Research

An important part of Mitchell’s work is research, trying to find better ways to diagnose and treat eye disease.

He is a clinical academic at the University of Sydney, and an Honorary Research Fellow at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Many of his patients kindly give their time to help achieve the goals of improving the diagnosis and management of a range of optic nerve diseases. If you are interested in any of the following studies, please discuss this with Mitchell when you see him.

Research Projects

Imaging in NTG study

Mitchell is the chief investigator on this study that is recruiting patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). These are patients with glaucoma who have never had a measured pressure of over 21mmHg. Each patient will have an MRI, some blood tests, and a new OCT scan. The study is investigating whether there is a need to perform an MRI for every patient with NTG, and whether a new OCT scan can differentiate glaucoma from other diseases of the optic nerve.

Fight glaucoma blindness!

Fight glaucoma blindness (FGB) is a registry of patient outcomes in glaucoma. Mitchell is chairing the steering committee that is developing the outcome measures to be used as part of the registry. This database of patient outcomes helps to determine whether new treatments work, and in which patients they are most beneficial.

A comparative study of safety and efficacy of cataract surgery with either iStent inject versus cataract surgery with the Hydrus microstent

A number of different minimally invasive glaucoma devices are now available to assist in surgically controlling glaucoma. Two of these are commonly combined with cataract surgery – the iStent inject and the Hydrus microstent. A limited number of studies have looked at the relative benefits and safety profiles of each. This study will provide comparative information to assist surgeons in deciding which surgery is best for which patient.

Australia and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma

This Registry is run by Professor Jamie Craig in Adelaide, and Associate Professor Lawlor contributes by enrolling appropriate patients in the database. If you have advanced glaucoma, chat to Associate Professor Lawlor about whether you may be eligible to be part of this registry. http://anzrag.com

Conference Presentations

  • Medical and surgical treatment of normal tension glaucoma. RANZCO national conference. November 2019, Sydney.
  • The Fight Glaucoma Blindness! Registry: Design, baseline characteristics, and early outcomes of cataract surgery with iStent inject. RANZCO national conference. November 2019, Sydney.
  • Sudden onset anisocoria. RANZCO national conference. November 2019, Sydney.
  • Ischaemic optic neuropathies – other vasculidities. Neurovision conference. September 2019, Brisbane.
  • An objective OCT measure to differentiate glaucomatous optic neuropathy from non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy. NOSA conference, September 2019, Brisbane.
  • Addressing glaucoma in the Asia-Pacific Region. Solomon Islands National Health Care Conference. July 2019, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
  • Surgical approach to open angle glaucoma in low resource settings. WGA ICO fellow symposium. June 2019, Sydney.
  • Are other diseases playing a role in my patient's "glaucoma"? World glaucoma association congress. March 2019, Melbourne.
  • Which neuro-imaging is best for my patient? NSW RANZCO congress. March 2019, Sydney.
  • RANZCO international development conference:Program Overview -Tackling Glaucoma in Low Resource Settings. November 2018, Adelaide.
  • Should steroids be used for non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy? RANZCO national conference. November 2018, Adelaide.
  • Vergence eye movements. Neurovision conference. September 2018, Melbourne.
  • The expanding options in surgical glaucoma. Ophthalmology Updates Conference. Sydney, August 2018.
  • International glaucoma panel. ARVO, Honolulu, April 2018.
  • Tube Implant Surgery: Intra-operative complications and how to avoid them. Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Conference, Hong Kong, Feb, 2018.
  • Giant cell arteritis: How to keep out of trouble. NSW RANZCO meeting, Feb 2018.
  • Neovascular glaucoma: ANZGS symposium. RANZCO conference, Perth, October 2017.
  • MIGS: are there any limitations? RANZCO conference, Perth, October 2017.
  • GP17 RACGP National Conference: Advances in Glaucoma Surgery. Sydney, October 2017.
  • Collaborative care: Practical tips on comprehensive glaucoma assessment. SCC6, Melbourne, September 2017.
  • Should neuroprotective treatment in glaucoma target the entire brain or just the optic nerve? World Glaucoma Congress, Helsinki, June 2017.
  • Addressing glaucoma in low resource countries of the Asia-Pacific Region. 1st Swiss International Ophthalmology Conference. Geneva. June, 2017.
  • Evaluation of a Glaucoma Clinical Referral Pathway Using a Prospective Registry of Glaucoma Outcomes. APAO conference, Singapore, March 2017.
  • Neuroimaging in normal tension glaucoma – when is it necessary? Asia-ARVO, Brisbane, Feb 2017.
  • A technique of abinterno ciliary-sulcus glaucoma tube placement. ANZGIG conference, Brisbane, Jan 2017.
  • Glaucoma progression on OCT – more sensitive to change? RANZCO conference, Melbourne, Nov 2016.
  • Normal tension glaucoma: an update. Sydney Eye Hospital Alumni Conference. July 2016.
  • Vergence eye movements. Neurovision conference. September 2016, Adelaide
  • Rational investigation of neuro-ophthalmic patients in a low resource environment. NANOS meeting, February 2016, Tucson, Arizona
  • A prospective evaluation of colour vision using Ishihara plates in patients with advanced primary open angle glaucoma. NOSA meeting, September 2015, Auckland.
  • Evidence for a lesser relative afferent pupillary defect magnitude in patients with normal tension glaucoma compared to those with glaucoma and elevated intraocular pressures. RANZCO meeting, Wellington, Nov 2015.

