Research Unit

The aim of our research unit is to develop and refine glaucoma surgery techniques to make them ever less invasive. We are committed to continuously improving our patients' quality of life by perfecting the ophthalmological care we offer.

The Swiss Eye Centre is involved in glaucoma research for many reasons:

  • Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness: this chronic disease, often referred to as the "silent thief" of sight, is asymptomatic in most patients. This pathology, still poorly understood, leads to irreversible vision loss over time.
  • Damage to the optic nerve is impossible to restore: high intraocular pressure (IOP), together with fluctuations in fluids both inside (aqueous humor) and outside (blood circulation) the eye, cause this damage. Reducing IOP, either by medication or surgery, is currently the only approved method for slowing disease progression.
  • Drop therapy has a strong impact on the ocular surface: compliance with drug therapy is crucial to the effective control of glaucoma, but represents a major challenge for doctors.
  • Topical hypotensive treatment of glaucoma has adverse effects: conjunctival hyperemia, discomfort and itching are among the main causes of non-adherence.
  • Damage to the ocular surface can cause irreversible long-term changes, such as conjunctival thinning, compromising the results of various glaucoma surgeries.
  • Current guidelines are more in favor of surgery, as it enables visual function and quality of life to be preserved for longer.

The current research project, led by Dr. Adriano Guarnieri, who has been overseeing clinical research at Swiss Eye since 2019, focuses on glaucoma progression and ocular surface health.

  • OBJECTIVE: To study ocular surface health and the clinical course of glaucoma.
  • BACKGROUND: The main goal in glaucoma management is to preserve patients' quality of life by maintaining visual acuity while reducing the side effects of anti-glaucoma therapies. Minimal Invasive Glaucoma Surgeries (MIGS) aim to provide predictable, physiological anti-glaucoma procedures with low complication rates and minimal tissue destruction. We believe that future research must take into account the impact on patients' quality of life.
  • QUESTION: Are MIGS effective while improving the quality of life of patients undergoing surgery? Our center strives to answer this question while providing the highest quality of care. We aim to integrate these new micro-invasive techniques as a first line of treatment. Our research could lead to treatments that are better adapted to our patients, with improved tolerance and better quality of life.

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