BEAR is a clinician-led research unit based in Gqeberha, South Africa, dedicated to generating real-world evidence in medical and surgical ophthalmology, with a focus on corneal therapeutic lasers, diabetic eye disease, macular pathology, uveitis and innovative imaging in eye diseases.
BEAR (Bay Eye Academic Research) is a dedicated ophthalmic research unit integrating clinical practice, imaging platforms, and data science. The unit coordinates protocols, ethics processes, data capture and analysis across partnering facilities.
The unit runs a sustainable structure for:
Governance aligns with international good clinical practice standards (ICH-GCP) and local ethics and regulatory requirements, including registration with the National Health Research Ethics Council and the Eastern Cape Department of Health.
Key objectives (first 3 years):
Nine active projects are underway across BEAR, ranging from registered retrospective and prospective studies to published case reports. Registered studies carry their Nelson Mandela University Research Ethics Committee (Human) or SAMAREC ethics reference and their Eastern Cape Department of Health approval number.
A case report describing pars plana vitrectomy for macular pucker following an inadvertent needle-stick retinal injury in a nanophthalmic (anatomically small) eye — the first published account of posterior vitrectomy for this combination.
Documents a young patient whose OCT and visual field findings closely resembled glaucoma but were traced to occipital petalia, a benign brain anatomical variant — a useful diagnostic pitfall for clinicians reading OCT and visual fields in isolation.
A South African case report of fulminant rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis, forming the basis for a standardised multidisciplinary treatment protocol to support earlier recognition and faster, better-coordinated management of this life-threatening infection.
A retrospective case series reviewing outcomes of minimally invasive XEN® gel stent implantation performed in-office rather than in theatre — assessing whether this lower-cost approach to glaucoma surgery is safe and effective in a low-resource setting.
A narrative review bringing together the current literature and BEAR's own classification work on pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema (PCME) — the most common cause of reduced vision after otherwise uncomplicated cataract surgery.
A Zeiss-supported prospective study evaluating whether baseline OCT and OCT-angiography biomarkers can predict how well patients with diabetic macular oedema will respond to first-line treatment — helping guide therapy choice from the outset.
A ten-year retrospective review of pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema cases, examining risk factors, treatment approaches and long-term visual outcomes to inform local management guidelines.
A ten-year retrospective, case-controlled study applying artificial intelligence to pre-operative retinal imaging and intraoperative surgical video to identify which cataract surgery patients are at highest risk of developing PCME.
A case series and literature review of peripheral exudative haemorrhagic chorioretinopathy (PEHCR), a peripheral retinal condition that can be mistaken for a tumour, aimed at improving recognition and appropriate management.
Single-patient case reports and literature reviews are conducted under patient consent for publication and do not require separate ethics committee or Department of Health registration; registered studies involving prospective or systematic patient data collection carry the ethics and DoH reference numbers shown above.
The work programme prioritises high-impact, clinically relevant projects that leverage existing patient volumes and imaging platforms.
Medical retina
Surgical retina & cataract
Glaucoma & anterior segment
Data & infrastructure
The BEAR unit is developing in phases, starting with foundational governance and retrospective work, then progressing to prospective cohorts and multicentre collaborations.
For academic collaboration, study proposals or further information about the unit, please use the contact details below.
We welcome enquiries from clinicians, statisticians, students and industry partners interested in ophthalmic research collaboration, co-investigation, or supporting one of our registered studies.
Media and press enquiries about BEAR's published case reports or active studies are also welcome via the email above.