Departments
Research in Ophthalmology
Research
In This Section
Research in the Department of Ophthalmology
In addition to exceptional clinical training, the department is known for its robust clinical and basic science research programs.
Faculty participate in several national clinical research studies through the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, including work on:
Inherited retinal degeneration
Early non-invasive ocular markers for diabetic complications
Establishment of a biorepository of ocular tissue and vitreous fluid for future study
The safety and efficacy of various compounds in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration
And the Retina Research Group, an interdisciplinary team of scientists with expertise in ophthalmology, physiology, cellular and molecular biology and neuroscience, aims to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to vision impairment in diabetes and to generate novel treatments to cure diabetic retinopathy.
Penn State Health Eye Center
Hershey
Penn State Health Eye Center research is critical in providing the best possible patient care. Faculty from many departments participate in both clinical and basic research to improve treatments for diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, pediatric eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion and corneal wound healing.
Penn State Health Eye Center is dedicated to supporting cutting edge research that translates to the provision of up-to-date eye care treatments for our patients in central Pennsylvania and beyond.
Research Leadership
Penn State Eye Center frequently seeks volunteers to participate in clinical trials related to vision and eyes.
Faculty participate in several national clinical research studies through the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
Current Studies
View active ophthalmology clinical trials in StudyFinder, our searchable database of clinical research taking place at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.
Topics being studied include:
Cataract Surgery Outcomes
Dry Eye
Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials in Ophthalmology
Age Related Macular Degeneration
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Diabetic Retinopathy
Artificial Intelligence in Ophthalmology
Learn More About Ophthalmology Research
Penn State researchers have identified key pathways to stimulate healing of the cornea after injuries.
Through their National Eye Institute grant, they discovered that drugs controlling the opioid growth factor system can accelerate wound healing in the cornea. This approach may be particularly helpful for people with diabetes or recurrent corneal erosions.
The Penn State Retina Research Laboratories continue basic research in vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy. Prior funding sources have included the National Eye Institute, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the American Diabetes Association and the Lions Clubs International.
The Retina Research Laboratories represent a collaborative group of scientists headed by ., FARVO, and Dr. , Ph.D. The interdisciplinary team of scientists with expertise in ophthalmology, physiology, cellular and molecular biology, and neuroscience, aims to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to vision impairment in diabetes and to generate novel treatments to cure diabetic retinopathy.
Normal vision requires all the cells in the retina to work together properly. The group’s approach to understanding how the retina malfunctions in diabetes is based on the observation that the normal interactions between the three main cellular components – neurons, glial cells, and tiny capillaries (vessels) – are disrupted.
Diabetes changes cellular interactions in the retina in various ways, including altered blood-retinal barrier (BRB) induction, modified neurotransmitter (Glu) recycling, diminished metabolic support for neurons by glia, leaking tight junctions (TJ), inflammation, and neurodegeneration. A cure for diabetic retinopathy relies on an ability to understand the multiple facets of the disease.
Contact Us
For information about current studies, contact Amy Longenecker, clinical research specialist/manager, at 717-531-1513 or alongenecker@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.