Southwest Eye Registry: Supporting IRD Research

The Retina Foundation of the Southwest (RFSW) in Dallas, TX,  established the Southwest Eye Registry (SER) in 1995 to advance research into inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and related disorders.

The Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area serves as the central hub for this initiative, with patients referred from neighboring states including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana along with patients who travel from across the world to participate. By expanding outreach, the SER is building a comprehensive database to accelerate discoveries that can lead to treatments and cures.

Registry Highlights

• 9,825 individuals enrolled

• Data collected: Clinical measures of vision (visual acuity, ERG, visual fields, dark adaptation), pedigrees, DNA samples, and results of genetic analysis.

• DNA repository: Samples are extracted, catalogued, and securely stored at RFSW, with portions shared with collaborating labs for genotyping.

• Long-term follow-up: Visual function data spanning up to 30 years provides an unparalleled resource for studying disease progression and genotype/phenotype correlations.

• High-quality data: 85% of patients have electroretinogram (ERG) results, strengthening the link between genetic findings and functional outcomes.

Why This Matters

Inherited retinal diseases are a leading cause of blindness in children and young adults, yet treatments remain limited. The SER provides the infrastructure necessary to connect patients, families, and researchers—accelerating clinical trials and paving the way for future therapies.

How Donations Help

Your support will expand patient recruitment across Texas and neighboring states, strengthen genetic testing and data collection, and maintain the vital biorepository. Together, we can preserve sight and bring hope to families impacted by inherited blindness.