A new study which Fight for Sight partially funded, has helped to map out priorities for clinical eye research in the UK.
The study was carried out by the UK Clinical Eye Research Strategy (CERS) and is a comprehensive update to the previous James Lind Alliance (JLA) Sight and Vision Loss Priority Setting Partnership (PSP)'s research priorities for ophthalmology, carried out in 2013, which Fight for Sight also helped to fund.
This time round the questions were funnelled to groups with expertise in relevant areas in order to better understand specific unmet needs. These groups were made up of both professional and patient representatives, allowing a variety of perspectives to be captured in the results.
The results
The study found that several areas of eye care should be prioritised for research in order to advance treatment and prevention in the UK. These included:
- A focus on prevention strategies for cataract;
- Advancements in microbial keratitis treatment of the cornea;
- Enhanced integration of ophthalmic primary and secondary care;
- Development and/or progression research for refractive error;
- Early detection initiatives for childhood eye care diseases;
- Improved treatment modalities for glaucoma;
- Holistic approach to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neuro-ophthalmological conditions;
- Innovative strategies for dry age-related macular degeneration;
- Exploration of new treatments for inflammatory diseases such as uveitis.
When discussing their findings lead author Rupert Bourne, Professor of Ophthalmology, said: “The results of this survey provide a crucial refresh of the most important research questions, a decade after the initial Priority Setting Partnership.
“This study sets the stage for focused research endeavours within ophthalmology, a specialty that faces substantial challenges but which remains vastly underfunded given the profound burden of eye diseases.”
How do we use this research?
On each application, our applicants are asked which research priorities their proposal aims to address – ensuring that the research we fund helps to answer the most critical questions in eye care.
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