The Ophthalmology Department is the hub of research for eye diseases at the IU School of Medicine. Notably, Glaucoma Research and Diagnostic Center, the most complete laboratory in the world quantifying blood flow in the back of the eye, is located here.  The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute has increased laboratory space and will centralize and expand the department's research into the causes of and treatments for debilitating eye diseases.

Researchers at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute are engaged in the following research projects:

• Researching mathematical modeling as an approach to understanding what actually causes debilitating diseases like glaucoma. This research could translate to more efficient treatments for diseases like diabetes and hypertension as well. -  Alon Harris, M.S., Ph.D., FARVO and Giovanna Guidoboni, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics in the School of Science. Read the news release in Science@iupui.
  

• Conducting the largest and first-of-its-kind population-based study in ophthalmology, specifically tracking glaucoma progression - Alon Harris, M.S., Ph.D., FARVO

• Testing new drugs and gene therapy to prevent the growth of abnormal blood vessels macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy - Anh-Danh Thi Phan, M.D.; Rajashekhar Gangaraju, Ph.D.; F. Ryan Prall, M.D. (in the future)

• Determining safe ranges of intraocular doses of ocular antibiotics - Anh-Danh Thi Phan, M.D.

• Evaluating eye injections of steroids to treat retinal disorders - Anh-Danh Thi Phan, M.D.

• Investigating the off-label use of medicines that show great promise in the treatment of macular degeneration - Anh-Danh Thi Phan, M.D.

• Developing drugs to make the optic nerve resistant to glaucoma damage- Louis B. Cantor, M.D.

• Developing new imaging technology for following optic nerve damage - Alon Harris, M.S., Ph.D., FARVO; Lyne Racette, Ph.D.;  Louis B. Cantor, M.D.

• Developing new surgical devices for controlling the progression of glaucoma - Louis B. Cantor, M.D.

• Uncovering the genetic factors that lead to eye disease - Yang Sun, M.D., Ph.D.

• Exploring how pressure causes nerve damage in glaucoma - Brian Samuels, M.D., Ph.D.

• Identifying the key genetic triggers for eye cancers in children and adults-Timothy W. Corson, Ph.D.

• Advancing our understanding of visual development in children - Jingyun Wang, Ph.D.

• Using stem cells to repair eye damage in diabetes and macular degeneration - Rajashekhar Gangaraju, Ph.D.

• Improving our understanding of how visual function is related to retinal and optic nerve structure - Lyne Racette, Ph.D.