Professor Sir Peng Tee Khaw’s laboratory group carry out research into the basic biology of healing, with a view to developing new treatments for the prevention of scarring and regeneration of tissues after ocular surgery and disease. They have designed specific single applications of intra-operative antimetabolites, which has led to the 'More Flow Regimen' and long term clinical trials in UK, the Far East and Africa. These trials have shown prospectively for the first time that progression after field and disc change can be almost completely stopped by the control of scarring and maximal pressure lowering.

He has developed the ‘Moorfields Safer Surgery System’. The change in surgical technique of antimetabolite application has led to a dramatic reduction in antimetabolite bleb related complications (>75% reduction in blebitis and endophthalmitis) and has been widely adopted around the world.  This received a highest research impact score at the last REF exercise.  He has continued to refine surgical techniques introducing new techniques such as the ‘adjustable’ suture to titrate intraocular safely downwards. He has proposed the the 10 10 10 audacious goal for glaucoma surgery - a pressure of 10 mmHg, lasting at least 10 years and delivered in 10 minutes.  This multidisciplinary project is currently underway.

A Moorfields trial has also shown a significant reduction in postoperative retinal scarring after detachment surgery (the first trial in the world to show this). They are also developing further improved surgical techniques for glaucoma surgery, and new anti-scarring treatments based on modern biotechnology. They are developing different methods of modifying cellular contractile and matrix modulating activity with small molecules for the prevention of scarring in the cornea, conjunctiva, lens capsule and the retina in the eye, and in other parts of the body. They are developing this treatment for human use with one of the first UK Medical Research Council Developmental Pathway Translational Awards and a new drainage device supported by the NIHR i4i Award, together with Professor Steve Brocchini and Dr Maryse Bailly.

They have also popularised the concept that the prevention of fibrosis may open the door to regeneration in the human body. His group also collaborate in research into stem cells including a line of multipotent stem cells in the adult retina that can de-differentiate into various cells of the retina and help maintain vision in a model of retinal blindness. They are also working on projects to regenerate function of the optic nerve using stem cells with Professors Astrid Limb and Geoff Raisman, resulting in the recent "energy" theory of glaucoma based on astrocytic-axon disinsertion leading to axonal and ganglion cell body death with the subsequent collapse of the nerve head. This has led to new approaches to rescue neuroaxonal function in glaucoma.

Professor Sir Peng Tee Khaw has helped raise research and infrastructure grants of over £120 million, including the new £20 million Moorfields International Children’s Eye Centre, for which he was the main clinical fundraiser. He headed the application for and is the director of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Ophthalmology, which includes a new NIHR Clinical Research Facility and Translational Research Clinical Centre (TRACC) to ‘fast track’ new clinical therapies, an NIHR early phase unit, and the Weston Functional testing centre. 

Professor Sir Peng Khaw passionately believes that scientific research will enable us to achieve new and better treatments to prevent ocular scarring, and to ultimately promote regeneration of tissues to prevent and treat blindness around the world.