Clinical Study Participants

As a leader in eye care, Cincinnati Eye Institute is active in conducting clinical research for advanced eye care treatments. We regularly have opportunities for adults to participate in clinical studies for a variety of ocular medications and ophthalmological procedures. Participants may be needed to develop treatments for a variety of conditions, ranging from common eye issues such as glaucoma, cataracts, and dry eyes, to rare eye diseases.

What is a Clinical Study?

A clinical study is a process that is conducted to understand if new drugs, treatments and devices are safe and effective. The terms Clinical Research, Clinical Study, Clinical Trial, and Clinical Protocol all concern the same topic.

Clinical studies that people participate in cannot happen until basic research in a laboratory determines the new treatment, drug or device is sufficiently successful and safe for the FDA to approve continuing the research and beginning to test in people. Carefully controlled and well-designed clinical trials are performed by highly trained medical professionals to understand how this new treatment will work in people.

Senior man smiling outside

Benefits of Volunteering for Clinical Research

  • Gain access to leading-edge treatments that may not be generally available
  • Feel the satisfaction of helping to develop better treatments for frustrating and sight-limiting eye problems
  • Be part of a higher level of care and to have repeated access to the physician conducting the study
  • Receive all study-related doctor visits, diagnostic testing, and study treatments at no charge to you or your insurance company
  • Benefit from the compensation for your time and travel

How Do I Become a Participant in a Clinical Study at Cincinnati Eye Institute?

Your eye doctor can let you know if you may be a candidate for a clinical study. If you or someone you know is interested in being a participant in our clinical research studies, or if you have questions about current and upcoming studies at CEI, please contact the Clinical Research department by calling 513-569-3688 or join our click here to join our research registry. Qualified participants may receive health assessments and study-related medical care. Reimbursement for your time and travel may be provided.

Whatever your reason might be, your participation ultimately offers hope of better, safer treatment options for maintaining one of our most precious senses, our sight. Many new treatments get delayed because not enough people knew they had the opportunity to get involved.

What to Expect When You Volunteer to Be a Study Participant at Cincinnati Eye Institute

Anyone can apply to take part in a clinical trial, although only volunteers who meet the specific criteria for a research study will be able to participate. When you apply to be a study participant, you can typically expect these steps:

How Do Clinical Trials Work?

Clinical Trials are conducted in four phases that occur in sequential order. Each phase tends to have a different purpose and helps answer different questions. Each phase is considered a separate trial. After completion of each phase, the FDA must approve before continuing to the next phase. Research participants do not need to be part of all phases of a clinical trial.

Clinical Research Phases

Phase I
20-100 people (typically healthy volunteers)

Phase II
200-300 people (volunteers have condition or disease)

Phase III
100s to 1000s (volunteers have condition or disease)

Phase IV
1,000s of people


All clinical studies are closely monitored by the FDA and an independent Institutional Review Board to make sure the study is necessary, is being conducted in an ethical way, does not put participants at undue risk, and that patients rights and safety are protected throughout. Participation in clinical studies is completely voluntary.

Who Pays for Clinical Trials?

The FDA requires that participants in clinical studies receive all study-related doctor visits, diagnostic testing and study treatments free of charge. This is in return for being a willing participant in the clinical trial.

The sponsor of the study (such as the government or pharmaceutical and technology companies) typically pays for all costs involved with a clinical research study. This includes supplying the new treatment, as well as any special testing, possible extra physician visits, and research costs involved in the clinical studies. Each study sponsor identifies top nationwide physicians to partner with to administer the actual study with qualified patients.

helping a senior woman after surgery

The clinical trials that Cincinnati Eye participates in are sponsored by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. By partnering with these well-recognized companies, we have developed strong relationships that keep us at the forefront of vision care advances.

Clinical Study Participant Rights and Safety

When you agree to participate in one of our clinical studies, you have the right to:

When you participate in one of our clinical studies, your eye health will be our foremost priority. Our entire research team is certified in the Protection of Human Services in Clinical Studies and we maintain strict adherence to Good Clinical Practice.

Research Registry

The doctors at Cincinnati Eye Institute have either authored or reviewed the content on this site.

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