Message from the NAEVR President

Welcome to www.eyeresearch.org, the Web site for the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) and its educational foundation, the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR).

The 55 professional, consumer and industry organizations that comprise NAEVR are dedicated to advocacy for adequate federal funding of eye and vision research being conducted by the National Eye Institute (NEI) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

As you review this Web site, you can learn how past NEI-sponsored basic and translational research is culminating in the possibility of new treatments in the near future to prevent the onset of disease and restore vision. For example, NEI funded research has resulted in the first generation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs to inhibit new blood vessel growth in the "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Also, gene therapy to treat rare retinal diseases will move to human clinical trials within the year.

NAEVR commends both NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni and NEI Director Dr. Paul Sieving for their leadership in trans-NIH activities to accelerate the translation of basic research through clinical trials to benefit the treatment of patients. The NEI has an impressive pipeline of new discoveries from its research that can move to clinical trials more rapidly so that new treatments and therapies are available to benefit the American people. However, this will require adequate federal funding within the NIH, generally, and within NEI, specifically.

You may wish to take full advantage of this site by learning about the value and cost-effectiveness of federally funded eye and vision research and becoming an advocate by contacting your Members of Congress.

Sincerely,

Stephen J. Ryan, M.D.
President, NAEVR Board of Directors