Grant to UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center Supports Research in Blinding Eye Diseases

Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has awarded a grant of $100,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding eye diseases. The research will be directed by Robert N. Weinreb, MD, Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Shiley Eye Center.

RPB is the world’s leading voluntary organization supporting eye research. Since 1984, the organization has awarded grants totaling $3,065,000 to the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Over the past 28 years, this funding has supported research in glaucoma, cornea and retinal diseases.

"These funds are particularly invaluable for enhancing our ability to conduct the most impactful vision research," said Weinreb. "They will facilitate existing research, support cross-disciplinary investigative programs and assist in the translation of our research to prevent and cure blindness."

Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to medical institutions throughout the United States for research into all blinding eye diseases. For information on RPB, RPB-funded research, eye disorders and the RPB Grants Program, go to www.rpbusa.org.

Based at the Shiley Eye Center, the UC San Diego Ophthalmology Department includes a complement of outstanding clinicians who provide comprehensive and specialized eye care for the full spectrum of diseases of the eye. During the past decade, departmental teams of clinicians and scientists have translated their research to improve management of a variety of vision-impairing conditions including glaucoma, macular degeneration, ophthalmic plastic surgery, childhood eye disease, diabetic eye disease, and cataracts.