This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (9)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Randomized Controlled Trial  • Diabetic Retinopathy  • Macular Disorders  • Alert me on articles by topic

It’s Time for Clinical Trials

Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123:258-259.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Our goal as ophthalmologists is to preserve and improve the vision of our patients. As part of this mission, we counsel our patients regarding the risks and benefits of various therapies. New treatments that have limited or unproven therapeutic value create an awkward position for ophthalmologists.

In the treatment of posterior segment diseases, randomized prospective multicenter clinical trials using treatment such as argon laser photocoagulation or pars plana vitrectomy have established the standard of care for patients with retinal vascular diseases. In the first major clinical trial in ophthalmology, the Diabetic Retinopathy Study¹ showed clear evidence that panretinal photocoagulation reduced rates of severe visual loss in treated eyes compared with an untreated control group. Additional randomized prospective clinical trials on photocoagulation include the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study,² the Branch Vein Occlusion Study,³ and the Central Vein Occlusion Study.⁴ These carefully conducted and very important randomized clinical trials reported the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Harry W. Flynn, Jr, MD; Ingrid U. Scott, MD, MPH

RELATED ARTICLE

New Therapy for Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: Are Intravitreal Steroids a Possible Answer?
Mark S. Blumenkranz
Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123(2):259-261.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Dexamethasone Inhibits High Glucose-, TNF-{alpha}-, and IL-1{beta}-Induced Secretion of Inflammatory and Angiogenic Mediators from Retinal Microvascular Pericytes
Nehme and Edelman
IOVS 2008;49:2030-2038.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Long-term Retinal Toxicity of Intravitreal Commercially Available Preserved Triamcinolone Acetonide (Kenalog) in Rabbit Eyes
Albini et al.
IOVS 2007;48:390-395.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Intravitreal triamcinolone therapy for diabetic macular oedema
Vernon
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2005;89:931-933.
FULL TEXT