Publications

Imaging in NTG study

Mitchell is the chief investigator on this study that is recruiting patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). These are patients with glaucoma who have never had a measured pressure of over 21mmHg. Each patient will have an MRI, some blood tests, and a new OCT scan. The study is investigating whether there is a need to perform an MRI for every patient with NTG, and whether a new OCT scan can differentiate glaucoma from other diseases of the optic nerve.

Fight glaucoma blindness!

Fight glaucoma blindness (FGB) is a registry of patient outcomes in glaucoma. Mitchell is chairing the steering committee that is developing the outcome measures to be used as part of the registry. This database of patient outcomes helps to determine whether new treatments work, and in which patients they are most beneficial.

A randomised controlled trial of a caspase-2 inhibitor (QPI-1007) in the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION)

This USA based study has now begun recruitment at Sydney Eye Hospital. Patients with a new onset NA-AION, with symptom onset <14 days, will randomly be assigned to receive the study medication or a placebo. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02341560

Australia and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma

This Registry is run by Professor Jamie Craig in Adelaide, and Dr Lawlor contributes by enrolling appropriate patients in the database. If you have advanced glaucoma, chat to Dr Lawlor about whether you may be eligible to be part of this registry. http://anzrag.com

  • Evaluation of a Glaucoma Clinical Referral Pathway Using a Prospective Registry of Glaucoma Outcomes. APAO conference, Singapore, March 2017.
  • Neuroimaging in normal tension glaucoma – when is it necessary? Asia-ARVO, Brisbane, Feb 2017.
  • A technique of abinterno ciliary-sulcus glaucoma tube placement. ANZGIG conference, Brisbane, Jan 2017.
  • Glaucoma progression on OCT – more sensitive to change? RANZCO conference, Melbourne, Nov 2016.
  • Normal tension glaucoma: an update. Sydney Eye Hospital Alumni Conference. July 2016.
  • Vergence eye movements. Neurovision conference. September 2016, Adelaide
  • Rational investigation of neuro-ophthalmic patients in a low resource environment. NANOS meeting, February 2016, Tucson, Arizona
  • A prospective evaluation of colour vision using Ishihara plates in patients with advanced primary open angle glaucoma. NOSA meeting, September 2015, Auckland.
  • Evidence for a lesser relative afferent pupillary defect magnitude in patients with normal tension glaucoma compared to those with glaucoma and elevated intraocular pressures. RANZCO meeting, Wellington, Nov 2015.
APPOINTMENTS

You may book an appointment with Mitchell by calling a location convenient to you.