Glaucoma Research Foundation Launches Treatment Accelerator with Transformative $5 Million Gift
Largest-ever gift to Glaucoma Research Foundation moves vision-restoration discoveries from lab to clinic faster than ever before
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glaucoma Research Foundation is proud to announce it received a transformative $5 million gift from the John and Daria Barry Foundation, the largest single donation in the organization’s history. The landmark contribution will launch the Treatment Accelerator Initiative, a bold effort that rapidly transforms scientific breakthroughs into therapies for people with glaucoma—accelerating the development of new treatments that preserve and restore sight for millions affected by glaucoma worldwide.
“This extraordinary gift from the John and Daria Barry Foundation marks a new era in glaucoma research,” said Thomas M. Brunner, President and CEO of Glaucoma Research Foundation. “The Treatment Accelerator will allow us to build on our decades of progress and move urgently toward therapies that improve—and in some cases restore—vision. It represents a forward-looking investment in eliminating vision loss from glaucoma and brings us closer to a future free from glaucoma.”
With the Treatment Accelerator, Glaucoma Research Foundation is poised to:
- Focus on advancing the field of neuroprotection, an area of research aimed at preserving and protecting the optic nerve from damage, potentially slowing or preventing vision loss.
- Provide funding and infrastructure that accelerates science discoveries into preclinical and first-in-human studies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of new treatments.
- Foster collaboration among leading scientists, clinicians, and biotech innovators.
- Support additional early-stage research projects that traditional funders may overlook but have a high potential for impact.
- Revolutionize the traditional path from bench to bedside to fundamentally change the treatment of glaucoma.
The $5 million contribution will be disbursed over five years, providing a pool of financial resources that Glaucoma Research Foundation can distribute to move key laboratory breakthroughs from bench to bedside.
The John and Daria Barry Foundation invests in medical research that is meaningful to the Barry family. Daria Becker Barry was diagnosed with glaucoma in 2012. After losing peripheral vision to the disease, she was drawn to the opportunity to improve the lives of others who also struggle with this sight-stealing condition.
“We want to put glaucoma on the map as a serious, neurodegenerative illness and speed up the search for new treatments and cures,” said Daria Becker Barry, Head of Administration and Managing Director at Prospect Capital Management. “Through this initiative, we hope to trigger progress that not only preserves sight but ultimately restores it for the millions affected by this devastating disease.”
For nearly five decades, Glaucoma Research Foundation has harnessed donor support to advance its mission to cure glaucoma—the leading cause of irreversible blindness. With no cure and everyone at risk, the global impact is growing, with an estimated 112 million people expected to be affected by 2040.
“Through our unique collaborative research program, Catalyst for a Cure, scientists have identified potential treatment targets, and the Treatment Accelerator is a pivotal opportunity to speed the development of innovative therapies for glaucoma,” Brunner said. “We’re calling on other impact-driven donors to join us in accelerating progress and bringing hope to millions living with vision loss.”
Learn more about Glaucoma Research Foundation’s critical investments in scientific research and how you can help at: https://glaucoma.org.
About the Glaucoma Research Foundation
Founded in 1978, Glaucoma Research Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing innovative research and providing education and support to those affected by glaucoma. Through advocacy, research funding, and public awareness campaigns, Glaucoma Research Foundation is committed to protecting vision and improving the lives of people with glaucoma.
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