Impact of 11 years of glaucoma research funding: Glaucoma Research Society of Canada (2010-2020).

Abstract

Objective: The Glaucoma Research Society of Canada (GRSC) is Canada's only nonprofit organization dedicated to funding peer-reviewed glaucoma research. This study evaluates the impact of GRSC-funded projects using established research productivity metrics.

Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: GRSC-funded grants from 2010 to 2020 were analyzed, including project details and funding amounts. Research productivity was assessed by (1) the number of peer-reviewed publications and (2) the number of conference presentations at major North American meetings. Publications were identified via PubMed searches of grant recipients, ensuring alignment with GRSC-funded topics. Conference presentations were determined by reviewing accepted abstracts from 5 key ophthalmology meetings: the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Research output was analyzed in relation to funding costs.

Results: Of 135 grants totaling $2,220,822, 84 (62%) led to at least one publication (92 total), while 67 (50%) resulted in conference presentations (85 total). The average research output per grant was 1.3, with costs of $12,547 per research output and $24,139 per publication. Research costs increased over time, with a slight decrease in 2019.

Conclusions: GRSC-funded research consistently generates peer-reviewed knowledge, with over half of projects producing publications or presentations. Despite rising research costs, the high success rate in knowledge dissemination underscores GRSC's critical role in sustaining and advancing glaucoma research in Canada.