UPCOMING OCTOBER EVENTS
CE/CME ACCREDITED VIRTUAL COURSES
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OPHTHALMIC SURGERY GRAND GROUNDS (OSxGR) |
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PRACTICE UPDATES
WHAT'S NEW AT COLORADO RETINA ASSOCIATES
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FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS: VISIONWALK Join the CRA Team & raise funds to find a cure for blinding retinal diseases!
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It’s that time of the year, the Foundation Fighting Blindness’ 15th Annual Colorado VisionWalk is just around the corner.
On October 24th, 2020, participants from across the nation will join together virtually to show our united, unwavering commitment to the Foundation Fighting Blindness' mission: to find treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases. Even though we can’t physically be together, we can still show our support.
In 2019, the Colorado VisionWalk hit a record high of $214,000+. Including last year, the Colorado VisionWalk has raised over $1,800,000 since 2006, contributing to the more than $56 million raised nationally through our 35+ VisionWalks across the country. Our goal this year is $100,000 in Colorado, $10,000 of which coming from the CRA team and we're almost there!
Our team at Colorado Retina has been a key sponsor of the VisionWalk for 15 years and counting, raising $18,646 of the $214,000 this past year. To date, CRA has raised over $150,000 for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a national eye research organization dedicated to raising funds to support research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for 165,000 Coloradans and over 10 million people in the U.S. who are affected by the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt, Usher syndrome, and macular degeneration. Today, there are more than 40 human clinical trials underway with dozens of kids and young adults having their vision restored.
To join the fight to end blindness, become a member of our CRA team and help us fundraise!
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AAO SENIOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Congratulations to Dr. David Johnson, MD
A select few individuals earning 30 points and approved by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Awards Committee and the Board of Trustees receive the Senior Achievement Award, one of those recipients being Colorado Retina's Dr. David Johnson. The Senior Achievement Award honors contributions made to the Academy, its' scientific and educational programs and to ophthalmology.
Dr. David Johnson has been with Colorado Retina since its start, beginning his career at the University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology as a faculty member, eventually serving as Residency Program Director. Mentors Philip Ellis, MD and Kenneth Hovland, MD (CRA's Dr. Peter Hovland's dad!) led Dr. Johnson into the beginning of a fulfilling career as a vitreoretinal surgeon. As Dr. Johnson loves to jokingly quote, Dr. Ellis, “You don’t have to be very smart to be a retina surgeon, you just have to have a strong back”.
Dr. Johnson joined Douglas Holmes, MD in private practice in 1998, and the foundation of what would become Colorado Retina Associates was begun. After many years of collegial relationships and call coverage with like-minded retinal surgeons, twelve doctors from three separate practices eventually merged in 2006 to form Colorado Retina.
Dr. Johnson has been called the “Okay-est” golfer by many playing partners, and he continues the quest for a lower handicap. He also is a killer guitar player, often assisting the CRA doc band, The Detachments.
A big congratulations to Dr. Johnson, our staff and patients at Colorado Retina consider ourselves as the honored to have him as one of our resident founding father physicians.
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CASE OF THE MONTH
REAL CASES FROM YOUR REFERRED PATIENTS
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INVERTED INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE (ILM) FLAP PLACEMENT
Murtaza Adam, MD
This video from Colorado Retina's Dr. Murtaza Adam, MD demonstrates the utility of intraoperative OCT in confirming inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap placement at the conclusion of macular hole repair surgery. Theoretically serving as a scaffold for the edges of a hole to reappose, ILM flaps can be used to facilitate hole closure in cases with large macular holes (> 400 microns in size) or holes that persist following initial vitrectomy with gas tamponade.
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FEATURED NEWS ARTICLES
PRESS RELEASES & RESOURCES FROM OUR VITREORETINAL SPECIALISTS
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US RETINA SURGEONS CAN'T STOP SINGING THE BLUES
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Author: Brian C. Joondeph, MD, MPS
Seen in: Retina Today
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US retina surgeons can finally stop singing the blues since Dutch Ophthalmic Research Centre (DORC) announced its FDA-approval for TissueBlue.
Vital dyes are an essential tool of retina surgeons who perform macular surgery, specifically peeling of epiretinal membranes (ERM) or the internal limiting membrane (ILM). According to Market Scope, ILM peeling is performed in about a quarter of all vitrectomies. To aid in ophthalmic surgery, TissueBlue selectively stains the internal limiting membrane (ILM) so that it is clearly distinguished from the unstained retina, thereby facilitating removal.
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AN ELUSIVE MACULAR HOLE CLOSED BY
EYE DROPS ALONE
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CRA Co-Authors:
-Madeleine Webb, BA, BS
-Brian C. Joondeph, MD, MPS
Seen in: Retina Today
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AT A GLANCE
- Small MHs detected on high-density OCT scans might be missed on standard OCT scans.
- A course of NSAID drops may be a nonsurgical option for patients who present with small MHs.
A 64-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of blurred vision in his right eye (OD). His medical and ocular histories were unremarkable. On exam of his right eye and left eye (OS), VA was 20/40 and 20/20, respectively. Borderline high IOPs, mild nuclear sclerosis, and otherwise normal anterior segments were noted.
His fundus exam revealed macular edema OD; it was normal OS. Spectralis OCT high-speed 25-raster macular scans through, above, and below the fovea OD revealed macular edema and subretinal fluid. As the appearance was suggestive of a macular hole, a high-density OCT scan was performed, revealing a small MH missed during the standard OCT scan.
Given the small size of the MH and presence of edema at its edges, medical treatment with a topical NSAID was offered as an alternative to surgery. The patient was prescribed ketorolac eye drops 0.5% three times a day OD. After 6 weeks, the MH closed and a small pocket of subfoveal fluid persisted, but no macular edema was noted.
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RESEARCH
UPCOMING AND ACTIVE FDA-APPROVED CLINICAL RESEARCH TRIALS
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PAVILLION & PAGODA RESEARCH TRIALS
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As an organization, we're proud of our high-level involvement in ocular disease related clinical research. Our FDA-approved cutting-edge research program is essential in advancing medical knowledge and result in developing new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease, while providing hope for our patients.
Colorado Retina patients are able to search for actively recruiting studies that they may be able to participate in or learn about new interventions or treatments that are being considered.
CURRENTLY ENROLLING CLINICAL TRIALS:
PAGODA The Pagoda study will evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of the Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab (PDS) in Participants with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) when treated every 24 weeks (Q24W) compared with intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W).
PAVILLION This is a Multicenter, Randomized Study in Participants with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) Without Center-Involved Diabetic Macular Edema (CI-DME) to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety of the Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab (PDS) Relative to the Comparator Arm.
Port Delivery System with ranibizumab (PDS) is a permanent refillable eye implant that continuously delivers ranibizumab over a period of months, potentially reducing the treatment burden associated with frequent eye injections
Please contact Colorado Retina's Research Department for more information about screening, eligibility or clinical research related questions. EMAIL OR Phone: (720) 420-3265.
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COLORADO RETINA ASSOCIATES, P.C.
MAIN PHONE: (303) 261-1600
FAX: (303) 261-1601
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