Understanding how eye disease affects all kinds of people and discovering new ways to protect and preserve their vision is the central focus of our research.

SCEI founding director Dr. Rohit Varma is principal investigator for eye studies involving African Americans, Chinese Americans, Latinos, and children of multiple ethnicities. Funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than 20 years, his research helps guide decisions about health care policy made by the World Health Organization, governments, and other organizations.

Clinician-researchers at SCEI also conduct studies in genetics, artificial intelligence, imaging, and bioelectronics to discover how to detect eye disease earlier and treat it more effectively. Their work has been instrumental in the development of new procedures and technologies that advance treatment of eye disease.

Research conducted by SCEI can be placed into two categories that are essential in the quest to reduce or prevent visual impairment and blindness.

• Population Health Studies

  Population Health Studies help us understand the risk of developing eye disease, which varies widely based on heritage and ethnic groups. This knowledge is used to set testing standards and policies that are most likely to catch problems early and prevent vision loss and blindness.

• Scientific and Clinical Studies

  Scientific and Clinical Studies help us understand how disease and injuries affect our eyes so we can develop new ways to diagnose and treat eye conditions. New methods and technologies that come from this research advance our ability to prevent vision loss and blindness.

• Clinician Researchers

  At Southern California Eye Institute, we see patients to protect and preserve their vision. We also see a more hopeful future as we engage in research to advance the treatment of eye disease.

• Recent Research Findings
• Active Research Grants
• Research Publications