WHAT:

Tour the newly renovated and enlarged Clinical Eye Research Facility (CERF) at the UAB School of Optometry where faculty conduct research to compare and evaluate new products and contact lenses; and study treatments for eye diseases like glaucoma, dry eye and eye infections.

WHY:

The enlarged, remodeled and reequipped facility will allow more faculty to participate in clinical research studies and will allow UAB researchers to investigate emerging eye products and study how compatible those products are with the eye, according to William Benjamin, O.D., director of clinical research and head of the facility. “New products like contact lenses, conjunctival inserts for delivery of drugs or lubricants to the eye, punctal plugs, eye medications and dry-eye preparations are evaluated at CERF to determine their strengths and weaknesses and compatibility with other products on the market.”

WHEN:

Monday, February 10, 2003
1 P.M.

WHERE:

Henry B. Peters School of Optometry
4th Floor
1716 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL

VISUALS:

A study participant in UAB’s CLEK study will be examined at the new facility. CLEK, the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus, is one of the more than 45 clinical research trials carried out by CERF faculty. The objective of the CLEK study is to characterize the progression of keratoconus, an eye disease characterized by the thinning of the front surface of the eye (cornea), which produces blurry vision that persists despite corrective glasses or contact lenses.

Benjamin will use several of the new CERF tools to examine the patient, including a corneal topographer, which maps the peaks and valleys of the cornea producing an image similar to a topographic map of land.