ESCRS Launches New Clinical Research Award Call Focusing on Presbyopic IOLs in Post-Refractive Cataract Patients

The European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) announced the opening of a call for applications for the 2023 Clinical Research Award.

The ESCRS Clinical Research Awards (CRA) is an initiative by the ESCRS to support and encourage independent clinical research in the field of cataract, cornea and refractive surgery.

For the 2023 Clinical Research Awards, the ESCRS invites applications in response to a specific topic which has been identified by the ESCRS Research Committee and prioritized for its importance to the Society, its members, and to improve current patient care.

For the year 2023, ESCRS requests CRA applications on the following topic:

A comparative, controlled trial evaluating different types of presbyopia-correcting IOLs for post-keratorefractive surgery patients undergoing lens surgery

Background

This topic was one of two identified during a series of think tank sessions, explains Prof. Dr. med. Burkhard Dick, ESCRS Secretary and Chair of the ESCRS Research Committee.

“Advancements in presbyopia correcting IOL technology offer the potential for spectacle independence in patients with a history of keratorefractive surgery,” said Prof. Dick. “To assess their effectiveness in meeting the high expectations of this patient population, high-quality research is needed.”

There is an ever-increasing patient population who could benefit from this category of IOLs–patients who have previously undergone corneal refractive surgery and are now developing cataracts. For these patients, standard monofocal IOLs may not sufficiently address their needs, since these patients have grown accustomed to life without the need for spectacles.

Expected Impact of This Study

The results of the funded project will:

• Provide objective clinical evidence on the use of presbyopia-correcting IOLs in patients that have previously undergone keratorefractive surgery.

• Establish an independent database of clinical outcomes on presbyopia-correcting IOLs, including guidelines/preferred practice patterns on optimization of IOL calculation in post-keratorefractive eyes.

• Increase the level of confidence of surgeons towards the use of presbyopia-correcting IOLs.

How to apply

The 2023 Clinical Research Award will be divided into two phases:

1. Initial Application - Expression of interest

Interested applicants are to invited to submit their expressions of interest through the ESCRS CRA webpage: https://www.escrs.org/education/grants-awards/clinical- research-awards/how-to-apply/

The expressions of interest will be validated by ESCRS staff and the complete applications will be shared with an external panel of expert reviewers that will score and create a short list of proposals that will move on to the second round to provide a detailed submission. 

Conditions to Apply

Eligible applicants must be based in Europe* or Brazil. The applicants must hold a full-time clinical/research post at a clinical or academic centre (public or private) in these regions. An ESCRS membership is not required to apply to the award.

Funding support is available for a maximum of 3 years for the right project with suitable infrastructure and experience.

The call for initial applications is now open (August 7, 2023) and any interested ophthalmologist has until 13.00 (CET) on October 16, 2023 to submit a preliminary application for the ESCRS Clinical Research Awards. Further details and the application form can be found on the ESCRS website at: https://www.escrs.org/research/clinical-research-awards/.

*This includes continental Europe – including Switzerland – the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, and Israel.