NFBC Eye Study
Research group information
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Research group leader
- Ville Saarela
- Johanna Liinamaa
Research group description
The NFBC eye study offers a unique opportunity to conduct the first randomised glaucoma screening trial in the world in an unselected population. The eye examinations will be performed with modern imaging tools, in order to investigate the benefits, possible disadvantages and cost-effectiveness of eye screening in glaucoma diagnostics. It also highlights relationship between birth weight and growth patterns during early life to the development of eye diseases and gives an unique opportunity to study the retinal vascular parameters and their relationship with pathophysiologic processes. It is likely that retinal vascular changes might be markers of the early preclinical stages of metabolic disorders and might predict the onset of clinical disease.
Modern imaging tools are used in order to explore the long-term morbidity, intermediate disease markers and symptom variation throughout the life-course. The study highlights the relationship between risk factors and their value in predicting future glaucoma and other eye abnormalities. The purpose is to identify high risk groups and biological markers to give tools for early intervention and prevention.
Committee members
- Jennifer Burr, MRCOphth, DO, MSc, MBChB. Director of the Centre for Healthcare Randomised Trials, Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen
- Richard Wormald, MA (Cantab), MB BCh (Cantab), MSc (LSHTM), FRCS (Glasgow), FRCOphth (London). Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, and Coordinating Editor Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group
- Augusto Azuara-Blanco, PhD, FRCS(Ed). Professor, Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, and Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist, NHS Grampian
- Pekka Rissanen, Professor. Department Head and Professor of Health Economics, Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland
- Hannu Uusitalo, Professor. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tampere, Finland