Carl Camras, M.D., professor and chairman of the University of Nebraska
Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology, has received a second, four-year
$220,000 Research to Prevent Blindness Challenge Grant. The grant is awarded
to strengthen the development of pilot and on-going research programs.
Dr. Camras received the first grant for $200,000 in 1997.
RPB is the world’s leading voluntary organization in support of eye
research. At 55 medical institutions nationwide, it is supporting investigations
into all blinding eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts,
glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, corneal disease and retinitis pigmentosa.
Dr. Camras will use the award to continue research into a broad variety
of topics, including basic visual processing, eye development and the cause
and treatment of eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and
macular degeneration. Receiving this grant underscores the importance
of research in conjunction with clinical activities and will enable the
department to continue its research and bring extramural grants to the
institution, Dr. Camras said.
Dr. Camras and his colleagues invented latanoprost, which currently
is one of the leading treatments for glaucoma in the United States because
of its effectiveness and safety.
He and colleagues will continue to investigate the unique side effects
latanoprost produces, such as darkening the eye color and darkening, thickening,
and lengthening eyelashes. Although these effects do not appear to
be harmful, these and other possible side effects must be monitored in
long term studies performed in patients undergoing treatment for many years.
Dr. Camras and his colleagues will continue to investigate how glaucoma
medications reduce pressure in the eye that may lead to better understanding
of glaucoma. He also plans to make refinements in a new glaucoma device
designed to increase the safety and effectiveness of surgical procedures
for glaucoma.
Dr. Camras received his bachelors degree in 1975 from Yale University
and in 1979 received a medical degree from the Columbia University College
of Physicians and Surgeons. He did his residency in ophthalmology from
1980 to 1983 at the Jules Stein Eye Institute of the UCLA School of Medicine,
and from 1983 to 1984, did a one-year fellowship in glaucoma at the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
In 1983, he held a faculty appointment as assistant professor of ophthalmology
at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and in 1988 was named associate professor.
In 1991, he joined UNMC as professor and vice chairman of ophthalmology.
In 2000, he was appointed chair of the department.