Journal of Eye & Cataract Surgery Open Access

Frederick (Rick) W. Fraunfelder

Biography

Rapid growth has occurred in both clinical and research endeavors, from 4 to 6 research faculty and from 11 to 18 clinical faculty, in the 2 years since my appointment as chairman of the University of Missouri Department of Ophthalmology, Mason Eye Institute. Future expansion includes a new eye institute, new research space, and recruitment of additional top-notch faculty and vision scientists. My personal research includes investigation of the ocular side effects of drugs and vaccines, the technique of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for surface eye tumors, infectious diseases like herpes simplex virus keratitis and benign conditions such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis. Clinical trials involving these techniques are in the works, as is a clinical trial using vorinostat, a chemotherapeutic agent, as an ocular solution to prevent and treat surface ocular malignancies. I am also collaborating with a bioengineer at the University of Missouri College of Engineering on the development of a cryopreservation device and medium to increase the duration in which donor corneas can be preserved. I am active in teaching courses at meetings of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and presenting papers at meetings of the American Ophthalmological Society, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISOP) and the International Symposium on Ocular Pharmacology & Therapeutics (ISOPT). I look forward to increasing my activities in the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO). I have considerable editorial and review expertise and am the author of over 125 published articles, book chapters and books, including the recently revised edition of the book Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects. Springer Publishers has solicited a book from me on surface ocular oncology, to supplement what is already on the market, and I have agreed to produce a manuscript within 1-2 years. I am also on the leadership team of the University of Missouri Health Care and serve on numerous committees, including committees on master facilities space plan selection, hospital clinical operations, and operating room operations. The publications below highlight some of my recent articles on drug-induced ocular side effects.

Research Interest

Investigation of the ocular side effects of drugs and vaccines, the technique of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for surface eye tumors, infectious diseases like herpes simplex virus keratitis and benign conditions such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis, ocular malignancies.