Opportunities for Residents to Participate in Clinical Research
Opportunities for Residents to Participate in Vision Research
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Eye Institute has comprehensive basic, translational and clinical research programs featuring research in the areas of ocular immunology, diabetic eye disease, genetics, glaucoma pathogenesis, machine learning and artificial intelligence applications, and retinal biology and diseases. In addition, the Institute has clinical areas in contact lens, corneal disease, glaucoma, ocular imaging, retinal diseases, and other subspecialties. Many of these projects are supported by the National Eye Institute. The department, which includes expanded research facilities supported by an NEI supported P30 Core Grant, has an active roster of faculty members who perform both bench and clinical research. Residents are invited to work closely with any faculty member on any new or ongoing research. There is also IRB and biostatistical support within our Vision Research Coordinating Center (VRCC). Finally, the Institute is home for the UH Eye Image Analysis Reading Centers that conduct image analysis of the anterior segment and retina for industry and federal studies. The Reading Centers have offered opportunities for faculty, residents and medical students to conduct independent eye image analysis studies.
Learn more about our department research
All residents who are first author on a paper or who present a poster at national meetings receive departmental support. At the end of the year, all 2nd and 3rd year residents are required to present their research projects with supporting faculty mentors/collaborators at the annual Resident, Fellow and Medical Student Research Day with awards to the best 2nd and 3rd-year projects given. Examples of topics presented at the 2020 Research Day included:
- The Progression of Stargardt Disease using Volumetric Hill of Vision Analyses
- Panoptix vs. Symfony IOL: Comparison of visual outcomes and patient satisfaction
- Refractive outcomes following resident cataract surgery with astigmatism-correcting intraocular lens implants in a veteran population
- Visual and anatomic outcomes following pneumatic retinopexy and practice pattern trends
- Evaluating the efficacy of adding Netarsudil (0.02%) to glaucoma patients on multiple medical agents
Current and former residents have presented at AAO, ARVO, and international meetings in addition to publishing in the major ophthalmology journals and online. Numerous graduates of the program have gone on to notable academic careers including most recently Hans Grossniklaus, MD at Emory who received the Jackson Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2014 for his outstanding research on retinoblastoma and M.E. Hartnett, MD at University of Utah who received the Weisenfeld Award from ARVO in 2018 for her outstanding work on retinal angiogenesis.
Research Requirement Guidelines
Learn more about the expectations and requirements associated with participation in clinical ophthalmology research.