Physicians

Chief, Glaucoma Service

Department / Division
Ophthalmology / Glaucoma Ophthalmology

Address
DUMC 3802
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone
919-681-3937

Fax Telephone
919-681-8267

Training

• MD, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (Ohio), 1979

Residency

• Ophthalmology, Eastern Virginia Medical Center (Virginia), 1984-1987

Fellowship

• Glaucoma, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 1987-1989

Clinical Interests
Glaucoma (including laser and conventional surgery), cataract surgery with emphasis on combined cataract and glaucoma, glaucoma implant surgery; research interests include new surgical approaches to glaucoma and the study of genetics in glaucoma and other inherited eye diseases

Research Interests
Dr. Allingham has pursued both basic science and clinical research in the subspecialty of glaucoma.  His major research interest is the study of genetic eye disorders, primarily the inherited glaucomas.   The most common form of glaucoma (primary open-angle glaucoma or POAG) is believed to have a strong genetic component.  He leads a large NIH funded study of which is directed at identifying the specific gene(s) responsible for glaucoma.  Over 9,000 individuals have been enrolled in the Duke Glaucoma Genetics Project over the past 15 years. He has conducted studies of glaucoma worldwide including Iceland, Africa, Mexico, India, and the Philippines. Dr. Allingham's research group has identified the genetic location of several new genes associated with glaucoma. By understanding the genetic source of glaucoma it will be possible to develop new diagnostic and treatment approaches for this disease.

In addition to genetic causes of glaucoma, Dr. Allingham has been a lead investigator into the role of cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSF pressure) as a risk factor for glaucoma. CSF is the clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. In a study performed by researchers at Duke and the Mayo Clinic, he has reported that CSF pressure is lower in glaucoma patients. This finding has been confirmed in research studies performed in China and elsewhere. Now there is evidence that there may be inherited factors that affect CSF formation. If true this would be another inherited factor that alters risk for glaucoma.      

In addition to these basic science research efforts into the glaucomas, he has had an on-going interest in the clinical management of glaucoma.  They include 1) examination of various laser treatment modalities in glaucoma; 2) the tissue response to laser surgery; and 3) investigations into innovative surgical treatment strategies for glaucoma.

Industry Relationships and Collaborations (What's this?)

This physician has no reported relationships with industry.

Representative Publications
Abu-Amero KK, Osman EA, Mousa A, Wheeler J, Whigham B, Allingham RR, Hauser MA, Al-Obeidan SA. Screening of CYP1B1 and LTBP2 genes in Saudi families with primary congenital glaucoma: genotype-phenotype correlation.  Mol Vis.  2011;17:2911-9. (2011) Abstract

Asrani S, Rosdahl JA, Allingham RR. Novel software strategy for glaucoma diagnosis: asymmetry analysis of retinal thickness. Arch Ophthalmol. 2011 Sep;129(9):1205-11. (2011) Abstract

Crooks KR, Allingham RR, Qin X, Liu Y, Gibson JR, Santiago-Turla C, Larocque-Abramson KR, Del Bono E, Challa P, Herndon LW, Akafo S, Wiggs JL, Schmidt S, Hauser MA. Genome-wide linkage scan for primary open angle glaucoma: influences of ancestry and age at diagnosis. PLoS One. 2011;6(7):e21967. (2011) Abstract

DeCroos FC, Kondo Y, Mordes D, Lee MR, Ahmad S, Asrani S, Allingham RR, Olbrich KC, Klitzman B. In vitro fluid dynamics of the Ahmed glaucoma valve modified with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. Curr Eye Res. 2011 Feb;36(2):112-7. (2011) Abstract

Liu Y, Allingham RR. Molecular genetics in glaucoma. Exp Eye Res. 2011 Oct;93(4):331-9. (2011) Abstract

Liu Y, Gibson J, Wheeler J, Kwee LC, Santiago-Turla CM, Akafo SK, Lichter PR, Gaasterland DE, Moroi SE, Challa P, Herndon LW, Girkin CA, Budenz DL, Richards JE, Allingham RR, Hauser MA. GALC deletions increase the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma: the role of Mendelian variants in complex disease. PLoS One. 2011;6(11):e27134. (2011) Abstract

Liu Y, Munro D, Layfield D, Dellinger A, Walter J, Peterson K, Rickman CB, Allingham RR, Hauser MA. Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) in normal human trabecular meshwork. Mol Vis. 2011;17:885-93. (2011) Abstract

Whigham BT, Williams SE, Liu Y, Rautenbach RM, Carmichael TR, Wheeler J, Ziskind A, Qin X, Schmidt S, Ramsay M, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. Myocilin mutations in black South Africans with POAG. Mol Vis. 2011;17:1064-9. (2011) Abstract

