Glaucoma Research

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma. Perhaps more alarming is that another two million adults may have undetected glaucoma, as noticeable vision loss might not occur until the glaucoma has caused irreversible damage.

The Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute at the Columbia Department of Ophthalmology has made great strides in the field of glaucoma research. In 1996, Laszlo Bito, Ph.D. brought time and new hope to glaucoma patients with his development of the ground-breaking drug Xalatan®, which slows the progression of this disease by reducing intraocular pressure. Under the leadership of Max Forbes, M.D., the Institute’s glaucoma research efforts grew to include new surgical treatments and disease management options for adults and children living with the disease, as well as community glaucoma screening events to emphasize the importance of early detection. The Institute’s physicians and research scientists are working together on multiple initiatives to better understand the basis for glaucoma damage and its progression, and to find new ways to prevent or restore loss of neuronal function. 

Our Faculty 

• George A. Cioffi, MD
• Noga Harizman, MD
• Simon John, PhD
• Jeffrey M. Liebmann, MD
• Aakriti Garg Shukla, MD
• Gülgün Tezel, MD
• Kaveri Thakoor, PhD
• Qing Wang, MD, PhD

Our Studies

• MAPS
• Vitamin B3
• Pigmentary Glaucoma
• BASICHR0031