View clinical trials related to Eye Disease.
Filter by: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.
This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a sustained-release cyclosporin implant to treat uveitis, a sight-threatening eye inflammation caused by an immune system abnormality. Previous studies in humans have shown that, taken by mouth, the drug cyclosporin is effective in treating chronic uveitis. Uveitis may require long-term treatment with potent immune-suppressing drugs, such as cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, azathioprine or steroids. Taken systemically (by mouth or injection), however, these drugs can do serious damage to the kidneys, liver or lungs, and can raise blood pressure and lower blood cell counts. Because of this, some patients cannot or will not use these medicines. This small pilot study will evaluate the safety, and to some extent effectiveness, of cyclosporin delivered directly into the eye, to try to prevent harmful side effects. In animal studies, sustained-release cyclosporin implants did not cause the severe side effects seen with systemic use of the drug. Some animals developed opacity of the lens and slowed retinal responses, both of which reversed when the drug was stopped. Earlier animal studies of cyclosporin injected directly into the eye reduced inflammation that had been produced experimentally. Patients with uveitis who have active inflammation and poor vision are eligible to participate in this study. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group will receive a 1-mg implant that releases 0.8 micrograms of drug each day; the second group will receive a 2-mg implant that delivers 1.4 micrograms of drug a day. Before surgery, patients will have a medical history, basic physical examination, and complete eye examination, including special tests called electroretinogram and fluorescein angiography. An electroretinogram measures the electrical responses generated in the retina in the back of the eye. Fluorescein angiography uses a special camera to photograph the retina, showing the condition of the blood vessels in the eye. The surgical procedure to place the implant takes about 1.5 hours and may be done under either local or general anesthesia. Patients will stay in the hospital overnight. After discharge from the hospital, they will return for follow-up visits 1 and 2 weeks after surgery, then once a month for 6 months, and then every 3 months until the implant is depleted of drug or removed. During these follow-up visits, eye examinations will be repeated to evaluate the effects of the implant on the eye. Repeat blood tests will measure the amount of cyclosporin in the blood and the drug's effect on the kidneys. When the implant runs out of drug (between 2 and 3 years), it may be removed or left in place.
The purpose of this investigation is to better understand the inflammatory process that occurs in uveitis (eye inflammation) through study of eye tissues. Patients with uveitis sometimes develop cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) or clouding of the vitreous-the gel-like material behind the lens-that can impair eyesight. Those who require cataract surgery or vitrectomy are eligible for this study. Samples of eye tissue and fluid normally removed during standard surgical procedures for these conditions will be given to researchers instead of discarded, as is usually done. Before surgery, patients will undergo routine preoperative tests, including chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, blood tests and urinalysis. They will also have an eye examination and photographs taken of the retina. Other tests that may be performed include fluorescein angiography to evaluate the blood vessels of the retina; ultrasound to examine the back of the eye; and a gallium scan to evaluate inflammation. Immune cells in the blood and eye tissue will be compared and categorized by disease. The eye fluid will be examined for substances involved in the inflammatory process. These studies may provide information that will lead to improved methods of diagnosis and treatment.