement recordings, questionnaires, and specialized procedures when needed. - Complete eye examination, including vision test, visual perception, eye pressure (if possible), dilation of the pupils to examine the back of the eye (lens, vitreous, and retina). - Photographs of the eyes. - Oculography (eye movement recordings) in patients for whom testing will aid in diagnosis. This test is done either with goggles placed over the eyes or with a contact lens placed on each eye. When the goggles or lenses are in place, the subject looks at a series of red targets on a computer screen. - Electroretinography (ERG) in patients with suspected retinal degeneration. This is a test of the electrical function of the eyes. Before the test, patients sit in a dark room for 30 minutes with their eyes patched. A small electrode (silver disk) is taped to their forehead. The eye patches are then removed, the eyes are numbed with drops, and contact lenses are placed in the eyes. The contact lenses sense small electrical signals generated by the retina when lights flash. During the ERG recording, the patient looks inside a large empty bowl. A light flashes, first in the dark and then with a light turned on inside the bowl. The test takes 1 hour or less. Participants are followed up to 6 times a year for 3 years, depending on the diagnosis and treatment.
Surface eye problems (problems of the cornea and conjunctiva), such as dry eye, are often evaluated using ocular surface staining - the application of a colored dye to the surface of the eye. The physician examines the nature, degree, and pattern of staining on the eye's surface to determine the diagnosis, assess disease severity, and document treatment effects. Grading of ocular surface staining is often used in research studies to measure the response to a treatment or treatment side effects. Therefore, it is critical that the grading methodology be reproducible and sufficiently detailed to detect changes in eye health status. Current evaluation techniques using these dyes are somewhat subjective, however, since they require human assessment and judgment. This study will assess the validity and reliability of digital photography and compare it with standard slit lamp evaluation for analyzing ocular surface dye staining to document surface eye damage in patients with dry eye. Patients 3 years of age and older with dry eye may be eligible for this study. Participants will have the following tests and procedures: - Visual acuity: (eye chart) test - Slit lamp evaluation: Examination of the front part of the eye with a special microscope called a slit lamp biomicroscope. Special dyes derived from vegetables are instilled into the eye to stain the surface of the eye where it is dry and damaged. The doctor then determines the extent of staining. The staining will be repeated within one week of the first examination. - Digital eye photography: Digital photographs of the eye are taken to aid in assessing the extent of dry eye changes. The camera flashes a bright light for each picture. About 5 to 10 pictures are taken for each eye.