About Us - Grajewski/Lyra Foundation for Pediatric and Infantile Glaucoma

Mission Objectives

The GL Foundation will strive to provide treatment to as many children with glaucoma as possible.

- Treating and providing support for children and infants with pediatric and infantile glaucoma.

- Educating physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and infantile glaucoma.

- Furthering knowledge in pediatric and infantile glaucoma through basic science research.

Education and Training

The GL Foundation has geared itself to approach this mission on two fronts: National Education and International Training & Education:Nationally, education has been primarily on the early diagnosis of infantile glaucoma for Pediatricians and Family Practice physicians.

While Ophthalmologist generally receive training on the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric glaucoma the first line of diagnosis (prompt or delayed) often depends on the primary care physician to include glaucoma in the list of differential diagnosis. In order to accomplish this goal, the Foundation travels throughout rural America and through the support of local medical societies offers afternoon or evening lectures at regional and community hospitals to primary care physicians.

Internationally, the education has focused on Ophthalmologist. In this area we have attempted to establish “centers” and train local physicians dedicated to the treatment of pediatric glaucoma. In order to do this one or two skilled surgeons are identified with an interest in providing this care and then the GL Foundation travels to their institution to instruct them in their surroundings on the actual surgical techniques used to treat this form of glaucoma. To this end the GL Foundation has traveled to many areas of Central and South America as well as a few key locations in Europe.

Treatment and Support

Children who are identified with pediatric glaucoma often time come to attention of the Foundation via local ophthalmologist or pediatricians. After a review of the child’s medical and social situation the GL Foundation may assist in several ways:

Identification of a qualified local glaucoma specialist skilled in the surgical treatment of infantile glaucoma. While we hope to find one as close to home as possible this still often requires traveling some distance to a University setting. We then assist in securing the financial support needed in order that the child be care for at a distant center and often “out of network” with respect to insurance coverage. Utilization of our resources to get the child and a guardian to the specialist, often time includes transportation, housing, and initial medical cost.

Collaboration and Research

While the primary mission of the GL Foundation is to provide treatment and support of children with glaucoma, and the majority of our funds are applied to this mission and the mission to educate physicians, we hope to develop a data base of pediatric glaucoma from which we can further our knowledge on this entity.

Ultimately, the establishment of more Pediatric Glaucoma Centers similar to the one at Bascom Palmer will be able to pool information from this data base to answer questions on outcome of treatment, complications of treatment, effect of in delay of treatment, and over time quality of life issues which may guide physician in their care of these patients and their families.