Ophthalmologist Andrew Williams, MD, Receives RPB/AAO Award for IRIS® Registry Research

September 5, 2021

UPMC ophthalmologist Andrew Williams, MD, received the Research to Prevent Blindness and American Academy of Ophthalmology Award for IRIS® Registry Research in 2021. The grant supports selected investigators to use the IRIS Registry database and its analytic capabilities to further population-based research in ophthalmology and blindness prevention. Clinical researchers are selected based on the potential of their original research to improve patient’s lives through research and innovation. 

Dr. Williams will use the IRIS Registry database to examine the clinical implications of loss of follow up in glaucoma, a chronic and potentially blinding eye disease. Adherence to regular appointments is critical to monitor glaucoma progression and to ensure proper treatment over time, but many patients are unfortunately lost to follow up or have significant lapses in clinical care. Dr. Williams will investigate the prevalence of loss to follow up among glaucoma patients and determine demographic and clinical risk factors for being lost to regular care. He will also examine clinical consequences and complications related to lapses in check-up visits for glaucoma. He hopes that understanding the extent of the problem of loss to follow up will help to inform future interventions to ensure glaucoma patients continue to receive needed care.

About Dr. Williams

Dr. Williams is an assistant professor of ophthalmology who specializes in glaucoma and has a strong research interest in applying public health and health services research to eye care. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University, completed his medical degree at Michigan State University, and finished his ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He graduated from the glaucoma fellowship at the Duke University Eye Center before joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. Dr. Williams seeks to improve health care delivery in ophthalmology by focusing on patient education, patient preferences, and system-based changes to delivering eye care. He has published on this work in several journals, including Survey of Ophthalmology, Preventive Medicine, and JAMA Ophthalmology.