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Research

Since the year 2000, our Research Department has been actively involved in studies investigating Artificial Iris. We are thrilled that this device has been approved by the FDA! Click here to read more about this approval. 

Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Clinical Research Department was created to ensure high quality pre-clinical and clinical trials in vision research. Clinical research is an important component of our practice because it extends new technologies to patients and increases the overall standard of vision care. Our physicians, surgeons, and researchers have participated in vision research studies for years and are among a select group of individuals whose contributions led to many of the refractive surgery technologies in use today.

Research study success begins with a dedicated team of researchers and medical personnel who have years of experience in clinical trials, consulting and management. The research team is comprised of Ophthalmologists, Doctor of Optometry, fellow physicians, a clinical research manager, clinical research coordinators, and technicians. Research activities are conducted within our metro-area clinics.

Major areas of investigation include, refractive surgery, complex case management, cataract surgery, natural lens replacement surgery, glaucoma management, corneal transplantation, iris reconstruction, surgical instrumentation, and drug therapies.

Current Studies

We are currently engaged in the following studies and are accepting enrollment of participants:

We are currently enrolling for:

The Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study is being done to see if a cornea donor’s diabetes status affects the corneal transplant success. Our cornea surgeons are excited to be able to offer this data collection study to our patients who are eligible. There are no experimental procedures included in the study. Taking part in the study will add to new knowledge that may help other people who need a corneal transplant.

The CLARA Study: If you have corneal endothelial disease– Fuchs’ Dystrophy or other cause of corneal edema – you may be eligible to participate in the CLARA Trial. This is a Phase 1/2 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of injecting corneal endothelial cells into the eyes of subjects with corneal edema due to corneal endothelial disease. A study that may advance eye care by expanding the supply of donor cornea tissue worldwide potentially allowing more than 100 subjects to be treated from a single donor.

To be eligible
 for this study, you must be 18 years of age or older with stage 2 (persistent epithelial defect) or stage 3 (corneal ulcer) NK. If you have been diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 NK or have signs of NK such as new or worsening dry eye symptoms or decreased corneal sensitivity, or have a nonhealing corneal defect, please contact us to discuss the study. The use of some medications, however, could exclude you from participation; therefore, please contact us prior to using any new medications or changing the dose of current medications you are using to treat your NK.

Patients enrolled in the study will be given either the CSB-001 0.1% eye drops or the placebo (no drug) eye drops to use 4 times a day for 8 weeks and will be seen by the doctor weekly for up to 10 weeks. Patients given the placebo eye drops who do not heal after the 8-week treatment will have the opportunity to receive an 8-week course of the CSB-001 0.1% eye drop. There will be a total of 9 clinic visits, and you will be compensated for your time.

If you are interested in hearing more and would like to be considered for participation or if you know someone with stage 2 or 3 NK who is interested, please contact our research department.

We do not have any enrolling Dry Eye studies at this time.

STAR-V trial:
If you have primary open-angle glaucoma, you may be eligible to participate in the STAR-V Trial. This is a prospective, multicenter, masked clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of iSTAR Medical’s MINIject™ implant for lowering intraocular pressure in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma

Sonder trial:
If you will be having upcoming cataract surgery and also have primary-open angle glaucoma, you may qualify for the Sonder Trial.

Contact the Research Department

Director of Research: Dr. Sherman W. Reeves, MD, M.P.H.
Clinical Research Manager: Allison Dreyer
Clinical Research Coordinators: Kristen Dew, Ise Mondlicht, Meg Mack

Telephone: (952) 888-5800
Email: [email protected]

For more information, please contact the Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Clinical Research Department.

Mail

Bloomington Office
9801 Dupont Ave S, Suite 200,
Bloomington, MN 55431

Minnetonka Office
10709 Wayzata Blvd.
Minnetonka, MN 55305

Research Study Registry

Our Research Study Registry is a completely voluntary and secure database created and maintained by our research department. It allows our research staff to contact you about our current studies if we have one that appears to match your interests. These studies will have been previously reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board to evaluate the risks and benefits of each study.

Research Study Registry is not a research project – it is a registry of information about individuals who are interested in research and willing to be contacted about participation in research studies. If we contact you about a study, you are not required to participate in or volunteer for the study. If we provide you with information about an available study, it does not mean that Minnesota Eye Consultants is recommending that you participate in or consider participating in that study. And, you can always remove yourself from the Study Registry by emailing [email protected].

Sign Up For Our Research Registry

locations

Serving Our Community

Minnesota Eye Consultants is proud to offer patients convenient access to eye care across the Twin Cities. We have 4 locations, each with an onsite ambulatory surgery center (ASC).

11091 Ulysses St NE
Clinic: Suite 300
ASC: Suite 400
Blaine, Minnesota 55434
Additional Blaine Information
9801 Dupont Ave S
ASC: Suite 100
Laser Procedures: Suite 120
Clinic: Suite 200
Bloomington, MN 55431
Additional Bloomington Information
10709 Wayzata Blvd
ASC: Suite 100
Laser Procedures: Suite 120
Clinic: Suite 200
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Additional Minnetonka Information
12501 Whitewater Drive, Suite 310
Minnetonka, MN 55343
Additional Crosstown – Now Open Information
7125 Tamarack Rd
Clinic: Suite 100
ASC: Suite 200
Laser Procedures: Suite 250
Woodbury, MN 55125
Additional Woodbury Information