Research is our hope for the future. It represents the frontier in medicine. Without research, there would be no cures for disease or treatments for medical conditions. Tuberculosis might still ravage nations; polio would still cripple, and dense cataracts would still cause blindness.

The Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston has one of the nation's most dynamic research programs. It is composed of two diverse faculty groups, basic and clinical scientists. Together, they work to find cures and successful treatments for eye diseases and conditions. They study the intricacies of human anatomy, of cellular structures, genetics and drugs. Their quest is to understand the causes and discover new treatments for eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetes and ocular melanoma. They hope to abolish such diseases as retinitis pigmentosa, and transplant delicate retinal tissue.

The Spring 2007 issue of Views and Visions included an extensive over-view of the major accomplishments of the Department's basic scientists and described some of the ongoing research. Copies of this issue are still available in our waiting areas and available by mail upon request.