Mark W. Johnson, M.D.
Research Projects

Dr. Mark Johnson is principal investigator at the Kellogg Eye Center for several multicenter clinical trials examining the safety and efficacy of new treatments for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), including novel anti-angiogenic drugs such as VEGF inhibitors. He is also principal investigator for the NEI-sponsored SCORE study, which investigates intravitreal corticosteroid treatment for retinal vein occlusions. He serves on Data and Safety Monitoring Committees for multicenter clinical trials comparing Lucentis to Avastin for neovascular AMD and investigating the use of RNA interference agents in patients with AMD. Other projects at the Kellogg Eye Center are studying the duration of action of bevacizumab, the long-term safety of repeated intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents, the phenomenon of possible tolerance to VEGF-inhibiting drugs, vitreous penetration of oral antiviral drugs, and optimal surgical strategies for repair of pseudophakic retinal detachment.

Dr. Johnson is also interested in the pathogenesis and treatment of vitreomacular disorders. He has carried out clinical investigations which have further clarified the cause of macular hole, vitreomacular traction syndromes, epiretinal membrane, and optic pit maculopathy. An ongoing study is looking at the clinical characteristics and postsurgical outcomes in the vitreofoveolar traction syndrome, a subtle variant of the vitreomacular traction syndrome.