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FACULTY NEWS continued Malik Kahook, MD recently had his research recognized by AAO News and Views for his study on “Location of glaucoma drainage devices relative to the optic nerve”. He also was awarded the American Glaucoma Society Patient Adherence Research Award (2007) on December of 2006. This is a competitive grant awarded to one glaucoma specialist in the United States to study compliance to glaucoma medical therapy. He is also the recipient of an AGS Clinician Scientist Grant for 2007 for his study on new medications for neuroprotection. Dr. Kahook was also given an unrestricted grant awarded by Alcon for a study involving the effects of glaucoma medications on the ocular surface. Dr. Kahook was named Associate Editor of Ophthalmic Surgery Lasers and Imaging and section editor of Glaucoma Today “Residents and Fellows Q & A”. At the Vail Vitrectomy meeting held in March 2007, Naresh Mandava, MD showcased a new instrument for retinal surgery which he developed with Dutch Ophthalmics Inc. Jeffrey Olson, MD continues his work in the vision science laboratory. His research, coauthored with Dr. Mandava, entitled “Intravitreal Infliximab inhibits choroidal neovascularization” will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology. Also, he recently published an article “Cerebellar and retinal vascular lesions in a postpartum patient,” co-authored by Naresh Mandava, MD and Jeffrey Bennett, MD, PhD, in the journal American Family Physician. Michael Taravella, MD was selected to join the Teacher’s Scholars Program at UCDHSC. Dr. Taravella brings 20 years of teaching experience to this structured program. His goal is to define how modern surgery should be taught. His work includes the design of a cataract surgery simulator here at RMLEI. Congratulations to our very own Rebecca Sands Braverman, MD and Jon Braverman, MD who married on New Year’s Eve, 2006 in Wayne, New Jersey. FACULTY LISTING Our full time faculty at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is comprised of Ophthalmologists with specialties that serve all your ophthalmic needs. www.eyeinstitute.org CALL 720-848-2020 FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING Michael Erlanger, MD Richard Davidson, MD J. Bronwyn Bateman, MD Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Professor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Cornea & External Diseases Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery Adult Strabismus Darren Gregory, MD Ophthalmic Genetics Arlene Drack, MD Assistant Professor Associate Professor Rebecca Sands Cornea & External Diseases Pediatric Ophthalmology & Braverman, MD Kara Hanson, OD Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor Clinical Instructor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Ophthalmic Genetics Low Vision Rehabilitation Adult Strabismus Vikram Durairaj, MD Malik Kahook, MD Associate Professor Theodore Curtis, MD Assistant Professor Ophthalmic Plastic and Assistant Professor Glaucoma & Cataracts Pediatric Ophthalmology & Reconstructive Surgery Orbital Surgery Adult Strabismus CALL 303-436-6426 AT DENVER HEALTH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jon Braverman, MD Antonio Ciardella, MD Nicholas Faberowski, MD Assistant Clinical Professor Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Comprehensive Vitreoretinal Disease Glaucoma Ophthalmology FEATURE FOCUS ! UA L University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center Department of Ophthalmology Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Mail Stop F731 1675 North Ursula Street P.O. Box 6510 Aurora, CO 80045 Denver, CO Permit #2378 PAID Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Jon M. Braverman, MD Associate Clinical Professor E DATE Twenty-four hour emergency services complement the Ocular and Orbital Trauma Services available through the Department of Ophthalmology and Affiliate Centers. Patient referrals are directed to us from throughout the state of Colorado and surrounding states seeking the expertise of this and the other Ophthalmology Subspecialty Services offered in the Department of Ophthalmology. ANN 7 - 11 T H AY 6, 200 RCH D • JUNE 1 LMOLOGY RESEA NNUAL O P H TH A - 11 T H A , 2007 SIUM O 9 & 20 • OCT. 1 LMOLOGY SYMP O P H TH A Many of our full-time attending physicians are very experienced in the field of ocular and orbital trauma, given our status as Level One (Denver Health Medical Center, The Childrens’ Hospital) and Level Two (University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center) Trauma Centers. Collectively these centers see a majority of annual cases of ocular and orbital trauma in the Rocky Mountain Region. In 2006 ocular and orbital trauma census data indicates approximately 1120 cases at Denver Health Medical Center, 100 cases at University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, and 50 cases at The Childrens’ Hospital. This annual experience has prepared the experts at these centers to deal with a wide variety of injuries both on an acute and post-acute rehabilitative level. 720-848-2020 is your direct link to the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute for appointments or consultations with an ophthalmology specialist. Ocular and orbital trauma remains a pandemic disease in both developed and under-developed countries of the world. Any person of any age could be affected by these disorders as a result of accident or assault. The mechanism of trauma can be quite varied, even exotic, but visual outcomes depend strongly on access to expert specialized services such as those available through the Department of Ophthalmology. Michael Taravella, MD Associate Professor Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery For more information visit us on the web at RMLEI DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND AFFILIATE CENTERS Jeffrey Olson, MD Assistant Professor Vitreoretinal Disease www.eyeinstitute.org OCULAR AND ORBITAL TRAUMA SERVICES Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor Interim Chair Vitreoretinal Disease MISSION STATEMENT CALL 720-848-2080 AT UCH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jeffrey Bennett, MD Victoria Pelak, MD Associate Professor Associate Professor Neuro-ophthalmology Neuro-ophthalmology A glorious honeymoon was had in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Both are glad to be back at work with fading tans. DOCTORS: Douglas MacKenzie, MD Assistant Professor Glaucoma “To be a nationally recognized Department of Ophthalmology that serves the people of the Rocky Mountain region by providing exemplary patient care founded on educational leadership, innovative research, and high ethical standards.” SAVE TH Congratulations to Dr. William Jackson who was recently promoted to Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ophthalmology. Although Dr. Jackson has retired from practice at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, he still remains active in the department. Drs. Antonio Ciardella & Naresh Mandava were recently elected to the Macula Society and will be speaking at the 30th annual meeting scheduled for May 30- June 2 at the London Hilton on Park Lane in London, England. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , 2007 Hanson is a consultant. The first clinic in November was a success, providing low vision evaluations to 12 students and recommendations for devices to help expand their access to educational material. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , S A PUBLICATION OF THE D EPARTMENT OF O PHTHALMOLOGY R OCKY M OUNTAIN L IONS E YE I NSTITUTE U NIVERSITY OF C OLORADO 2007 PRING /S U M M E R , 2007 FOCUS ON THE INSTITUTE Dear Friends and Colleagues, The Department of Ophthalmology and the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute are engaged in many translational projects which have the potential to bring new drugs and devices to our patients and do nothing short of restore or preserve sight for our patients. Translational research uses knowledge of human biology to develop and test the feasibility of ophthalmic-relevant interventions in humans and/or determines the biological basis for observations in individuals with ocular disease or in populations at risk for ocular disease. It is our responsibility to our patients as well as our academic and research missions to invent, investigate, and implement these new technologies. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) and other funding agencies have recently focused research funding to areas, which have translational potential. Clinically irrelevant research is no longer funded. This is not to say that the most basic research is not important. In fact, it is more important than ever. We need to understand all of the mechanisms and the genetics involved in complex diseases to treat them. Unfortunately, the dollars are limited, so the funding agencies need to be very focused in a time when the possibilities for breakthroughs is greater than ever. Our Department is focused on several projects, which we feel have the potential to be breakthrough contributions. Our retina division is involved in assessing different molecules which can treat wet macular degeneration. Research starts in the lab and drugs are tested in animal models before they can be brought to FDA testing. Our retina division also has a project in artificial vision, which may some day lead to solutions for currently irreversible and progressive blindness. Our glaucoma, orbit, and cornea divisions are identifying undiscovered proteins in the eye (proteomics) which could lead to advances in early diagnosis of disease and potential targets for treatment in diseases such as glaucoma, retinal diseases, as well as more common conditions such as severe dry eye syndrome. The best physicians and surgeons will define the research paths, which our basic researchers take. It is the role of institutions like ours to define what is clinically relevant. We are fortunate to have some of the best ophthalmic surgeons and clinical researchers in the country. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is ranked 15th in the country in NIH funding and we are in the midst of developing one of the largest research centers in the world on the UCDHSC Anschutz Medical campus. The Department will continue to harness the energy and brainpower of this cutting edge institution, which is necessary for us to succeed in making these news drugs and devices a reality. Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor and Interim Chair Director, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic Managing a hospital-based ophthalmology clinic has provided me with an opportunity to compare nursing skills to the unique skill set of experienced ophthalmic technicians. In ophthalmology, a majority of technicians are trained on-the-job though there are more and more ophthalmic technical training programs popping up at universities around the country. In the course of preparing a patient to see an ophthalmologist for a specific eye problem, ophthalmic technicians may perform over 20 various ophthalmic testing procedures to assist the ophthalmologist in determining exactly what eye condition a patient may have. We are lucky here at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute (RMLEI) that the majority of our technicians have over 10 years of experience working in ophthalmology, and several have over 20 years of experience. In addition to many years of experience, the vast majority of our technicians have been certified through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. By ensuring that our staff has adequate skills and experience, and by providing ongoing technician education courses, we are able to deliver the quality of care that our patients expect when they come to our facility. Loretta Todaro Clinic Manager, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY UPDATE FEATURE FOCUS The Children’s Hospital Eye Clinic is pleased to announce that the pediatric satellite clinic at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is in full swing. Drs. Arlene Drack (Chair of the Ophthalmology Division at The Children's Hospital), Theodore Curtis, and Rebecca Sands Braverman are available for pediatric consultation at RMLEI by calling the TCH Eye Clinic at 303-861-6062. Our pediatric ophthalmologists are proud to be involved with the Colorado Lions KidSight Program. Drs. Drack and Curtis are co-directors of the program, and eye clinic manager Cameile Moore, COMT, CO, MS, serves as program coordinator. The Colorado KidSight Program is a project of the Lions of Colorado. Volunteers from various Lions Clubs go to preschools across the state of Colorado to take photoscreening pictures of children’s eyes. The light reflected from the retina is analyzed to detect refractive errors, strabismus, and /or media opacities. Bright crescents in the pupils indicate a possible vision problem - the specific type of problem is indicated by the size and location of the crescent. This proves helpful as many of the children are too young to read and thus unable to participate in standard eye exams. The Lion Allan Leach from the Loveland Lions Club showing Children's Hospital a preschooler the photo of his eyes. Eye Clinic is the interpretation center for the Lion’s Club of Colorado photoscreening tests and Drs. Drack & Curtis regularly receive photos for analysis. The interpretation of these special photographs enable the diagnosis of the major causes of vision loss in children. If a problem is detected, the Lion’s Club follows up with each patient and family to ensure the preschoolers receive proper eye care. (Left) Two examples of the types of photos taken with the Photoscreening camera. These photos were taken directly from the Kidsight Photoscreening Training manual, given to the physicians to depict the variance. By examining the “crescent”, the physicians can identify strabismus, cataracts, and amblyopia. In normal photos, the “crescent” should be minimal or non-occurring; the larger the “crescent” the greater the severity of the child’s visual problem. In the first set of two photographs, the physicians can detect that the child has strabismus (crossing of the eyes) in their right eye, likely to cause amblyopia (an impairment of the vision in one eye caused by lack of use). In the second set of two photographs, the child’s left eye is normal and the right eye depicts high hyperopia (farsightedness). A difference in refraction between the two eyes is the most common cause of amblyopia. FOCUS ON RESIDENTS and FELLOWS A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A RESIDENT . . . For the past three years I have been part of the University of Colorado ophthalmology training program, and (along with the other 11 residents) have stayed quite busy with clinical responsibilities, educational conferences, and research. The typical day starts with a case presentation at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. The residents present the majority of cases, and then faculty give their input to stimulate discussion and emphasize teaching points. From there, we all go our separate ways to cover several hospitals for a diverse training experience. Throughout our three years of training we rotate several times through the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. We have the privilege of working closely with attendings in an outstanding facility. With the latest technology available at our finger tips, we become proficient at diagnosing and treating complicated eye diseases. Three months of each year we rotate through the VA Medical Center and Denver Health Medical Center. As first year residents, these rotations give us the opportunity to acquire basic exam skills and learn how to manage commonly encountered eye diseases. Second year residents gradually take on more responsibility and begin to learn cataract surgery. During the third year of our residency we gain the majority of our surgical WE VERY PROUDLY PRESENT OUR GRADUATES RICHARD CANNON, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the northern Rocky Mountains. CHRISTOPHER GELSTON, MD is completing his fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery. He has accepted a position with Dr. Stuart Kaufman in Tampa, Florida. LEE KRAMM, MD has accepted the Medical Officer position within the FDA's Division of Ophthalmic Devices with a clinical appointment at the National Eye Institute and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. NATHAN RUDOMETKIN, MD is finishing his 2-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Disease and Surgery. He will be joining a private retina practice outside of Temecula, California. SCOTT THOMAS, MD will be joining a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in San Antonio, Texas. This photo is of a little girl named Cassidy, from Littleton, who was referred for a full eye exam as a result of a vision screening at her preschool in 2006. Her mom gave us this testimonial: "Thanks to the screening we found out that Cassidy has anisometropia. The doctor said she could have gone blind in that eye. She had never given any indication that she had any problems with her vision. The screening was such a good thing." LAUREN ZIMSKI, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the Denver Metro area CONTINUING RESIDENTS CLASS OF 2008 Suzanne Falkenberry, MD Eric Hink, MD Parin Gohel, MD Anand Shah, MD Geetha Athappilly, MD Drew Dixon, MD Ryan Berger, MD Ginny Kullman, MD CLASS OF 2009 experience. Residents are fortunate to perform a tremendous variety of eye surgery including cataract surgery, in addition to glaucoma, oculoplastics, and retina surgery during these rotations. The majority of our pediatric training is at The Children’s Hospital which has both outpatient clinics and a busy inpatient service. We see everything from commonly encountered eye problems in the pediatric population to rare genetic diseases, and also learn strabismus surgery. All residents are encouraged to take an active role in research. This is not difficult, as many of the faculty have projects, and are eager for the help. As a reward for their hard work, residents are sponsored to present their research at national meetings. Every June there is a research symposium for faculty and residents to showcase their achievements. We are fortunate to have four hospitals that provide us with diverse learning experiences and ample surgical breadth and volume. At the end of our three years, the large clinical volume ensures we are armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful as general ophthalmologists or to pursue subspecialty training. Lauren Zimski, MD PGY-4 Chief Administrative Resident WELCOME TO OUR INCOMING CLASS OF 2010! These physicians will join our