Research and Clinical Trials

Research

Research is a core component of the UPMC Vision Institute's mission to prevent vision loss and restore sight. Led by chairman José Sahel, MD, we have one of the top basic and clinical research programs in the country, focusing on:

• The role of the immune system in eye health.
• Infectious disease, such as conjunctivitis (pink eye), keratitis (corneal infection), and uveitis (inflammation in the uvea, the middle layer of the eye)
• How genetics and basic biological activities lead to retinal disease and glaucoma.
• The development of advanced diagnostic imaging technology. 

Our goal is to better understand, diagnose, and treat vision conditions to improve outcomes not only for our patients, but patients around the world. 

Ophthalmology Basic Science Research 

Basic science research, also known as bench research, happens in a laboratory and looks at fundamental scientific processes in the retina, cornea, optic nerve, and other structures in the eye and brain that allow us to see. 

We also work to understand how vision impairment and vision restoration impact daily life in natural environments, including our StreetLab, which replicates real-world scenarios and allows our teams to judge a person’s treatment progress, and our driving simulator. 

Learn more about our basic science research. 

Ophthalmology Clinical Science Research and Clinical Trials 

Clinical science research tests the safety and effectiveness of new treatments, like new drugs or devices, for vision conditions. Our teams work together to develop new therapies for all types of vision conditions and to explore issues like access to care, low vision, occupational therapy, and the social factors that impact a person’s health. 

Clinical research can involve:

• Observational studies, which look at data to identify patterns. 
• Clinical trials, which test new treatments. Our team is conducting clinical trials for patients with:
• Retinitis pigmentosa
• Rod-cone dystrophy due to a mutation in the RHO, PDE6A, or PDE6B gene
• Neovascular age-related macular degeneration
• Geographic atrophy secondary to dry-related macular degeneration

We work with various industry partners on gene therapy trials. Learn more about our clinical trials or call 412-642-7888 to speak with our clinical trials team.