Projects per year
Personal profile
Interests
I am a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology. My clinical activity takes place at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and is mainly dedicated to people with glaucoma. I have surgical expertise on complex glaucomas and cataract.
With my academic career at the Centre fof Public Health (Health Services Research Group) I am trying to improve eye health by investigating the effectiveness, safety and efficiency of new technologies for eye diseases (e.g., treatments, diagnostic tests, models of eye care). I have expertise in primary and secondary research methodology.
Overall I have received as CI or co-applicant over £15m of research funds from MRC, NIHR-EME, NIHR-HTA, Horizon 2020, and Wellcome Trust.
I am Chief Investigator of several publicly funded trials, including
- EAGLE, an international multicentre RCT comparing primary lens extraction versus laser iridotomy in patients with angle-closure glaucoma (completed); the main report of this study was published in The Lancet in 2016, and was ranked by the American Glaucoma Society #12 in the top 100 list of papers "with significant impact on the clinical care of patients with glaucoma": (Vinod K, et al. The American Glaucoma Society 100: Articles with Significant Impact on Clinical Glaucoma Care. Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2022;5:5-15)
- GATE, a multicentre study evaluating automated imaging technologies for glaucoma diagnosis (completed);
- CHAMP-UK, a multicentre randomised trial evaluating low dose atropine eye drops for children with myopia (ongoing);
- GRIP, a multicentre cohort study using electronic medical records to validate and refine a risk predictor for ocular hypertension conversion to glaucoma (ongoing).
- ACE, a multicentre study evaluating technologies for the diagnosis of angle closure (ongoing)
I am co-Chief Investigator of the In-home Tracking of glaucoma (i-TRAC) study (ongoing).
I am member of the research team and co-applicant of several publicly funded multicentre trials:
- TAGS and GLAURIOUS, on glaucoma (completed)
- DIAMONDS and EMERALD, on diabetic retinopathy (completed)
- EDNA and MIRROR, on age-related macular degeneration (completed)
- CLEVER, ENGINE, STABLE and ZEAL: a suite of trials exploring the impact of vision care in low and middle-income countries, led by Prof Nathan Congdon (ongoing)
I have published over 250 peer-reviewed papers, over 20 book chapters, and edited three books. My work has been cited over 8000 times and my current Scopus h-index is 46.
Leadership positions:
- chair of the Scientific Committee of the European Glaucoma Society (from January 2021);
- member of the NICE Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee (from April 2023)
- member of the Executive Management Committee of Evidence Synthesis Ireland, https://evidencesynthesisireland.ie/ (from 2021)
- chair of the NIHR CRN Clinical Study Group for glaucoma (from 2020);
- member of the NIHR-HTA prioritisation committee (from 2019);
- QUB REF champion for UoA2 (REF 2021)
- member of the Development Group for the WHO Package of Glaucoma Interventions (from 2020);
- Lead Editor of the European Glaucoma Society Guidelines (5th edition, 2020);
- member of the Executive Commitee of the European Glaucoma Society (2016-2020);
- 2012 Chair of the UK & Eire Glaucoma Society;
- member of the Editorial Board of several specialist journals, including Cochrane Eye and Vision, and Journal of Glaucoma.
Special honours:
- American Academy of Ophthalmology achievement award (2008);
- King James IV Professorship by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (2020);
- American Academy of Ophthalmology Secretariat Award (2020)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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R2821CPH: ENGINE, STABLE (Eyecare Nurtures Good-health, Innovation, driviNg-safety and Education)
Congdon, N., Azuara-Blanco, A., Chan, V. F., Clarke, M., Lohfeld, L. & O'Neill, C.
13/08/2021 → …
Project: Research
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R6544CPH: External Automatic Glaucoma Laser (EAGLE) for the first-line glaucoma treatment: Commercial prototype development and validation
Congdon, N. & Azuara-Blanco, A.
19/09/2016 → 29/02/2020
Project: Research
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R1355CVS: Effectiveness of Lens Extraction with Intraocular Lens Implementation for the treatment of Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (EAGLE)
01/08/2013 → 31/01/2015
Project: Research
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Design and conduct of randomized clinical trials evaluating surgical innovations in ophthalmology: a systematic review
Azuara-Blanco, A., Carlisle, A., O'Donnell, M., Jayaram, H., Gazzard, G., Larkin, D. F. P., Wickham, L. & Lois, N., Apr 2023, In: American Journal of Ophthalmology. 248, p. 164-175 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile11 Downloads (Pure) -
Diabetic macular edema and diode subthreshold micropulse laser: A randomized double-masked noninferiority clinical trial
Lois, N., Campbell, C., Waugh, N., Azuara-Blanco, A., Maredza, M., Mistry, H., McAuley, D., Acharya, N., Aslam, T. M., Bailey, C., Chong, V., Downey, L., Eleftheriadis, H., Fatum, S., George, S., Ghanchi, F., Groppe, M., Hamilton, R., Menon, G., Saad, A., & 7 others , Jan 2023, In: Ophthalmology. 130, 1, p. 14-27 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure) -
Effectiveness of community outreach screening for glaucoma in improving equity and access to eye care in Nigeria
Olawoye, O. O., Fawole, O., Ashaye, A. O., Chan, V. F., Azuara-Blanco, A. & Congdon, N., 01 Jan 2023, In: British Journal of Ophthalmology. 107, 1, p. 30-36Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Effects of socioeconomic status on baseline values and outcomes at 24 months in the treatment of Advanced Glaucoma Study randomised controlled Trial
King, A. J., Hudson, J., Azuara-Blanco, A., Kirwan, J. F., Goyal, S., Lim, K. S., Maclennan, G. & TAGS research group, 03 Jan 2023, (Early online date) In: British Journal of Ophthalmology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Glaucoma treatment patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa
Olawoye, O., Washaya, J., Gessesse, G. W., Balo, K., Agre, J., Macheka, B., Akaraiwe, N. K., Pons, J., Sarimiye, T., Ashaye, A., Garba, F., Chitedze, R., Ibanga, A., Mahdi, A., Ogunro, A., Budengeri, P., Ajibode, H. A., Tamrat, L., Onakoya, A., Okeke, S., & 10 others , 21 Jul 2023, (Early online date) In: Journal of Glaucoma.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
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ESCRS Glaucoma Day 2016
Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Session chair)
09 Sep 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Glaucoma Research Society Meeting
Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Speaker)
03 Sep 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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European Glaucoma Society Congress
Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Speaker)
30 Jun 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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European Glaucoma Society Congress
Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Organiser)
21 Jun 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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European Glaucoma Society Congress
Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Organiser)
20 Jun 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course