Clinical faculty at the Cizik Eye Clinic participate in research that bridges the transition from the laboratory to the patient. The purpose of clinical or biomedical research is to increase understanding of disease processes, and improve and/or develop new methods of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. Clinical trials involving patients are the only sure way to discover whether a new treatment is safe, effective, or better for the patient than other treatments.
Clinical trials in vision research have led to new medicines and surgeries that have saved or improved sight for countless patients. At the Cizik Eye Clinic numerous clinical trials conducted and ongoing includethe study of glaucoma, macular degeneration, dry eye, refractive surgery and disorders of the cornea, and diabetic eye complications.
The greatest strides in biomedical research are being made by groups of scientists and clinicians (practicing physicians) who represent various disciplines and talents and who work together on problems of mutual interest. This team approach has been adopted by the physicians at the Cizik Eye Clinic. On most of the active clinical studies, of which there are many, there are two to five staff members as investigators.
