Retina Foundation of The Southwest

The first day of vision research at the Retina Foundation of the Southwest was July 1, 1982 after a nation-wide search was conducted and Dr. David Birch, from Harvard, and Dr. Eileen Birch, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were hired on as our first Scientific Directors. Drs. Birch have dedicated their lives to conducting sight-saving research. Since 1982, the Retina Foundation of the Southwest has made many ground-breaking discoveries for the way the world understands, prevents, and treats vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, pediatric eye conditions, and inherited eye diseases. Today, the Retina Foundation is comprised of five laboratories participating in more than 35 clinical research studies and providing more than 2,000 vision assessments to children and adults each year completely free of charge. Mission: The mission of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest is to prevent vision loss and restore sight through innovative research and treatment.