residency program at the PGY-2 level in July 2007. Dave Freeman, MD from the University of Nevada School of Medicine is completing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. Andy Hendrick, MD from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health is also finishing his intern year at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital’s Internal Medicine program in Denver. Michael Horsley, MD from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year at Tucson Hospitals Medical Education Program in Tucson, Arizona. Chris Russo, MD from Drexel University College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Winthop-University Hospital program in Mineola, New York. We have very recently matched with four excellent candidates for our residency class to start in July 2008. We welcome our future-residents who will graduate in 2011: Emily McCourt is currently a fourth-year medical student at The State University of New York at Buffalo. Leonard Seibold is a fourth-year student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Carolyn Pan is a senior medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Lisa Wong is in her final year at Stanford University School of Medicine. Foundation Fighting Blindness Schedule Mile High Denver Chapter May 12 Chapter meeting 10 - 1 pm Jun 18 Swing for Sight Golf Tournament Jul 20-22 Visions Conference - Kansas City Sep 29 Visionwalk Colorado - Hudson Gardens Call 303-799-1501 for more details FOCUS ON FACULTY We are pleased to announce a new professorship in the Department of Ophthalmology, The Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology Research. Eleanor Marmaduke was born in Vinton, Iowa in 1903. She attended the University of Colorado where she became a life long member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She began her career in teaching in a one room log school house in Wyoming and became an executive administrative assistant for Bechtel Corporation. She was stationed thoughout the world in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, England, France and Holland. Ms. Marmaduke held a special place in her heart for our Department and faculty. She had a strong interest in FACULTY NEWS Antonio Ciardella, MD will be lecturing at the 27th Annual Pan American Congress of Ophthalmology in Cancun Mexico on May 30, 2007. His lecture will be part of the retina subspecialty day and will be on the topic of Autofluorescence. Congratulations to Dr. Ciardella and his wife Dr. Jasmeliz Ciardella as they celebrated the birth of their first children, twin daughters Francesca & Chiara on December 5th. Richard Davidson, MD was recently invited to be a guest lecturer at the 13th Annual Catholic University Symposium of Ophthalmology: New Horizons for NonSurgical Corneal Reshaping and Lamellar Keratoplasty in Seoul, Korea on February 3rd, 2007. He gave lectures on Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty and Introduction to DSAEK Surgery, both of which are new techniques for corneal transplantation. Dr. Davidson served as an associate examiner for the ABO oral board examination given in November 2006. Arlene Drack, MD has been asked to be cochair of the Seurat Society, a group started by the University of Iowa dedicated to advancing and sharing knowledge about genetic eye disease. She is also an active participant in Project 3000, an initiative aimed at getting a genetics diagnosis for each of the estimated 3000 Americans living with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). LCA is a congenital form of retinitis pigmentosa which causes lifelong blindness. Genetic diagnosis is a first step toward treatment protocols. pediatric eye care and chose to donate to that cause. She was really a strong woman who wanted to make a difference for children after she suffered a retinal condition. Dr. Arlene Drack is the Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology. Dr. Drack joined our faculty in 2003 and is the Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Children’s Hospital. She began her career in pediatric ophthalmology at Emory University for a decade before she joined us here in Colorado. She is fellowship trained in both Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Molecular Genetics in Iowa University and in Ophthalmic Genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins. Dr. Drack also staffs our ophthalmic genetics clinic and is developing a regional ophthalmic genetics clinical research center here at RMLEI with The Children’s Hospital. Vikram Durairaj, MD authored an article titled “Clinical Perspectives of Thyroid Eye Disease” which was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Medicine. In addition, he was a co-author for Tarsoconjunctival pedical flap for the management of severe scleral melt which was published in the February issue of Cornea. He also co-authored a section on WebMD regarding Blepharoplasty, Upper Eyelid. Lectures that Dr. Durairaj gave include several Grand Rounds presentations at the University of Pittsburgh in October 2006; Yale University (gave lectures to the Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Surgery) in October 2006; and the University of Florence, Italy in November 2006. He also lectured to the Ophthalmology and ENT residents in Oklahoma City in October 2006. Dr. Durairaj was a featured speaker at the Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery Ultimate Mid-Winter Meeting in Vail, Colorado in January 2007 and presented 3 lectures. He also was an invited speaker at the University of Nebraska Late Winter Symposium “Updates in ENT” in Silverthorne, Colorado in March 2007. Drs. Durairaj, Davidson, Kahook and Taravella traveled to Fort Worth, Texas in February to present at an Alcon sponsored Continuing Professional Education Meeting. Kara Hanson, OD was the keynote speaker at the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, NM Chapter (NM-AER) conference Feb 22-23. Dr. Hanson reviewed the components of a low vision evaluation and also lectured on the advantages and disadvantages of specific low vision devices. New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired will be holding their second pilot low vision clinic (NMSBVI’s Access to Learning Clinic), for which Dr. (continued on reverse side) PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY UPDATE FEATURE FOCUS The Children’s Hospital Eye Clinic is pleased to announce that the pediatric satellite clinic at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is in full swing. Drs. Arlene Drack (Chair of the Ophthalmology Division at The Children's Hospital), Theodore Curtis, and Rebecca Sands Braverman are available for pediatric consultation at RMLEI by calling the TCH Eye Clinic at 303-861-6062. Our pediatric ophthalmologists are proud to be involved with the Colorado Lions KidSight Program. Drs. Drack and Curtis are co-directors of the program, and eye clinic manager Cameile Moore, COMT, CO, MS, serves as program coordinator. The Colorado KidSight Program is a project of the Lions of Colorado. Volunteers from various Lions Clubs go to preschools across the state of Colorado to take photoscreening pictures of children’s eyes. The light reflected from the retina is analyzed to detect refractive errors, strabismus, and /or media opacities. Bright crescents in the pupils indicate a possible vision problem - the specific type of problem is indicated by the size and location of the crescent. This proves helpful as many of the children are too young to read and thus unable to participate in standard eye exams. The Lion Allan Leach from the Loveland Lions Club showing Children's Hospital a preschooler the photo of his eyes. Eye Clinic is the interpretation center for the Lion’s Club of Colorado photoscreening tests and Drs. Drack & Curtis regularly receive photos for analysis. The interpretation of these special photographs enable the diagnosis of the major causes of vision loss in children. If a problem is detected, the Lion’s Club follows up with each patient and family to ensure the preschoolers receive proper eye care. (Left) Two examples of the types of photos taken with the Photoscreening camera. These photos were taken directly from the Kidsight Photoscreening Training manual, given to the physicians to depict the variance. By examining the “crescent”, the physicians can identify strabismus, cataracts, and amblyopia. In normal photos, the “crescent” should be minimal or non-occurring; the larger the “crescent” the greater the severity of the child’s visual problem. In the first set of two photographs, the physicians can detect that the child has strabismus (crossing of the eyes) in their right eye, likely to cause amblyopia (an impairment of the vision in one eye caused by lack of use). In the second set of two photographs, the child’s left eye is normal and the right eye depicts high hyperopia (farsightedness). A difference in refraction between the two eyes is the most common cause of amblyopia. FOCUS ON RESIDENTS and FELLOWS A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A RESIDENT . . . For the past three years I have been part of the University of Colorado ophthalmology training program, and (along with the other 11 residents) have stayed quite busy with clinical responsibilities, educational conferences, and research. The typical day starts with a case presentation at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. The residents present the majority of cases, and then faculty give their input to stimulate discussion and emphasize teaching points. From there, we all go our separate ways to cover several hospitals for a diverse training experience. Throughout our three years of training we rotate several times through the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. We have the privilege of working closely with attendings in an outstanding facility. With the latest technology available at our finger tips, we become proficient at diagnosing and treating complicated eye diseases. Three months of each year we rotate through the VA Medical Center and Denver Health Medical Center. As first year residents, these rotations give us the opportunity to acquire basic exam skills and learn how to manage commonly encountered eye diseases. Second year residents gradually take on more responsibility and begin to learn cataract surgery. During the third year of our residency we gain the majority of our surgical WE VERY PROUDLY PRESENT OUR GRADUATES RICHARD CANNON, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the northern Rocky Mountains. CHRISTOPHER GELSTON, MD is completing his fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery. He has accepted a position with Dr. Stuart Kaufman in Tampa, Florida. LEE KRAMM, MD has accepted the Medical Officer position within the FDA's Division of Ophthalmic Devices with a clinical appointment at the National Eye Institute and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. NATHAN RUDOMETKIN, MD is finishing his 2-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Disease and Surgery. He will be joining a private retina practice outside of Temecula, California. SCOTT THOMAS, MD will be joining a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in San Antonio, Texas. This photo is of a little girl named Cassidy, from Littleton, who was referred for a full eye exam as a result of a vision screening at her preschool in 2006. Her mom gave us this testimonial: "Thanks to the screening we found out that Cassidy has anisometropia. The doctor said she could have gone blind in that eye. She had never given any indication that she had any problems with her vision. The screening was such a good thing." LAUREN ZIMSKI, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the Denver Metro area CONTINUING RESIDENTS CLASS OF 2008 Suzanne Falkenberry, MD Eric Hink, MD Parin Gohel, MD Anand Shah, MD Geetha Athappilly, MD Drew Dixon, MD Ryan Berger, MD Ginny Kullman, MD CLASS OF 2009 experience. Residents are fortunate to perform a tremendous variety of eye surgery including cataract surgery, in addition to glaucoma, oculoplastics, and retina surgery during these rotations. The majority of our pediatric training is at The Children’s Hospital which has both outpatient clinics and a busy inpatient service. We see everything from commonly encountered eye problems in the pediatric population to rare genetic diseases, and also learn strabismus surgery. All residents are encouraged to take an active role in research. This is not difficult, as many of the faculty have projects, and are eager for the help. As a reward for their hard work, residents are sponsored to present their research at national meetings. Every June there is a research symposium for faculty and residents to showcase their achievements. We are fortunate to have four hospitals that provide us with diverse learning experiences and ample surgical breadth and volume. At the end of our three years, the large clinical volume ensures we are armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful as general ophthalmologists or to pursue subspecialty training. Lauren Zimski, MD PGY-4 Chief Administrative Resident WELCOME TO OUR INCOMING CLASS OF 2010! These physicians will join our residency program at the PGY-2 level in July 2007. Dave Freeman, MD from the University of Nevada School of Medicine is completing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. Andy Hendrick, MD from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health is also finishing his intern year at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital’s Internal Medicine program in Denver. Michael Horsley, MD from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year at Tucson Hospitals Medical Education Program in Tucson, Arizona. Chris Russo, MD from Drexel University College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Winthop-University Hospital program in Mineola, New York. We have very recently matched with four excellent candidates for our residency class to start in July 2008. We welcome our future-residents who will graduate in 2011: Emily McCourt is currently a fourth-year medical student at The State University of New York at Buffalo. Leonard Seibold is a fourth-year student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Carolyn Pan is a senior medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Lisa Wong is in her final year at Stanford University School of Medicine. Foundation Fighting Blindness Schedule Mile High Denver Chapter May 12 Chapter meeting 10 - 1 pm Jun 18 Swing for Sight Golf Tournament Jul 20-22 Visions Conference - Kansas City Sep 29 Visionwalk Colorado - Hudson Gardens Call 303-799-1501 for more details FOCUS ON FACULTY We are pleased to announce a new professorship in the Department of Ophthalmology, The Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology Research. Eleanor Marmaduke was born in Vinton, Iowa in 1903. She attended the University of Colorado where she became a life long member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She began her career in teaching in a one room log school house in Wyoming and became an executive administrative assistant for Bechtel Corporation. She was stationed thoughout the world in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, England, France and Holland. Ms. Marmaduke held a special place in her heart for our Department and faculty. She had a strong interest in FACULTY NEWS Antonio Ciardella, MD will be lecturing at the 27th Annual Pan American Congress of Ophthalmology in Cancun Mexico on May 30, 2007. His lecture will be part of the retina subspecialty day and will be on the topic of Autofluorescence. Congratulations to Dr. Ciardella and his wife Dr. Jasmeliz Ciardella as they celebrated the birth of their first children, twin daughters Francesca & Chiara on December 5th. Richard Davidson, MD was recently invited to be a guest lecturer at the 13th Annual Catholic University Symposium of Ophthalmology: New Horizons for NonSurgical Corneal Reshaping and Lamellar Keratoplasty in Seoul, Korea on February 3rd, 2007. He gave lectures on Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty and Introduction to DSAEK Surgery, both of which are new techniques for corneal transplantation. Dr. Davidson served as an associate examiner for the ABO oral board examination given in November 2006. Arlene Drack, MD has been asked to be cochair of the Seurat Society, a group started by the University of Iowa dedicated to advancing and sharing knowledge about genetic eye disease. She is also an active participant in Project 3000, an initiative aimed at getting a genetics diagnosis for each of the estimated 3000 Americans living with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). LCA is a congenital form of retinitis pigmentosa which causes lifelong blindness. Genetic diagnosis is a first step toward treatment protocols. pediatric eye care and chose to donate to that cause. She was really a strong woman who wanted to make a difference for children after she suffered a retinal condition. Dr. Arlene Drack is the Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology. Dr. Drack joined our faculty in 2003 and is the Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Children’s Hospital. She began her career in pediatric ophthalmology at Emory University for a decade before she joined us here in Colorado. She is fellowship trained in both Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Molecular Genetics in Iowa University and in Ophthalmic Genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins. Dr. Drack also staffs our ophthalmic genetics clinic and is developing a regional ophthalmic genetics clinical research center here at RMLEI with The Children’s Hospital. Vikram Durairaj, MD authored an article titled “Clinical Perspectives of Thyroid Eye Disease” which was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Medicine. In addition, he was a co-author for Tarsoconjunctival pedical flap for the management of severe scleral melt which was published in the February issue of Cornea. He also co-authored a section on WebMD regarding Blepharoplasty, Upper Eyelid. Lectures that Dr. Durairaj gave include several Grand Rounds presentations at the University of Pittsburgh in October 2006; Yale University (gave lectures to the Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Surgery) in October 2006; and the University of Florence, Italy in November 2006. He also lectured to the Ophthalmology and ENT residents in Oklahoma City in October 2006. Dr. Durairaj was a featured speaker at the Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery Ultimate Mid-Winter Meeting in Vail, Colorado in January 2007 and presented 3 lectures. He also was an invited speaker at the University of Nebraska Late Winter Symposium “Updates in ENT” in Silverthorne, Colorado in March 2007. Drs. Durairaj, Davidson, Kahook and Taravella traveled to Fort Worth, Texas in February to present at an Alcon sponsored Continuing Professional Education Meeting. Kara Hanson, OD was the keynote speaker at the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, NM Chapter (NM-AER) conference Feb 22-23. Dr. Hanson reviewed the components of a low vision evaluation and also lectured on the advantages and disadvantages of specific low vision devices. New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired will be holding their second pilot low vision clinic (NMSBVI’s Access to Learning Clinic), for which Dr. (continued on reverse side) PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY UPDATE FEATURE FOCUS The Children’s Hospital Eye Clinic is pleased to announce that the pediatric satellite clinic at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is in full swing. Drs. Arlene Drack (Chair of the Ophthalmology Division at The Children's Hospital), Theodore Curtis, and Rebecca Sands Braverman are available for pediatric consultation at RMLEI by calling the TCH Eye Clinic at 303-861-6062. Our pediatric ophthalmologists are proud to be involved with the Colorado Lions KidSight Program. Drs. Drack and Curtis are co-directors of the program, and eye clinic manager Cameile Moore, COMT, CO, MS, serves as program coordinator. The Colorado KidSight Program is a project of the Lions of Colorado. Volunteers from various Lions Clubs go to preschools across the state of Colorado to take photoscreening pictures of children’s eyes. The light reflected from the retina is analyzed to detect refractive errors, strabismus, and /or media opacities. Bright crescents in the pupils indicate a possible vision problem - the specific type of problem is indicated by the size and location of the crescent. This proves helpful as many of the children are too young to read and thus unable to participate in standard eye exams. The Lion Allan Leach from the Loveland Lions Club showing Children's Hospital a preschooler the photo of his eyes. Eye Clinic is the interpretation center for the Lion’s Club of Colorado photoscreening tests and Drs. Drack & Curtis regularly receive photos for analysis. The interpretation of these special photographs enable the diagnosis of the major causes of vision loss in children. If a problem is detected, the Lion’s Club follows up with each patient and family to ensure the preschoolers receive proper eye care. (Left) Two examples of the types of photos taken with the Photoscreening camera. These photos were taken directly from the Kidsight Photoscreening Training manual, given to the physicians to depict the variance. By examining the “crescent”, the physicians can identify strabismus, cataracts, and amblyopia. In normal photos, the “crescent” should be minimal or non-occurring; the larger the “crescent” the greater the severity of the child’s visual problem. In the first set of two photographs, the physicians can detect that the child has strabismus (crossing of the eyes) in their right eye, likely to cause amblyopia (an impairment of the vision in one eye caused by lack of use). In the second set of two photographs, the child’s left eye is normal and the right eye depicts high hyperopia (farsightedness). A difference in refraction between the two eyes is the most common cause of amblyopia. FOCUS ON RESIDENTS and FELLOWS A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A RESIDENT . . . For the past three years I have been part of the University of Colorado ophthalmology training program, and (along with the other 11 residents) have stayed quite busy with clinical responsibilities, educational conferences, and research. The typical day starts with a case presentation at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. The residents present the majority of cases, and then faculty give their input to stimulate discussion and emphasize teaching points. From there, we all go our separate ways to cover several hospitals for a diverse training experience. Throughout our three years of training we rotate several times through the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. We have the privilege of working closely with attendings in an outstanding facility. With the latest technology available at our finger tips, we become proficient at diagnosing and treating complicated eye diseases. Three months of each year we rotate through the VA Medical Center and Denver Health Medical Center. As first year residents, these rotations give us the opportunity to acquire basic exam skills and learn how to manage commonly encountered eye diseases. Second year residents gradually take on more responsibility and begin to learn cataract surgery. During the third year of our residency we gain the majority of our surgical WE VERY PROUDLY PRESENT OUR GRADUATES RICHARD CANNON, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the northern Rocky Mountains. CHRISTOPHER GELSTON, MD is completing his fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery. He has accepted a position with Dr. Stuart Kaufman in Tampa, Florida. LEE KRAMM, MD has accepted the Medical Officer position within the FDA's Division of Ophthalmic Devices with a clinical appointment at the National Eye Institute and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. NATHAN RUDOMETKIN, MD is finishing his 2-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Disease and Surgery. He will be joining a private retina practice outside of Temecula, California. SCOTT THOMAS, MD will be joining a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in San Antonio, Texas. This photo is of a little girl named Cassidy, from Littleton, who was referred for a full eye exam as a result of a vision screening at her preschool in 2006. Her mom gave us this testimonial: "Thanks to the screening we found out that Cassidy has anisometropia. The doctor said she could have gone blind in that eye. She had never given any indication that she had any problems with her vision. The screening was such a good thing." LAUREN ZIMSKI, MD plans to join a comprehensive ophthalmology practice in the Denver Metro area CONTINUING RESIDENTS CLASS OF 2008 Suzanne Falkenberry, MD Eric Hink, MD Parin Gohel, MD Anand Shah, MD Geetha Athappilly, MD Drew Dixon, MD Ryan Berger, MD Ginny Kullman, MD CLASS OF 2009 experience. Residents are fortunate to perform a tremendous variety of eye surgery including cataract surgery, in addition to glaucoma, oculoplastics, and retina surgery during these rotations. The majority of our pediatric training is at The Children’s Hospital which has both outpatient clinics and a busy inpatient service. We see everything from commonly encountered eye problems in the pediatric population to rare genetic diseases, and also learn strabismus surgery. All residents are encouraged to take an active role in research. This is not difficult, as many of the faculty have projects, and are eager for the help. As a reward for their hard work, residents are sponsored to present their research at national meetings. Every June there is a research symposium for faculty and residents to showcase their achievements. We are fortunate to have four hospitals that provide us with diverse learning experiences and ample surgical breadth and volume. At the end of our three years, the large clinical volume ensures we are armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful as general ophthalmologists or to pursue subspecialty training. Lauren Zimski, MD PGY-4 Chief Administrative Resident WELCOME TO OUR INCOMING CLASS OF 2010! These physicians will join our residency program at the PGY-2 level in July 2007. Dave Freeman, MD from the University of Nevada School of Medicine is completing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. Andy Hendrick, MD from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health is also finishing his intern year at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital’s Internal Medicine program in Denver. Michael Horsley, MD from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year at Tucson Hospitals Medical Education Program in Tucson, Arizona. Chris Russo, MD from Drexel University College of Medicine is currently finishing his intern year in the Internal Medicine program at Winthop-University Hospital program in Mineola, New York. We have very recently matched with four excellent candidates for our residency class to start in July 2008. We welcome our future-residents who will graduate in 2011: Emily McCourt is currently a fourth-year medical student at The State University of New York at Buffalo. Leonard Seibold is a fourth-year student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Carolyn Pan is a senior medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Lisa Wong is in her final year at Stanford University School of Medicine. Foundation Fighting Blindness Schedule Mile High Denver Chapter May 12 Chapter meeting 10 - 1 pm Jun 18 Swing for Sight Golf Tournament Jul 20-22 Visions Conference - Kansas City Sep 29 Visionwalk Colorado - Hudson Gardens Call 303-799-1501 for more details FOCUS ON FACULTY We are pleased to announce a new professorship in the Department of Ophthalmology, The Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology Research. Eleanor Marmaduke was born in Vinton, Iowa in 1903. She attended the University of Colorado where she became a life long member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She began her career in teaching in a one room log school house in Wyoming and became an executive administrative assistant for Bechtel Corporation. She was stationed thoughout the world in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, England, France and Holland. Ms. Marmaduke held a special place in her heart for our Department and faculty. She had a strong interest in FACULTY NEWS Antonio Ciardella, MD will be lecturing at the 27th Annual Pan American Congress of Ophthalmology in Cancun Mexico on May 30, 2007. His lecture will be part of the retina subspecialty day and will be on the topic of Autofluorescence. Congratulations to Dr. Ciardella and his wife Dr. Jasmeliz Ciardella as they celebrated the birth of their first children, twin daughters Francesca & Chiara on December 5th. Richard Davidson, MD was recently invited to be a guest lecturer at the 13th Annual Catholic University Symposium of Ophthalmology: New Horizons for NonSurgical Corneal Reshaping and Lamellar Keratoplasty in Seoul, Korea on February 3rd, 2007. He gave lectures on Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty and Introduction to DSAEK Surgery, both of which are new techniques for corneal transplantation. Dr. Davidson served as an associate examiner for the ABO oral board examination given in November 2006. Arlene Drack, MD has been asked to be cochair of the Seurat Society, a group started by the University of Iowa dedicated to advancing and sharing knowledge about genetic eye disease. She is also an active participant in Project 3000, an initiative aimed at getting a genetics diagnosis for each of the estimated 3000 Americans living with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). LCA is a congenital form of retinitis pigmentosa which causes lifelong blindness. Genetic diagnosis is a first step toward treatment protocols. pediatric eye care and chose to donate to that cause. She was really a strong woman who wanted to make a difference for children after she suffered a retinal condition. Dr. Arlene Drack is the Eleanor Marmaduke Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology. Dr. Drack joined our faculty in 2003 and is the Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Children’s Hospital. She began her career in pediatric ophthalmology at Emory University for a decade before she joined us here in Colorado. She is fellowship trained in both Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Molecular Genetics in Iowa University and in Ophthalmic Genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins. Dr. Drack also staffs our ophthalmic genetics clinic and is developing a regional ophthalmic genetics clinical research center here at RMLEI with The Children’s Hospital. Vikram Durairaj, MD authored an article titled “Clinical Perspectives of Thyroid Eye Disease” which was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Medicine. In addition, he was a co-author for Tarsoconjunctival pedical flap for the management of severe scleral melt which was published in the February issue of Cornea. He also co-authored a section on WebMD regarding Blepharoplasty, Upper Eyelid. Lectures that Dr. Durairaj gave include several Grand Rounds presentations at the University of Pittsburgh in October 2006; Yale University (gave lectures to the Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Surgery) in October 2006; and the University of Florence, Italy in November 2006. He also lectured to the Ophthalmology and ENT residents in Oklahoma City in October 2006. Dr. Durairaj was a featured speaker at the Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery Ultimate Mid-Winter Meeting in Vail, Colorado in January 2007 and presented 3 lectures. He also was an invited speaker at the University of Nebraska Late Winter Symposium “Updates in ENT” in Silverthorne, Colorado in March 2007. Drs. Durairaj, Davidson, Kahook and Taravella traveled to Fort Worth, Texas in February to present at an Alcon sponsored Continuing Professional Education Meeting. Kara Hanson, OD was the keynote speaker at the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, NM Chapter (NM-AER) conference Feb 22-23. Dr. Hanson reviewed the components of a low vision evaluation and also lectured on the advantages and disadvantages of specific low vision devices. New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired will be holding their second pilot low vision clinic (NMSBVI’s Access to Learning Clinic), for which Dr. (continued on reverse side) FACULTY NEWS continued Malik Kahook, MD recently had his research recognized by AAO News and Views for his study on “Location of glaucoma drainage devices relative to the optic nerve”. He also was awarded the American Glaucoma Society Patient Adherence Research Award (2007) on December of 2006. This is a competitive grant awarded to one glaucoma specialist in the United States to study compliance to glaucoma medical therapy. He is also the recipient of an AGS Clinician Scientist Grant for 2007 for his study on new medications for neuroprotection. Dr. Kahook was also given an unrestricted grant awarded by Alcon for a study involving the effects of glaucoma medications on the ocular surface. Dr. Kahook was named Associate Editor of Ophthalmic Surgery Lasers and Imaging and section editor of Glaucoma Today “Residents and Fellows Q & A”. At the Vail Vitrectomy meeting held in March 2007, Naresh Mandava, MD showcased a new instrument for retinal surgery which he developed with Dutch Ophthalmics Inc. Jeffrey Olson, MD continues his work in the vision science laboratory. His research, coauthored with Dr. Mandava, entitled “Intravitreal Infliximab inhibits choroidal neovascularization” will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology. Also, he recently published an article “Cerebellar and retinal vascular lesions in a postpartum patient,” co-authored by Naresh Mandava, MD and Jeffrey Bennett, MD, PhD, in the journal American Family Physician. Michael Taravella, MD was selected to join the Teacher’s Scholars Program at UCDHSC. Dr. Taravella brings 20 years of teaching experience to this structured program. His goal is to define how modern surgery should be taught. His work includes the design of a cataract surgery simulator here at RMLEI. Congratulations to our very own Rebecca Sands Braverman, MD and Jon Braverman, MD who married on New Year’s Eve, 2006 in Wayne, New Jersey. FACULTY LISTING Our full time faculty at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is comprised of Ophthalmologists with specialties that serve all your ophthalmic needs. www.eyeinstitute.org CALL 720-848-2020 FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING Michael Erlanger, MD Richard Davidson, MD J. Bronwyn Bateman, MD Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Professor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Cornea & External Diseases Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery Adult Strabismus Darren Gregory, MD Ophthalmic Genetics Arlene Drack, MD Assistant Professor Associate Professor Rebecca Sands Cornea & External Diseases Pediatric Ophthalmology & Braverman, MD Kara Hanson, OD Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor Clinical Instructor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Ophthalmic Genetics Low Vision Rehabilitation Adult Strabismus Vikram Durairaj, MD Malik Kahook, MD Associate Professor Theodore Curtis, MD Assistant Professor Ophthalmic Plastic and Assistant Professor Glaucoma & Cataracts Pediatric Ophthalmology & Reconstructive Surgery Orbital Surgery Adult Strabismus CALL 303-436-6426 AT DENVER HEALTH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jon Braverman, MD Antonio Ciardella, MD Nicholas Faberowski, MD Assistant Clinical Professor Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Comprehensive Vitreoretinal Disease Glaucoma Ophthalmology FEATURE FOCUS ! UA L University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center Department of Ophthalmology Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Mail Stop F731 1675 North Ursula Street P.O. Box 6510 Aurora, CO 80045 Denver, CO Permit #2378 PAID Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Jon M. Braverman, MD Associate Clinical Professor E DATE Twenty-four hour emergency services complement the Ocular and Orbital Trauma Services available through the Department of Ophthalmology and Affiliate Centers. Patient referrals are directed to us from throughout the state of Colorado and surrounding states seeking the expertise of this and the other Ophthalmology Subspecialty Services offered in the Department of Ophthalmology. ANN 7 - 11 T H AY 6, 200 RCH D • JUNE 1 LMOLOGY RESEA NNUAL O P H TH A - 11 T H A , 2007 SIUM O 9 & 20 • OCT. 1 LMOLOGY SYMP O P H TH A Many of our full-time attending physicians are very experienced in the field of ocular and orbital trauma, given our status as Level One (Denver Health Medical Center, The Childrens’ Hospital) and Level Two (University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center) Trauma Centers. Collectively these centers see a majority of annual cases of ocular and orbital trauma in the Rocky Mountain Region. In 2006 ocular and orbital trauma census data indicates approximately 1120 cases at Denver Health Medical Center, 100 cases at University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, and 50 cases at The Childrens’ Hospital. This annual experience has prepared the experts at these centers to deal with a wide variety of injuries both on an acute and post-acute rehabilitative level. 720-848-2020 is your direct link to the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute for appointments or consultations with an ophthalmology specialist. Ocular and orbital trauma remains a pandemic disease in both developed and under-developed countries of the world. Any person of any age could be affected by these disorders as a result of accident or assault. The mechanism of trauma can be quite varied, even exotic, but visual outcomes depend strongly on access to expert specialized services such as those available through the Department of Ophthalmology. Michael Taravella, MD Associate Professor Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery For more information visit us on the web at RMLEI DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND AFFILIATE CENTERS Jeffrey Olson, MD Assistant Professor Vitreoretinal Disease www.eyeinstitute.org OCULAR AND ORBITAL TRAUMA SERVICES Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor Interim Chair Vitreoretinal Disease MISSION STATEMENT CALL 720-848-2080 AT UCH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jeffrey Bennett, MD Victoria Pelak, MD Associate Professor Associate Professor Neuro-ophthalmology Neuro-ophthalmology A glorious honeymoon was had in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Both are glad to be back at work with fading tans. DOCTORS: Douglas MacKenzie, MD Assistant Professor Glaucoma “To be a nationally recognized Department of Ophthalmology that serves the people of the Rocky Mountain region by providing exemplary patient care founded on educational leadership, innovative research, and high ethical standards.” SAVE TH Congratulations to Dr. William Jackson who was recently promoted to Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ophthalmology. Although Dr. Jackson has retired from practice at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, he still remains active in the department. Drs. Antonio Ciardella & Naresh Mandava were recently elected to the Macula Society and will be speaking at the 30th annual meeting scheduled for May 30- June 2 at the London Hilton on Park Lane in London, England. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , 2007 Hanson is a consultant. The first clinic in November was a success, providing low vision evaluations to 12 students and recommendations for devices to help expand their access to educational material. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , S A PUBLICATION OF THE D EPARTMENT OF O PHTHALMOLOGY R OCKY M OUNTAIN L IONS E YE I NSTITUTE U NIVERSITY OF C OLORADO 2007 PRING /S U M M E R , 2007 FOCUS ON THE INSTITUTE Dear Friends and Colleagues, The Department of Ophthalmology and the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute are engaged in many translational projects which have the potential to bring new drugs and devices to our patients and do nothing short of restore or preserve sight for our patients. Translational research uses knowledge of human biology to develop and test the feasibility of ophthalmic-relevant interventions in humans and/or determines the biological basis for observations in individuals with ocular disease or in populations at risk for ocular disease. It is our responsibility to our patients as well as our academic and research missions to invent, investigate, and implement these new technologies. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) and other funding agencies have recently focused research funding to areas, which have translational potential. Clinically irrelevant research is no longer funded. This is not to say that the most basic research is not important. In fact, it is more important than ever. We need to understand all of the mechanisms and the genetics involved in complex diseases to treat them. Unfortunately, the dollars are limited, so the funding agencies need to be very focused in a time when the possibilities for breakthroughs is greater than ever. Our Department is focused on several projects, which we feel have the potential to be breakthrough contributions. Our retina division is involved in assessing different molecules which can treat wet macular degeneration. Research starts in the lab and drugs are tested in animal models before they can be brought to FDA testing. Our retina division also has a project in artificial vision, which may some day lead to solutions for currently irreversible and progressive blindness. Our glaucoma, orbit, and cornea divisions are identifying undiscovered proteins in the eye (proteomics) which could lead to advances in early diagnosis of disease and potential targets for treatment in diseases such as glaucoma, retinal diseases, as well as more common conditions such as severe dry eye syndrome. The best physicians and surgeons will define the research paths, which our basic researchers take. It is the role of institutions like ours to define what is clinically relevant. We are fortunate to have some of the best ophthalmic surgeons and clinical researchers in the country. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is ranked 15th in the country in NIH funding and we are in the midst of developing one of the largest research centers in the world on the UCDHSC Anschutz Medical campus. The Department will continue to harness the energy and brainpower of this cutting edge institution, which is necessary for us to succeed in making these news drugs and devices a reality. Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor and Interim Chair Director, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic Managing a hospital-based ophthalmology clinic has provided me with an opportunity to compare nursing skills to the unique skill set of experienced ophthalmic technicians. In ophthalmology, a majority of technicians are trained on-the-job though there are more and more ophthalmic technical training programs popping up at universities around the country. In the course of preparing a patient to see an ophthalmologist for a specific eye problem, ophthalmic technicians may perform over 20 various ophthalmic testing procedures to assist the ophthalmologist in determining exactly what eye condition a patient may have. We are lucky here at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute (RMLEI) that the majority of our technicians have over 10 years of experience working in ophthalmology, and several have over 20 years of experience. In addition to many years of experience, the vast majority of our technicians have been certified through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. By ensuring that our staff has adequate skills and experience, and by providing ongoing technician education courses, we are able to deliver the quality of care that our patients expect when they come to our facility. Loretta Todaro Clinic Manager, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic FACULTY NEWS continued Malik Kahook, MD recently had his research recognized by AAO News and Views for his study on “Location of glaucoma drainage devices relative to the optic nerve”. He also was awarded the American Glaucoma Society Patient Adherence Research Award (2007) on December of 2006. This is a competitive grant awarded to one glaucoma specialist in the United States to study compliance to glaucoma medical therapy. He is also the recipient of an AGS Clinician Scientist Grant for 2007 for his study on new medications for neuroprotection. Dr. Kahook was also given an unrestricted grant awarded by Alcon for a study involving the effects of glaucoma medications on the ocular surface. Dr. Kahook was named Associate Editor of Ophthalmic Surgery Lasers and Imaging and section editor of Glaucoma Today “Residents and Fellows Q & A”. At the Vail Vitrectomy meeting held in March 2007, Naresh Mandava, MD showcased a new instrument for retinal surgery which he developed with Dutch Ophthalmics Inc. Jeffrey Olson, MD continues his work in the vision science laboratory. His research, coauthored with Dr. Mandava, entitled “Intravitreal Infliximab inhibits choroidal neovascularization” will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology. Also, he recently published an article “Cerebellar and retinal vascular lesions in a postpartum patient,” co-authored by Naresh Mandava, MD and Jeffrey Bennett, MD, PhD, in the journal American Family Physician. Michael Taravella, MD was selected to join the Teacher’s Scholars Program at UCDHSC. Dr. Taravella brings 20 years of teaching experience to this structured program. His goal is to define how modern surgery should be taught. His work includes the design of a cataract surgery simulator here at RMLEI. Congratulations to our very own Rebecca Sands Braverman, MD and Jon Braverman, MD who married on New Year’s Eve, 2006 in Wayne, New Jersey. FACULTY LISTING Our full time faculty at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute is comprised of Ophthalmologists with specialties that serve all your ophthalmic needs. www.eyeinstitute.org CALL 720-848-2020 FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING Michael Erlanger, MD Richard Davidson, MD J. Bronwyn Bateman, MD Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Professor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Cornea & External Diseases Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery Adult Strabismus Darren Gregory, MD Ophthalmic Genetics Arlene Drack, MD Assistant Professor Associate Professor Rebecca Sands Cornea & External Diseases Pediatric Ophthalmology & Braverman, MD Kara Hanson, OD Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor Clinical Instructor Pediatric Ophthalmology & Ophthalmic Genetics Low Vision Rehabilitation Adult Strabismus Vikram Durairaj, MD Malik Kahook, MD Associate Professor Theodore Curtis, MD Assistant Professor Ophthalmic Plastic and Assistant Professor Glaucoma & Cataracts Pediatric Ophthalmology & Reconstructive Surgery Orbital Surgery Adult Strabismus CALL 303-436-6426 AT DENVER HEALTH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jon Braverman, MD Antonio Ciardella, MD Nicholas Faberowski, MD Assistant Clinical Professor Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Comprehensive Vitreoretinal Disease Glaucoma Ophthalmology FEATURE FOCUS ! UA L University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center Department of Ophthalmology Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Mail Stop F731 1675 North Ursula Street P.O. Box 6510 Aurora, CO 80045 Denver, CO Permit #2378 PAID Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Jon M. Braverman, MD Associate Clinical Professor E DATE Twenty-four hour emergency services complement the Ocular and Orbital Trauma Services available through the Department of Ophthalmology and Affiliate Centers. Patient referrals are directed to us from throughout the state of Colorado and surrounding states seeking the expertise of this and the other Ophthalmology Subspecialty Services offered in the Department of Ophthalmology. ANN 7 - 11 T H AY 6, 200 RCH D • JUNE 1 LMOLOGY RESEA NNUAL O P H TH A - 11 T H A , 2007 SIUM O 9 & 20 • OCT. 1 LMOLOGY SYMP O P H TH A Many of our full-time attending physicians are very experienced in the field of ocular and orbital trauma, given our status as Level One (Denver Health Medical Center, The Childrens’ Hospital) and Level Two (University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center) Trauma Centers. Collectively these centers see a majority of annual cases of ocular and orbital trauma in the Rocky Mountain Region. In 2006 ocular and orbital trauma census data indicates approximately 1120 cases at Denver Health Medical Center, 100 cases at University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, and 50 cases at The Childrens’ Hospital. This annual experience has prepared the experts at these centers to deal with a wide variety of injuries both on an acute and post-acute rehabilitative level. 720-848-2020 is your direct link to the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute for appointments or consultations with an ophthalmology specialist. Ocular and orbital trauma remains a pandemic disease in both developed and under-developed countries of the world. Any person of any age could be affected by these disorders as a result of accident or assault. The mechanism of trauma can be quite varied, even exotic, but visual outcomes depend strongly on access to expert specialized services such as those available through the Department of Ophthalmology. Michael Taravella, MD Associate Professor Cornea & External Diseases Refractive Surgery For more information visit us on the web at RMLEI DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND AFFILIATE CENTERS Jeffrey Olson, MD Assistant Professor Vitreoretinal Disease www.eyeinstitute.org OCULAR AND ORBITAL TRAUMA SERVICES Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor Interim Chair Vitreoretinal Disease MISSION STATEMENT CALL 720-848-2080 AT UCH FOR APPOINTMENTS WITH: Jeffrey Bennett, MD Victoria Pelak, MD Associate Professor Associate Professor Neuro-ophthalmology Neuro-ophthalmology A glorious honeymoon was had in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Both are glad to be back at work with fading tans. DOCTORS: Douglas MacKenzie, MD Assistant Professor Glaucoma “To be a nationally recognized Department of Ophthalmology that serves the people of the Rocky Mountain region by providing exemplary patient care founded on educational leadership, innovative research, and high ethical standards.” SAVE TH Congratulations to Dr. William Jackson who was recently promoted to Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ophthalmology. Although Dr. Jackson has retired from practice at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, he still remains active in the department. Drs. Antonio Ciardella & Naresh Mandava were recently elected to the Macula Society and will be speaking at the 30th annual meeting scheduled for May 30- June 2 at the London Hilton on Park Lane in London, England. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , 2007 Hanson is a consultant. The first clinic in November was a success, providing low vision evaluations to 12 students and recommendations for devices to help expand their access to educational material. VISIONS S P R I N G /S U M M E R , S A PUBLICATION OF THE D EPARTMENT OF O PHTHALMOLOGY R OCKY M OUNTAIN L IONS E YE I NSTITUTE U NIVERSITY OF C OLORADO 2007 PRING /S U M M E R , 2007 FOCUS ON THE INSTITUTE Dear Friends and Colleagues, The Department of Ophthalmology and the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute are engaged in many translational projects which have the potential to bring new drugs and devices to our patients and do nothing short of restore or preserve sight for our patients. Translational research uses knowledge of human biology to develop and test the feasibility of ophthalmic-relevant interventions in humans and/or determines the biological basis for observations in individuals with ocular disease or in populations at risk for ocular disease. It is our responsibility to our patients as well as our academic and research missions to invent, investigate, and implement these new technologies. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) and other funding agencies have recently focused research funding to areas, which have translational potential. Clinically irrelevant research is no longer funded. This is not to say that the most basic research is not important. In fact, it is more important than ever. We need to understand all of the mechanisms and the genetics involved in complex diseases to treat them. Unfortunately, the dollars are limited, so the funding agencies need to be very focused in a time when the possibilities for breakthroughs is greater than ever. Our Department is focused on several projects, which we feel have the potential to be breakthrough contributions. Our retina division is involved in assessing different molecules which can treat wet macular degeneration. Research starts in the lab and drugs are tested in animal models before they can be brought to FDA testing. Our retina division also has a project in artificial vision, which may some day lead to solutions for currently irreversible and progressive blindness. Our glaucoma, orbit, and cornea divisions are identifying undiscovered proteins in the eye (proteomics) which could lead to advances in early diagnosis of disease and potential targets for treatment in diseases such as glaucoma, retinal diseases, as well as more common conditions such as severe dry eye syndrome. The best physicians and surgeons will define the research paths, which our basic researchers take. It is the role of institutions like ours to define what is clinically relevant. We are fortunate to have some of the best ophthalmic surgeons and clinical researchers in the country. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is ranked 15th in the country in NIH funding and we are in the midst of developing one of the largest research centers in the world on the UCDHSC Anschutz Medical campus. The Department will continue to harness the energy and brainpower of this cutting edge institution, which is necessary for us to succeed in making these news drugs and devices a reality. Naresh Mandava, MD Associate Professor and Interim Chair Director, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic Managing a hospital-based ophthalmology clinic has provided me with an opportunity to compare nursing skills to the unique skill set of experienced ophthalmic technicians. In ophthalmology, a majority of technicians are trained on-the-job though there are more and more ophthalmic technical training programs popping up at universities around the country. In the course of preparing a patient to see an ophthalmologist for a specific eye problem, ophthalmic technicians may perform over 20 various ophthalmic testing procedures to assist the ophthalmologist in determining exactly what eye condition a patient may have. We are lucky here at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute (RMLEI) that the majority of our technicians have over 10 years of experience working in ophthalmology, and several have over 20 years of experience. In addition to many years of experience, the vast majority of our technicians have been certified through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. By ensuring that our staff has adequate skills and experience, and by providing ongoing technician education courses, we are able to deliver the quality of care that our patients expect when they come to our facility. Loretta Todaro Clinic Manager, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Clinic