Richard K. Parrish, II , MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education

Clinical Research and Clinical Trials in Glaucoma

View published articles in the National Library of Medicine.

Research Summary

My research efforts have focused on developing and testing new treatments for glaucoma. I have served as Project Chairman, Principal Investigator, and a Co-investigator of several NEI-funded multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCT) in glaucoma. In 1985, I was the Project Chairman of the Fluorouracil Filtering Surgery Study (FFSS), a multicenter RCT, which determined that 5-fluorouracil increased the success rate of filtering surgery in high risk glaucoma patients. Currently, I am Principal Investigator of the Optic Disc Reading Center for the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study and serve on the Executive and Endpoint Committee for that study. The NEI recently awarded our team an R01 grant to assess optic disc photographs collected in the Collaborative Study of Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS). I serve as an investigator and member of the Executive Committee in the Tube versus Trabeculectomy Study, funded by Pfizer Corporation, a multicenter RCT to evaluate Baerveldt implant versus trabeculectomy with mitomycin C.

I am the Director of the Biostatistics Module for the recently awarded P30 Core Center Grant from NEI and have closely collaborated with our biostatisticians since 1981 when I was a glaucoma fellow. I mentor residents and fellows on clinically-based projects, such as quality of life in glaucoma patients measured by the SF-36 and the NEI-Visual Functioning Questionnaire, drainage implants outcomes, echographic measurements of the optic disc, and trabeculectomy function after cataract extraction. We provide a rich environment for training and collaboration since many Bascom Palmer ophthalmologists are experienced in clinical trials, not only in glaucoma, but in retina, ocular AIDS, and ocular oncology. Our experienced ophthalmic biostatisticians have functioned as Principal Investigators in clinical trials and work efficiently with clinical coordinators. Our two established optic disc reading centers for the two NEI trials will provide valuable practical educational experience for interpretation of images, data management, and research administration.