This is an application to become a participating Clinical Center int he Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). The complete details of the OHTS rationale, design, and methods are contained in the OHTS Manual of Procedures. This proposal provides complete documentation of the ability of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the University of Louisville College of Medicine to screen large numbers of ocular hypertensive patients and to enroll at lease 50 eligible patients over a 24-month period. Documentation is provided of the capabilities of the proposed investigators and their staff for performance of the study in accordance with the details of the OHTS Manual of Procedures. The chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is an investigator and has committed the resources of the department to this study. In addition, all fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists in the Louisville community are co-investigators and are committed to the success of this study. This unanimous support represents the strength of the commitment of the Department of Ophthalmology and the glaucoma community in Louisville to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. Patients will be drawn from two general eye clinics, three glaucoma sub-specialty practices and d large health maintenance organization. By conducting this study in the kentucky Lions Eye Research Institute (KLERI), we ensure that we will have ample facilities and personnel for the protocol. We have space dedicated for clinical research. We have experienced personnel to cross cover the study personnel. The clinical coordinator/technician is experienced in ophthalmic photography and will be trained to back up our ophthalmic photographer. We have a study coordinator working on other projects who will be crossed-trained to back up the clinical coordinator/technician.
