Created in honor of the late John Glenn and his wife Annie, the John and Annie Glenn Fund for Eye Research (#642551) will support research efforts focused toward a cure for blindness and treating diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), conditions on the forefront of ophthalmic research efforts.
As a former senator, pilot, and astronaut, the late John Glenn was no stranger to daunting challenges. The struggle to combat blinding eye diseases is such a challenge. One million people in the United States are irreversibly blind (a number expected to double by 2030 and quadruple by 2050) and glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic eye disease are among the most devastating causes.
Together with our donors' generous support toward the Glenn Eye Research Fund and the determination of scientists and clinicians, the challenge to end blindness is accepted and a new frontier in sight restoration is being forged in ophthalmology.
The Glenn Research Fund will enhance research efforts to go beyond controlling these diseases. By providing resources for advanced technology and ground breaking research, it will create collaboration between talented scientists and physicians to foster unprecedented treatments and advancements.
Research over the last decade has had a major impact on AMD and diabetic retinopathy. Clinical trials have identified a group of drugs that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), slowing the progression of AMD and diabetic retinopathy. Anti-VEGF medications are administered through a series of injections into the eye which stabilize existing vision, but are not always able to improve vision. Early detection is critical, but new treatment modalities need further investigation.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreparable vision loss worldwide. It is estimated that two percent of the U.S. population over the age of 40 are diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma, or approximately 2.7 million people. Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, but the disease can be controlled. Research is vital and the quest for a cure will help us understand, reverse, and prevent this devastating condition.
Together with our donors' generous support toward the Glenn Eye Research Fund and the determination of scientists and clinicians, the challenge to end blindness is accepted and a new frontier in sight restoration is being forged in ophthalmology.
For more information on giving, contact:
Laura Sladoje
Clinical Research & Outreach Manager
laura.sladoje@osumc.edu
614-226-6670