Innovating Retinal Care Through Research
We’re advancing vision care at Colorado Retina Associates. Be part of the progress!
Our Research Program
Our FDA-backed, clinical research program is a vital part of improving our patients’ well-being. We have participated in hundreds of innovative trials surrounding a variety of retinal diseases. Substantial strides have and continue to be made in stem cell research, gene therapy, nanotechnology, Anti-VEGF medicine, therapeutics, immunology, noninvasive imaging, and more, because of our participation. Our commitment to research allows our patients early access to life-changing, novel treatment options. For many, trials provide hope for a healthier future. With each trial, we advance our understanding of eye disease so we can one day soon eradicate blindness.
What Is a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial is a medical research study that explores new ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. At Colorado Retina Associates, we work with trusted pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners to study the latest treatments for retinal conditions. Each trial is carefully guided by our experienced physicians, conducted by our skilled research staff, and closely monitored by regulatory bodies to ensure the highest standards of safety and ethics.
Why Enroll in a Clinical Trial at Colorado Retina?
Clinical trials at Colorado Retina offer unique opportunities for both new and existing patients to access advanced care options beyond standard treatments. For those eligible, participating in a study means gaining early access to innovative therapies and technologies, all within a carefully monitored, controlled environment.
Clinical trials challenge the status quo by introducing promising treatments and novel diagnostic tools—often at no cost to the patient. Every enrolled participant receives comprehensive, VIP-level care, with consistent monitoring and support from our dedicated research team to help prevent, delay, or reduce disease progression and symptoms.
For patients who haven’t seen results from available treatments or face financial or access-related barriers, clinical trials can offer new hope and new possibilities.
Potential Benefits of Participating in a Clinical Trial:
- Early access to cutting-edge treatments not yet available to the public or in our regular clinics
- All care is free. No cost for exams, imaging, procedures, or medications
- No insurance required, and participation does not affect your current insurance plan
- Monetary stipends for completed study visits
- Personalized attention from a dedicated research coordinator throughout the study
- Complimentary transportation to and from your appointments
- Holistic expert care from our board-certified retina specialists and experienced research team
Eligibility and Enrollment
To join a clinical trial at Colorado Retina Associates, you must be an established patient under our care. During your regular retinal exam, your physician will evaluate whether you may qualify for a current or upcoming study.
Our doctors and research team carefully review your medical history and eye condition to determine if a trial is a safe and appropriate option for you. Every study has specific eligibility guidelines designed to protect your health and ensure the treatment being studied has the best chance to help.
Eligibility is typically based on factors like your:
- Diagnosis
- Medical history and pre-existing conditions
- Age
- General health status
- Stage and type of your retinal condition
- Current level of vision
- Past treatments—or whether you’ve never had treatment before
If you’re a potential candidate, we’ll walk you through the details, answer your questions, and help you decide if participation is right for you.
Your Safety Comes First
At Colorado Retina Associates, your safety is our highest priority. Every clinical trial we offer is held to the most rigorous standards for patient protection, ethics, and care.
All studies follow strict guidelines set by the FDA and are approved and continuously monitored by independent boards such as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) and, when applicable, a Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). These safeguards ensure that your rights, well-being, and health are protected at every step.
Our board-certified retina specialists and highly trained research team monitor your condition closely throughout the study with regular visits, exams, and testing. We only recommend participation if a study is medically appropriate and potentially beneficial to you.
Before a treatment reaches the clinical trial phase, it must pass extensive lab research and often preclinical testing. Only a small percentage of potential therapies ever make it this far—meaning they’ve already undergone significant safety evaluations.
If any trial shows unexpected risks or side effects, it is paused, modified, or stopped immediately.
Why Choose Our Research Center?
• Colorado Retina is one of the leading global centers for retinal clinical research
• We have 20+ years of experience studying and treating vision-threatening diseases.
• We utilize the most advanced imaging and diagnostic tools available today.
• Offering 10+ active trials commonly for age-related macular degeneration (wet and dry), geographic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and many more!
FAQs
By joining a clinical trial, you gain access to the latest treatments before they’re widely available. You’ll receive extra care and monitoring from our expert team, often with no cost for study-related visits, tests, and drugs. Plus, you’ll be helping advance research that could improve vision care for you and others in the future.
Phase I - generally involves a small number of patients and its primary goal is to determine if the treatment is safe for use in humans.
Phase II – larger than a phase I and used to determine the efficacy of the treatment, looking at whether the treatment provided benefitted most participants. If an acceptable percentage of the patients respond well to the drug, it will go to a phase III trial.
Phase III – this is largest and usually the longest stage of the process. In stage 3, the drug or intervention is compared to the current standard of care for that disease state to determine if it works better. Several hundred patients are involved from many different regions or countries and are monitored for their response to the drug as well as any potential side effects.
Phase IV: conducted after the trial drug has already hit the market. This phase is gathering additional information on the long-term effects of a much broader patient population.
In most cases, you won’t know which group you’re assigned to—that’s called “randomization”, where you are assigned to a “treatment” or “control” group. If you are assigned to the treatment group, you’ll receive the new medication or therapy being studied, such as a new drug or implant. For patients in the control group, they will receive “standard of care” treatment that would typically be provided in clinic to compare the new therapy to currently available therapy.
In some studies, you may be given a placebo in the control group. In this case, you’ll receive a harmless substance that looks like the treatment but doesn’t contain active drug. In either case, you will receive the same high-quality care for your condition.
In randomized or "masked" trials, you won’t know which group you’re in to keep results unbiased.
It’s a common misconception that all clinical trials involve a placebo, a substance or pill that has no active ingredient or therapeutic effect on the participant. However, only a small fraction of clinical trials uses placebos, typically only found in phase III studies. If a placebo is present, the placebo group always receives the current standard of care so you will never be without treatment that is best suited to your condition.
Trials often study new medications, long-acting injections, gene therapies, and advanced imaging technologies.
You’ll receive regular exams, imaging and testing by our retina specialists and clinical research coordinators to closely track your progress and ensure your safety.
Yes. Your retina specialist remains involved and coordinates your trial visits alongside your usual care.
Each clinical trial has a very specific eligibility criteria, which consists of inclusion and exclusion standards. Criteria guidelines may relate to the participants age, gender, visual acuity, stage of disease, treatment, or medical history. Your physician will assess potential eligibility prior to referring you to a specific trial. Criteria is a crucial aspect of a trial to make certain the participant reaps all potential benefits while avoiding any safety concern.
If you don’t qualify for a study right now, don’t worry—new trials open often, and you may be eligible in the future.
If you start a study and later decide it’s not right for you, you can leave at any time. Your decision won’t affect your regular care in any way
You’ll either return to your regular care or continue receiving study treatments if possible. You’re never left without care. Many of our patients decide to enroll in another clinical trial after they complete their first one.
Location
Our research is performed within our Lakewood Clinic.
St. Anthony Medical Plaza 3
255 S. Routt St.
Suite 200
Lakewood, CO 80228