Abu-Amero KK, Osman EA, Dewedar AS, Schmidt S, Allingham RR, Al-Obeidan SA. Analysis of LOXL1 polymorphisms in a Saudi Arabian population with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. Mol Vis. 2010;16:2805-10. (2010) Abstract

Berdahl JP, Allingham RR. Intracranial pressure and glaucoma. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2010 Mar;21(2):106-11. (2010) Abstract

Liu W, Liu Y, Qin XJ, Schmidt S, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. AQP1 and SLC4A10 as candidate genes for primary open-angle glaucoma. Mol Vis. 2010;16:93-7. (2010) Abstract

Liu Y, Qin X, Schmidt S, Allingham RR, Hauser MA. Association between chromosome 2p16.3 variants and glaucoma in populations of African descent. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Apr 13;107(15):E61; author reply E62. (2010) Abstract

McDonald KK, Abramson K, Beltran MA, Ramirez MG, Alvarez M, Ventura A, Santiago-Turla C, Schmidt S, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. Myocilin and optineurin coding variants in Hispanics of Mexican descent with POAG. J Hum Genet. 2010 Oct;55(10):697-700. (2010) Abstract

Williams SE, Whigham BT, Liu Y, Carmichael TR, Qin X, Schmidt S, Ramsay M, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. Major LOXL1 risk allele is reversed in exfoliation glaucoma in a black South African population. Mol Vis. 2010;16:705-12. (2010) Abstract

Allingham RR, Liu Y, Rhee DJ. The genetics of primary open-angle glaucoma: a review. Exp Eye Res. 2009 Apr;88(4):837-44. (2009) Abstract

Berdahl JP, Ethier CR, Allingham RR. Cerebrospinal fluid pressure and glaucomatous optic disc cupping. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2009 May 15. (2009) Abstract

Allingham RR. Assessment of visual status of the Aeta, a hunter-gatherer population of the Philippines (an AOS thesis). Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 2008;106:240-51. (2008) Abstract

Liu Y, Akafo S, Santiago-Turla C, Cohen CS, Larocque-Abramson KR, Qin X, Herndon LW, Challa P, Schmidt S, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. Optineurin coding variants in Ghanaian patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Mol Vis. 2008;14:2367-72. (2008) Abstract

Liu Y, Schmidt S, Qin X, Gibson J, Hutchins K, Santiago-Turla C, Wiggs JL, Budenz DL, Akafo S, Challa P, Herndon LW, Hauser MA, Allingham RR. Lack of association between LOXL1 variants and primary open-angle glaucoma in three different populations. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Aug;49(8):3465-8. (2008) Abstract

Challa P, Hauser MA, Luna CC, Freedman SF, Pericak-Vance M, Yang J, McDonald MT, Allingham RR. Juvenile bilateral lens dislocation and glaucoma associated with a novel mutation in the fibrillin 1 gene. Mol Vis. 2006;12:1009-15. (2006) Abstract

Allingham RR, Wiggs JL, Hauser ER, Larocque-Abramson KR, Santiago-Turla C, Broomer B, Del Bono EA, Graham FL, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Hauser MA. Early adult-onset POAG linked to 15q11-13 using ordered subset analysis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005 Jun;46(6):2002-5. (2005) Abstract

Challa P, Herndon LW, Hauser MA, Broomer BW, Pericak-Vance MA, Ababio-Danso B, Allingham RR. Prevalence of myocilin mutations in adults with primary open-angle glaucoma in Ghana, West Africa. J Glaucoma. 2002 Oct;11(5):416-20. (2002) Abstract

Allingham RR, Loftsdottir M, Gottfredsdottir MS, Thorgeirsson E, Jonasson F, Sverisson T, Hodge WG, Damji KF, Stefánsson E. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome in Icelandic families. Br J Ophthalmol. 2001 Jun;85(6):702-7. (2001) Abstract

Allingham RR, Wiggs JL, Damji KF, Herndon L, Youn J, Tallett DA, Jones KH, Del Bono EA, Reardon M, Haines JL, and Pericak-Vance MA. Adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma does not localize to chromosome 2cen-q13 in north american families, Hum Heredity 48:251-255, 1998. (1998)

Allingham RR, de Kater AW, Ethier CR: Schlemm's canal and primary open angle glaucoma: Correlation between Schlemm's canal dimensions and outflow facility. Experimental Eye Res, 62:101-109, 1996. (1996)

Allingham RR, de Kater AW, Hsu J, Bellows AR: Probe placement and power levels in contact transscleral Nd:YAG cyclophotocoagulation. Arch. Ophthalmol, 108:738-742, 1990. (1990)

Allingham, R.R.; Williams, P.B., Crouch, E.R., et. al.: Topical applied aminocaproic acid significantly reduces the incidence of secondary hemorrhage in traumatic hyphemia in the rabbit model. Arch Ophthalmol 106:1436-1438, 1988. (1988)