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VSP Research Grant
Background
Private practice optometry has a unique primary care support role in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease, particularly with regard to costly systemic medical maladies. This primary care role provides optometry with the ability to do more towards influencing individual lifestyle and behavioral changes that can lead to lower cost, better medical outcomes and an overall improvement in a patient's quality of life. Evidence-based optometric research is in its infancy, particularly with regard to outcomes research. A significant need for evaluation of the effectiveness of optometric interventions exists today.
Purpose
The American Optometric Foundation and VSP have entered into a partnership to support the research into the efficacy of optometric care and optometric medical interventions. Topics related to private practice, optometric outcomes will be given high priority. Examples would include diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, glaucoma, corneal arcus, metabolic syndrome, and macular degeneration, but proposals in other areas are encouraged as well. Other areas of emphasis include research investigating the possible link between optometry and other medical maladies and linkage to lifestyle and behavioral issues (like obesity) that have medical or optometric ramifications.
Awards
There will be a single one-year award of up to $42,000.
Application Deadline
A wide variety of research-oriented entities are eligible for this program, including but not limited to individual researchers; corporations; schools and colleges of optometry; schools and colleges of public health; schools and colleges of medicine; professional associations; and private foundations.
Application Deadline
Submissions must be received by March 1, 2008. Grant recipients will be announced in May 2008.
Application and Review Procedures
Each proposal must be electronically submitted on 8.5" x 11" sized paper and must contain the following components.
- Introduction; background and significance; specific aims; preliminary studies; and study design and methods. These sections should total no more than 5 pages.
- References (maximum of 1 page)
- Budget and budget justification (maximum of 1 page)
- Biographical sketch(es) of Principal and one co-investigator only (maximum of 2 pages for each investigator)
- Education/training; research and professional experience; honors and awards
- Publications (refereed) for the last three years and representative earlier
Applications that do not follow this outline will not be considered. Proposals are reviewed by a peer review committee established by the American Academy of Optometry's Research Committee.
Application Submission
All proposals must be sent electronically by e-mail to: 
Costs
The AOF is a non-profit organization and our policy is not to cover any overhead/indirect costs associated with VSP Research Grants or any other of our programs. This policy applies uniformly to all award recipients.
Award Conditions
Funds support research conducted for a period of one year. Recipients must submit a report of their research findings to the AOF at the end of the award period and will be encouraged to submit a manuscript to Optometry and Vision Science.
For additional information, contact Mark Bullimore, MCOptom, PhD, FAAO, President, American Optometric Foundation: by phone (614) 292-4724 or e-mail 
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