NetwORC UK studies A UK-wide reading centre collaboration
The network of ophthalmic reading centres UK, known as NetwORC UK, was established in 2004 bringing together three reading centres located throughout the United Kingdom in a unique collaboration to facilitate the grading of ophthalmic images for clinical research studies. We are the collectively the largest ophthalmic reading centre in Europe. Studies that are currently delivered jointly by the three reading centres include:
EDNA study
Early detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a UK collaborative study funded by the NIHR health technology assessment Programme. The study aims to identify the optimum non-invasive test strategy to detect nAMD in unaffected fellow eyes during follow-up of people with nAMD in one eye.
FASBAT study
Observing Fibrosis, Macular Atrophy and Sub retinal Highly Reflective Material – before and after intervention with Anti-VEGF Treatment. This is an extension to the EDNA study.
UK BioBank Study
Involving a study group of 68,540 participants, NetwORC UK in collaboration with professor Paul Foster is assessing retinal images initially for disease of the macula, disease of the optic disc and disease of the mid peripheral retina. Stage two of the study involves a detailed grading of any cases with signs of diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Funding has been provided by Fight for Sight (normal/abnormal and DR grading), Macular Society (AMD grading) and the Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital (Glaucoma grading).
Additionally, the Moorfields reading centre is seeking to establish a programme of research utilising this extensive, high-quality, expert graded dataset of OCTs as reference standard for the validation of AI diagnostic algorithms when assessing their performance to identify retinal disease.
Read more on the UK Biobank site
STAR study
StereoTactic radiotherapy for wet Age-Related macular degeneration (STAR) is a randomised, double-masked, sham-controlled, clinical trial by King’s College London (the lead sponsors) comparing low-voltage X-ray irradiation with as needed ranibizumab, to as needed ranibizumab monotherapy for wet AMD.
LEAVO study
An NIHR funded multi-centre phase III double-masked randomised controlled non-inferiority trial, sponsored by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and managed by the Kings accredited clinical trials unit, comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of intravitreal therapy with ranibizumab vs aflibercept vs bevacizumab for macular oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion.