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Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesPomerantz Family PavilionUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinicshttp://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu
October 2005, Series 2, No. 40
Stephen R. Russell, M.D. is theDirector of the Vitreoretinal Diseasesand Surgery Service. He earned abachelor of science in ElectricalEngineering and Biology from StanfordUniversity and an M.D. from UCLA
School of Medicine. He served hisinternship at UCLA School of Medi-cine and his Ophthalmology Resi-dency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.He did a 2-year Vitreoretinal Fellow-ship here at UIHC after which he wason the full-time faculty at St. LouisUniversity. His research interestsinclude age-related macular degenera-tion, enzymatic disinsertion of thevitreous, and gene therapy for retinaldiseases.
Emily C. Greenlee, M.D. spent thefirst 6 months of 2005 in Sydney,Australia, where her husband wasdoing a Neurosurgical EndoscopyFellowship. She returned in July at therank of Assistant Professor, Clinical.She practices both in the Glaucomaclinic and in Comprehensive Ophthal-mology. She has a B.B.A. (Finance)
from the University of Notre Dame andstudied in the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Professions Program at LoyolaUniversity, Chicago. She earned anM.D. from Indiana University. Dr.Greenlee is creating a GlaucomaService at the VA Medical Center inIowa City where she cares for patientsand works with the residents in theclinic and operating room.
She did her internship, Ophthalmol-ogy Residency, and GlaucomaFellowship all at UIHC.
Her research interests and currentprojects include surgical outcomes ofVeterans Administration glaucomapatients and racial differences in theresponse to various ocular medica-tions.
John H. Fingert, M.D., Ph.D. hasbeen promoted from Research Fellowto Clinical Associate in Glaucoma. Hereceived a Bachelor of Arts and aBachelor degree in Engineering fromDartmouth College, Hanover, NewHampshire and earned both his M.D.and his Ph.D. in Genetics from theUniversity of Iowa where he also did
Fingert
Russell
Greenlee
Dr. Steve Russell was promoted to full Professor effective July 1. Dr. Emily Greenlee, was promoted to the rank of AssistantProfessor, Clinical. John H. Fingert, M.D., Ph.D. has been promoted from Research Fellow to Clinical Associate.
INSIDEHouse Staff News 2-4Benefactors Recognized 5Research News 6-10Awards and Honors 11-12Travels 13Resident Competencies 14-15Refractive Surgery Service 15EyeRounds.org 15Annual Meeting 16Best Doctors 16Alumni 17-18Deaths 19Memorial & Healing Garden 20Opportunities for Giving 21Update 22-27Calendar 28
his Ophthalmology Residency. Hehas been working with the MolecularOphthalmology Laboratory andGlaucoma Service to identify Glau-coma phenotypes associated withmyocilin mutations.
Faculty Promotions
2 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
House Staff NewsThe 2005 Graduates of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science Program
were honored at the Iowa Eye Association Banquet on June10th at the Iowa Memorial Union.
Sudeep Pramanik, M.D.presented a paper at the PatonSociety Meeting. Dr. Pramanik’spresentation was “Ultra long-termoutcomes of penetrating keratoplastyfor keratoconus.” Dr. Pramanik wasone of only thirteen residents/fellows selected to present papers atthe national meeting. The R.Townley Paton Society was created
Residents and Fellows Receive Recognitionto advocate eye banking and cornealtransplant surgery.
Michael Boland, M.D., Ph.D.was among eleven residents fromaround the country selected towrite up and present case reportsfor the Resident Writer’s AwardProgram. The program wasestablished by AMO (AdvancedMedical Optics) to promote
scholarship by residents in aca-demic institutions. Each participat-ing resident submits a written casereport and associated presentationinvolving cataract or refractivesurgery for judging. Details aboutthe program and winners areavailable in the October 25, 2004issue of Ophthalmology Times.http://tinyurl.com/br86a.
Resident GraduatesMichael Boland, M.D., Ph.D. is
an Assistant Professor at theWilmer Ophthalmological Instituteat Johns Hopkins. He has beengiven a position on their NIH K-12grant which is intended to fundcareer development for juniorclinician scientists. While there, hewill be primarily engaged in themedical informatics trainingprogram (http://dhsi.med.jhmi.edu)and basic research. He will bedoing comprehensive ophthalmol-ogy one day per week.
Andrew Doan, M.D., Ph.D. isfollowing an ocular pathologyfellowship at Jules Stein EyeInstitute, UCLA, where he is aHeed Fellow and NEI ResearchFellow. He has also been awardeda Navy scholarship that providesfunding to complete a fellowship ata civilian training program. He isalso working hard to getMedRounds.org, a new publishingand medical information venture,off the ground.
Lynn Fraterrigo, M.D. will bejoining her father and brother in ageneral ophthalmology practice inSchenectady, New York. She willstart work in the fall following hermaternity leave.
Sudeep Pramanik, M.D. isremaining at The University ofIowa for a Cornea Fellowship.
James Howard, M.D. will alsoremain at The University of Iowafor the next two years to do aVitreoretinal Fellowship.
Fellowship GraduatesCornea Fellow, Stacy Sjoberg,
M.D., Ph.D. is now at the CrosbyEye Clinic, Crosby, Minnesota,where she practices cornea,external disease, refractive, andgeneral ophthalmology.
Glaucoma Fellow, MichaelMaley, M.D. is now working at theRhode Island Eye Institute inProvidence, Rhode Island, as aglaucoma specialist.
Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellow,Shannon Lynch, M.D. is workingpart time at the Univerity ofNebraska and part time in privatepractice with Dr. Richard Legge,the only other neuro-ophthalmolo-gist in Omaha.
Pathology Fellow, A.J. Bogdan,M.D. is currently undertaking anInternal Medicine Internship atAtlantiCare Regional MedicalCenter, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Retina Fellow, Jason Sanders,M.D. is an associate at CharlotteEye Ear Nose and Throat inCharlotte, North Carolina.
Retina Fellow, David Zumbro,M.D. is now stationed with theOphthalmology Service, BrookeArmy Medical Center, Fort SamHouston, Texas. He and his familylive in nearby San Antonio.
3“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
New Residents Begin Training July 1, 2005
Dr. Jason Friedrichs has a B.S.in Biochemistry from the Univer-sity of Illinois Urbana-Champaignand an M.S. in Biology/Physiologyfrom the University of IllinoisGraduate College. He also earnedhis M.D. from the University ofIllinois. Dr. Friedrichs spent histransitional year at West SurburbanHospital, Oak Park, Illinois.
Dr. Edward Hu earned a B.S. inBiology from the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology and anM.S. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience /Physiology from New YorkUniversity School of Medicinewhere he also earned his M.D. Dr.Hu spent his transitional year atFlushing Hospital Medical Center,Flushing, New York.
Dr. Yian Jin Jones has a B.S. inPharmacy from the University ofUtah School of Pharmacy and anM.D. from the University of UtahSchool of Medicine. She spent hertransitional year at CreightonUniversity Medical Center inOmaha, Nebraska.
Dr. Andrew Steffensmeier has aB.A. in Biology from LutherCollege in Decorah, Iowa. Heearned his M.D. from the CarverCollege of Medicine, University ofIowa. Dr. Steffensmeier spent theyear before his residency at UIHC.
Dr. Paula Wynn earned a B.A.in Biochemistry and Art from RiceUniversity. Her M.D. is fromColumbia University. Dr. Wynnspent her transitional year atFlushing Hospital Medical Center,Flushing, New York.Andrew C. G. Steffensmeier, M.D. Paula Wynn, M.D.
Jason C. Friedrichs, M.D. Edward H. Hu, M.D., Ph.D. Yian Jin Jones, M.D.
House Staff News, continued
4 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
New Fellows
Sandeep Randhawa, M.D. is oneof the two new Neuro-Ophthal-mology Fellows. He has an M.D.from Christian Medical College,Panjab University, India. He didan Ophthalmology Residency atChristian Medical College inLudhiana, India. He was a MedicalRetina Fellow at Grover EyeInstitute, Chandigarh, India, and aResearch Fellow at Kresge EyeInstitute, Wayne State Universityin Detroit.
Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellow,Vinay A. Shah, M.D. has a Bach-elor of Medicine and Bachelor ofSurgery, Diploma in Ophthalmol-ogy and Master of Surgery (Oph-thalmology) from Gujarat Univer-sity, India. He is a Diplomate ofNational Board, Ministry of Health& Family Welfare in India. Hedid a General Surgery Internshipand obtained a Retina VitreousDegree Fellowship from theUniversity of Florida College ofMedicine.
Jeffrey J. Fuller, M.D. is one ofthe two new Vitreoretinal Fellows.He has a B.S. degree in Zoologyfrom Brigham Young Universityand an M.D. from the Universityof Alabama School of Medicine,Birmingham. He did his Ophthal-mology Residency at the MedicalCollege of Georgia, Augusta.
James G. Howard, M.D. is theother new Vitreoretinal Fellow. Heearned a B.A. in Latin AmericanStudies from Brigham YoungUniversity, and an M.D. from theUniversity of Utah School ofMedicine. He did his Ophthalmol-ogy Residency here at the Univer-sity of Iowa.
Sudeep Pramanik, M.D. is the newCornea/External Disease andRefractive Surgery Fellow. He hasa B.S. degree in Ecology, and aB.A. degree in Sociology fromTulane University. He also earnedan M.B.A. degree at Rice Univer-sity. His M.D. is from BaylorCollege of Medicine. He did hisOphthalmology Residency here atthe University of Iowa.
The new Glaucoma Fellow, LesyaM. Shuba, M.D., Ph.D. attendedthe Medical Institute, Kiev,Ukraine and obtained an M.D. anda Ph.D. in Physiology and Bio-physics from Dalhousie University,Halifax, Nova Scotia. She did herOphthalmology Residency atDalhousie as well.
Lesya M. Shuba, M.D., Ph.D.
Sudeep Pramanik, M.D. Sandeep Randhawa, M.D. Vinay A. Shah, M.D.
Jeffrey J. Fuller, M.D. James G. Howard, M.D.
5“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
At the Ophthalmology ClinicalConference held on March 4, Dr.Thomas A. Weingeist expressedhis and the Department’s gratitudeto all those who have madecontributions to the UI Foundationon behalf of the Department ofOphthalmology.
“Over the past 22 years, Ihave worked with faculty and theUniversity of Iowa Foundationstaff to develop endowments tosupport our mission,” saysWeingeist. “The generosity of ourfaculty, alumni, colleagues andpatients has been phenomenal.Support from philanthropicorganizations such as the IowaLions and Research to PreventBlindness in addition to unre-stricted educational grants fromindustry has contributed greatly toour success.”
Weingeist listed the manyprofessorships, chairs, and otherendowments that help support theeducational and research missionsof the Department.
EndowmentsOn Wednesday, February 2,
2005, the UI Department ofOphthalmology & Visual Sciencesrecognized the contributionprovided by Miss Beulah Usherand Miss Florence Usher of CedarRapids. Sisters and lifelongpartners, Beulah and Florencewere two of the Department’s
most generous benefactors. Thegift from their estate will be usedto provide support and promoteresearch in the area of cornea andexternal disease.
A short biography of thesegenerous women is mounted onthe wall next to the Cornea andExternal Disease Clinic.
Hallway of Endowments
Benefactors Recognized
A description of the endowmentsand the persons for whom theywere named is available on the
web at webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/Endowment/
EndowmentBrochure.pdf .
Lectures, Awards, EndowmentsCecil Starling O'Brien, MD ProfessorshipAlson Emmons Braley, MD ProfessorshipFrederick Christopher Blodi, MD ChairCharles Dexter Phelps, MD EndowmentThomas A. Weingeist, MD EndowmentWilliam Edwin Scott, MD
Chair for Education in Pediatric OphthalmologyViola Martha Suverkrabbe Endowment for
Neuro-ophthalmologyRobert Coit Watzke, MD ProfessorshipBeulah and Florence Usher EndowmentDonald H. and Judith Gardner Beisner ProfessorshipThe Wolfe Foundation LectureshipThe Alson E. Braley LectureshipThe Mansour F. Armaly LectureshipHansjoerg E. Kolder Award for ExcellenceP.J. Leinfelder Award
6 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Research News
In December 2004, TheCenter for Bioinformatics andComputational Biology (CBCB), ajoint enterprise of the University ofIowa College of Engineering andthe Roy J. and Lucille A. CarverCollege of Medicine, signed a five-year, $1.5 million contract withAlcon Research, Ltd. The fundingagreement for research into thecauses of age-related maculardegeneration (AMD) is in additionto a 2003 five-year, $1.5 millioncontract with Alcon to helpscientists better understandglaucoma. The same interdiscipli-nary research techniques currentlyused to help identify the causes ofglaucoma will now be applied tomacular degeneration, with thegoal of better diagnosis andtreatment of both diseases.
Terry Braun, Ph.D. AssistantProfessor of Ophthalmology andVisual Sciences and BiomedicalEngineering and Director of theCoordinated Laboratory forComputational Genomics, and
Robert Mullins, Ph.D., AssistantProfessor of Ophthalmology andVisual Sciences and Director ofthe Chorioretinal DegenerationsLaboratory in the UI Center forMacular Degeneration, are theprimary investigators on theproject.
Dr. Braun is developing novelbioinformatics software tools toidentify potential therapeutictargets and to accelerate mutationscreening of candidate genes forglaucoma and macular degenera-tion, respectively. The softwaresystem will annotate and manageall gene-associated data, helpidentify and prioritize glaucomaand macular degeneration candi-date genes and identify potentialtherapeutic targets.
Dr. Mullins will acquire tissuesamples, perform gene expressionprofiling in ocular tissues fromindividuals with AMD and evaluatethe expression of selected targetgenes in the retina. ProfessorMullins is also developing AMD
models in model organisms forfurther study.
The project’s interdisciplinary,collaborative team, located at theUI and at Alcon, will use itsexpertise in human moleculargenetics, bioinformatics, ocular celland molecular biology, and histol-ogy, as well as access to a largepool of patients to screen forglaucoma and macular degenera-tion mutations.
The relationship between theUniversity of Iowa and AlconResearch, Ltd. dates back to the1993 collaboration with the UI’sMolecular Ophthalmology Labora-tory (MOL), directed by Dr. EdwinStone, which was extended in 1998to include the Coordinated Labora-tory for Computational Genomics(CLCG).
$1.5 Million Alcon Contract to Study Macular Degeneration
Braun Mullins
Visit the CBCB website atgenome.uiowa.edu/
7“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Randy H. Kardon, M.D.,Ph.D. and colleagues havereceived funding for a 3-year,$745,000 grant from the De-partment of Veteran’s Affairs.The project, “Treatment ofVisual Loss in Glaucoma andIschemia with NeurotrophicGrowth Factors,” hopes toshow that the slow release ofgrowth factors injected into thevitreous will reduce the pro-gression of damage and insome cases, reverse visual lossin dogs with spontaneousglaucoma and acutely inducedischemia from raised intraocu-lar pressure. Preliminaryresults in rats demonstrated atherapeutic effect of similar
growth factor treatment. This isa necessary step precedinghuman treatment trials andshould help translate the poten-tial of treatment to humanglaucoma and other forms ofocular ischemia, includingdiabetes.
Dr. Kardon is PrincipleInvestigator. The Co-PrincipleInvestigator is SinisaGrozdanic, D.V.M., Ph.D.,Research Associate, College ofVeterinary Medicine at IowaState University (ISU). Othersinvolved with the projectinclude: Young Kwon, M.D.,Ph.D. and Markus Kuehn,Ph.D. of the UI Department ofOphthalmology & Visual
Sciences, Bridget Zimmerman,Ph.D., Director of UI Biostatis-tical Consulting; Donald S.Sakaguchi, Ph.D., AssociateProfessor, Department ofGenetics, Development andCell Biology, College of Lib-eral Arts and Sciences andCollege of Agriculture at ISU(Collaborator), Daniel M.Betts, D.V.M., M.S., Profes-sor, ISU Department of Veteri-nary Clinical Sciences (Col-laborator); and Erin Lavik,Ph.D., Assistant Professor ofBiomedical and ChemicalEngineering, Yale University(Collaborator).
Treatment of Visual Loss in Glaucoma & Ischemiawith Neurotrophic Growth Factors
Research News, continued
Kardon Kwon
Glaucoma Service ReceivesAllergan Research GrantAllergan, Inc. has granted
the Glaucoma Research Fundan unrestricted educationalgrant for $30,000 to be usedtoward developing the Glau-coma Education Center. Thefunds will help develop theOphthalmic Digital Theater inglaucoma and will support othereducational programs in glau-coma including the researchfellowship in glaucoma.
8 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Texas and Abbot Clark at AlconLaboratories.
The study will examine theeffects of Glucocorticoid ReceptorBeta (GRb) on steroid responsive-ness. There is less GRb in thetrabecular meshwork of glaucomaeyes than in normal eyes. Thisrelative lack of GRb is felt to lead to
Research News, continued
Gregory Hageman, Ph.D. co-ledan international research team thatwas one of four independent teamsthat discovered inherited variations inthe Factor H gene dramaticallyincrease the likelihood of an olderperson developing AMD.
These finding were presented tothe scientific community by Dr.Hageman and other study partici-pants in the NEI Symposium, Age-Related Macular Degeneration(AMD) and Complement Factor H,on Tuesday, June 14th.
The Factor H gene encodes aprotein involved in controlling thebody’s first-line immune defenseagainst bacterial and other infec-tions. A better understanding of thegene could help scientists morequickly develop diagnostic andtherapeutic tools. The researchfinding was cited by Elias Zerhouni,
M.D., Director of the NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH), at a July19th congressional hearing as asignificant breakthrough. Hagemanfurther discussed the finding at aCapitol Hill luncheon briefing onWednesday, September 21st.
The University of Iowa- andColumbia-led study was unique inseveral aspects, including its focuson the basic biological causes ofAMD and making an importantconnection to a rare kidneydisease.
The University of Iowa andColumbia University MedicalCenter co-led finding appearedonline May 3 and in print May 17in the Proceedings of the Na-tional Academy of Sciences(PNAS). Three other independentstudies on Factor H, which in-cluded some of the same results,
were published in the March 10online issue of Science.
The study received supportfrom the National Eye Institute ofthe NIH, Research to PreventBlindness and other fundraisingorganizations.
Additional information aboutthe research may be found online atwww.uiowa.edu/~ournews/2005/may/050205amd_study.html.
The original research study,published in PNAS, (Proc Natl AcadSci USA. 2005;102(20):7227-32) isavailable online at www.pnas.org/cgi/content/short/102/20/7227.
This item includes informationfrom the September 2, 2005, newsrelease issued by the Alliance forEye and Vision Research:www.eyeresearch.org/press_releases/09_02_05.html
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Complement Factor H
The grant, “Glucocorticoids,ocular hypertension and glau-coma,” has recently been fundedfor five years by the National EyeInstitute. The year-one directfunding to the UI Department ofOphthalmology and Visual Sci-ences will be in the neighborhoodof $80,000. Investigators at theUniversity of Iowainclude Wallace L.M.Alward, M.D., principalinvestigator at the UI,John Fingert, M.D.,Ph.D., and Edwin Stone,M.D., Ph.D. This studyis in concert with a studyby Thomas Yorio, Ph.D.at the University of North
steroid-induced ocular hypertension.Drs. Yorio and Clark will be studyingmany aspects of GRb in cell culture.
The role of Drs. Alward, Fingert,and Stone will be to obtain DNA ofindividuals who are responders andnon-responders to corticosteroids.This DNA will be screened forvariants in the glucocorticoid recep-
tor gene and forpotential variants insteroid-induced glau-coma genes. The UIgroup will also testprimary open angleglaucoma patients fordermal hypersensitivityto corticosteroids.
Grant Funded to Study Glucocorticoids, Ocular Hypertension and Glaucoma
FingertAlward Stone
9“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
The UI recently signed twoone-year research agreements withPfizer Global Research andDevelopment totaling $749,296.The multidisciplinary, internationalresearch initiative, directed byGregory Hageman, Ph.D. repre-sents a unique combination ofresources and technologies thatwill be employed to expedite theidentification of new candidatedrug targets associated withglaucoma and age-related maculardegeneration (AMD). Studies willbe conducted by the Interdiscipli-nary Program in Age-RelatedMacular Degeneration, a consor-tium of research laboratories in theUS and Europe dedicated totranslational studies in the field ofretinal disease. The investigators
will exploit novel observations andemploy genomic and proteomictechnologies to identify and validateglaucoma- and AMD-associatedgenes, pathways and targets. Aprimary focus of the program will beto determine the role of inflamma-tion and other immune-mediatedprocesses in AMD, pathways thathave been shown by Hageman andhis colleagues to be active in AMD.
As part of this program, ParAlleleBioScience, Inc. announced its jointcollaboration agreement with the UIto accelerate the discovery of genesassociated with AMD. Thecompany’s products and servicesutilize a multiplexed approach thatleverages novel biochemical pro-cesses rather than complex instru-mentation to discover and analyze
minute variations in thehuman genome. “Theagreement is an excitingopportunity for us tocombine ParAllele’sstrengths inpharmacogenomics andhigh throughput genemutation discovery withthe acknowledgedleadership of Dr.Hageman and hisInstitute in the field ofAMD-associatedpathways,” said NickNaclerio, CEO ofParAllele BioScience,Inc.
Dr. Hageman’sresearch team has alsoreceived a grant in theamount of $360,700 from
the International Retina ResearchFoundation to identify the associationbetween AMD and cardiovasculardisease. The program represents acollaborative effort between estab-lished research scientists, vascularsurgeons, epidemiologists andophthalmologists, most of whomhave collaborated successfullytogether, in various combinations,over the past decade. “We hope thatthese studies will lead to the identifi-cation of novel therapeutic targetsand, ultimately, that the researchfindings will lead to the developmentof treatment modalities for bothconditions,” Hageman said.
Pfizer awarded an initial phasegrant ($294,000) of which Dr.Hageman is the principal investiga-tor. The overall goals of the programare to employ multidisciplinarygenomic and proteomic approachesto identify and validate targetsassociated with AMD and glau-coma, to enhance the laboratory’srepository of human donor eyes andto create an international AMDconsortium comprised of investiga-tors within the United States,Australia, England, Ireland andFrance.
Further, an NIH/NEI award($145,736) will be used to identifyAMD-associated genes using arecently developed, high throughputscreening technique.
An award from the Eye Re-search Institute ($37,500) will beused, in collaboration with colleaguesin Philadelphia, to characterizeassociations between AMD andvarious systemic diseases.
News from Dr. Greg Hageman’s Laboratory
Research News, continued
Congressman Jim Leach and Dr. Greg Hageman
10 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Research News, continued
Abràmoff
“Tele-diagnosis of DiabeticRetinopathy in Rural Iowa,” wasawarded a $31,700 grant fromThe Wellmark Foundation.
According to principle inves-tigator, Michael Abràmoff, M.D.,Ph.D., “Fifty percent of patientswith diabetes currently are notscreened because it requirestraveling to and reimbursing anophthalmologist for a dilated eyeexam. This problem is aggra-vated in rural Iowa, where fewophthalmologists are available.”
This project brings a retinalcamera into the office of therural primary care physician.Photographs of the retina aretransmitted over the Internet tobe diagnosed by the retinalspecialists at the University ofIowa. The diagnoses are thentransmitted back to the familycare clinic. The initial site willbe in Akron, Iowa.
“The ultimate goal,” saidAbràmoff, “is to make the earlydiagnosis of diabetic retinopathymore accessible to rural inhabit-ants of Iowa in order to preventneedless visual loss and blindness
from diabetes.”Dr. Abràmoff was also
awarded a $9,500 GeneralClinical Research Center PilotGrant of the Carver College ofMedicine for automated classifi-cation of the optic nerve head.From this seed grant, Abràmoffhopes to obtain pilot data to makea formal NIH grant proposal.
This fall, Dr. Abràmoff, re-ceived funding from the NationalEye Institute for his project “Low-cost, portable, computer assistedimaging for early diagnosis ofdiabetic retinopathy.” This is anR01 grant for $1,843,750. Thegoals are to develop and validate anew handheld, patient-friendlyimaging technology to image theretina of patients with diabetes.This technology is low cost andimage analysis will be used tooptimize the technology for thedetection of the retinal lesions thatare typical for diabetic retinopathy.Dr. Abràmoff, commenting on thebenefits of collegiality at TheUniveristy of Iowa, said “Dr.Randy Kardon and Dr. Tom
Tele-diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy in Rural Iowa
Weingeist have been instrumentalin helping me obtain this grant.”
Dr. Abràmoff is an AssistantProfessor of Ophthalmology &Visual Science; he also received ajoint appointment at the Depart-ment of Electrical and ComputerEngineering of the College ofEngineering.
H. Stanley ThompsonNeuro-Ophthalmology ClinicThe University of Iowa
Department of Ophthalmology andVisual Sciences honored H.Stanley Thompson, M.D. onOctober 15, 2004, during a specialdedication ceremony for its newlynamed Neuro-OphthalmologyClinic. Officials installed the newsignage for the H. Stanley Thomp-son Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinicduring the monthly clinical confer-ence meeting.
The Iowa Eye is published periodically by the Department ofOphthalmology and Visual Sciences for friends and alumni ofthe department.Editor-in-Chief: Thomas A. Weingeist, PhD, MDManaging Editor: Trish Duffel, RPh, MAPhotos: Staff Photographers
Please direct comments and inquiries to managing editor:319/356-2191 FAX 319/[email protected] color electronic edition at webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu
11“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Jeffrey A. Nerad, M.D. andStephen R. Russell, M.D. wererecognized by Secretariat Awardsat the Annual Meeting of theAmerican Academy of Ophthal-mology held in New Orleans,October 23 - 26, 2004. This awardrecognizes ophthalmologists forspecial contributions to the Acad-emy and to the profession ofophthalmology. Recipients areselected by the Senior Secretariesand Secretaries in their respectiveareas and approved by the Boardof Trustees. This annual award wasdeveloped so that ophthalmologistscan be recognized for contributionsthat are outside the scope of theAchievement Award Program. Drs.Nerad and Russell were selectedfor the award by the Secretary forQuality Care, Secretary for Oph-thalmic Information, Secretary forOphthalmic Knowledge and theSenior Secretary for ClinicalEducation.
Karen M. Gehrs, M.D. wasrecognized with an AchievementAward at the 2004 meeting as well.The Achievement Award recog-nizes ophthalmologists for contri-butions made to the Academy, itsscientific and educational pro-grams, and to the profession ofophthalmology. Young H. Kwon,M.D., Ph.D. will receive thisaward at the AAO Annual Meetingin Chicago, October 15-18, 2005.
John E. Sutphin, M.D. hasbeen named a recipient of theAmerican Academy ofOphthalmology’s Senior Achieve-
Awards and Honors
ment Award for 2005. Thisrecognizes individuals for theircontribution to the Academy basedon a cumulative point system.Points are earned through partici-pation in the Annual Meeting andother areas. Individuals who haveaccumulated 30 points, receive thisaward. His name and photo will bein the 2005 Annual Meeting FinalProgram (October 2005).
Dr. Sutphin has served thisyear as a non-tenured member ofthe University of Iowa FacultySenate. The Faculty Senate iscomposed of seventy-ninerepresentatives of all academicunits of the University and servesas the principal channel ofcommunication between rank andfile faculty members and thecentral administration of theUniversity. The Senate maydiscuss and take a position onany subject of University con-cern, and may recommendpolicies on these matters to thePresident. The Senate alsoconsults with the Board ofRegents regarding appointmentof central academic officials, andwith the President on the peri-odic performance reviews ofsuch officials.
Greg Hageman, Ph.D. hasbeen awarded an HonoraryProfessorship in the School ofMedicine, Queen’s University,Belfast for his “established reputa-tion as a scholar in the profession.”The award is one of three granted
Michael Wall, M.D. hasbeen named a co-editor of ActaOphthalmologica.
Contact Lens Service Direc-tor, Christine Sindt, O.D. wasnamed a fellow in the AmericanAcademy of Optometry inDecember 2004. Dr. Sindtreceived her Optometry degreefrom Ohio State UniversityCollege of Optometry. She was aresident at Cleveland VeteransAdministration Medical Centerand has been with the Universityof Iowa Hospitals and Clinics,Department of Ophthalmologysince July, 1995.
this past year. Funds provided bythe award will be used for collabo-rative interactions related to age-related macular degenerationbetween Dr. Hageman, ProfessorRod Hay (Dean of the Faculty ofMedicine and Health Sciences),Ms. Giuliana Silvestri (Head ofDepartment of Ophthalmology) andother colleagues at Queen’sUniversity. The Professorship isextendible for up to three years.
Pam Kutschke, C.O. gavethe 35th Richard G. Scobee lectureat the American Association ofCertified Orthoptists meeting. Thetitle of the presentation was“Preverbal Assessment for Am-blyopia.” Pam also co-chaired theAAO/AOC/AACO Symposium“Eye Movement Disorders inNeurologic Disease Made Ridicu-lously Simple.”
12 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Kolder AwardUniversity of Iowa Medical
Student, Geeta Belsare, re-ceived the Hansjoerg E. KolderAward for Excellence in Oph-thalmology for 2005. Dr. Kolderis Professor Emeritus in theDepartment of Ophthalmologyand Visual Sciences. He servedin the Department from 1967 to1995 and is a beloved teacher,clinician, surgeon, and pioneer inocular electrophysiology.
Geeta’s efforts helped toestablish the Mr. ReSpectprogram for eyeglasses. She willpursue a residency in ophthalmol-ogy at Northwestern Universitybeginning July 2006.
Honors and Awards, continued
Teachers of the YearThe Senior Residents chose
Thomas A. Oetting, M.D andAndrew G. Lee, M.D. as thisyear’s Teachers of the Year.The names of the Teachers ofthe Year are added to the plaquein the A. E. Braley Auditorium.
Leinfelder AwardThe winners of the 2005 P.J.
Leinfelder Award were an-nounced at the Iowa Eye AnnualBanquet. The Resident Recipi-ents were Susannah Quisling,M.D. and Andrew Doan, M.D.,Ph.D. Stacy Sjoberg, M.D.,Ph.D. was the Fellow Recipientof the Leinfelder Award; and theResearch Fellow Recipient wasChan Kim, Ph.D. The LeinfelderAward is presented each year tothe resident and fellow physicianswho have made significant contri-butions in preparing and deliveringseminars.
Phelps AwardDuring the Ophthalmology
Clinical Conference on Septem-ber 23, 2005, Young H. Kwon,M.D., Ph.D. received theCharles D. Phelps MemorialAward. The Phelps award wasestablished in 1989 in honor ofDr. Phelps (1937-85), who wason the faculty of the departmentfrom 1971 to 1985 and served ashead of the department duringthe last year of his life. Theaward was created through thegenerosity of many friends,colleagues, and patients, and ismeant to encourage the kind ofresearch and educational oppor-tunities for which Dr. Phelps wasrecognized.
Future awards will be used toenhance international collabora-tion by supporting foreignfellows and researchers studyingglaucoma at the UI Departmentof Ophthalmology and VisualSciences or in collaboration withthe department. This reflects Dr.Phelps’ commitment to interna-tional ophthalmology.
Center for Macular Degenera-tion collaborator, Thomas L.Casavant, Ph.D. was one of twoUniversity of Iowa professors whowon Outstanding Mentor Awardsfrom the UI Graduate College. Dr.Casavant, along with CharlesWhiteman, Pioneer Hi-BredProfessor of Financial Economics,won the awards, which are pre-sented annually to two facultymembers who have demonstratedexemplary mentoring efforts ingraduate education. The awardscarry a $2,500 prize. Outstandingmentors encourage and assiststudents in areas such as profes-sional networking and researchpractices. Casavant and Whitemanwere selected from a group ofgraduate faculty mentors whowere nominated for the award bygraduate students and other facultymembers.
Casavant Wins GraduateCollege Outstanding
Mentor Award
Belsare & Weingeist
13“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
From February 6-15, 2005,Dr. Keith Carter and Dr. SudeepPramanik ventured to Kolkata,India to participate in the latestORBIS program. Dr. Pramanikwas then a resident, he is now aCornea Fellow at the at theUniversity of Iowa. Drs. Carterand Pramanik were joined byspecialists in pediatric glaucomaand cataract, as well as Dr.Donny Suh, a strabismus special-
ist from the Wolfe Clinic, DesMoines. It was the first of athree-week program aimed atteaching subspecialty care in thearea of pediatric ophthalmology.
There is a large underservedneed for pediatric eye care inIndia as there are 50 pediatricophthalmologists for a populationof over 1.03 billion people.
The first day, patients werescreened and selected for the
teaching cases at the RegionalInstitute of Ophthalmology, Thefollowing three days, Dr. Cartertaught surgical techniquesranging from congenital ptosisrepair to anterior orbitotomy tothe local ophthalmologists. Theyleft behind videos of varioussurgical techniques and Dr.Jeffrey Nerad’s textbook,Oculoplastic Surgery: TheRequisites in Ophthalmology.
The highlight of the trip wasthe opportunity to operate onORBIS’s DC-10, a flying eyehospital complete with OR, pre-op and postop care areas and anauditorium with live video feedthat enables many local doctorsto learn these surgeries.
2005 Project Orbis Mission to Kolkata India
Wilkinson Travels to Saudi ArabiaMark E. Wilkinson, O.D. attendedthe 2005 Saudi OphthalmologyConference that took place in theKing Fahd Cultural Center, Riyadh,Saudi Arabia, March 6-9, 2005. Dr.Wilkinson was one of 14 invitedinternational guest speakers (11ophthalmologists and 3 optom-etrists); four were from the UnitedStates.
“2005 Saudi Ophthalmology”was a combined meeting of the18th Annual Scientific Meeting ofthe Saudi OphthalmologicalSociety (SOS) and the 22nd
Annual Symposium of the KingKhaled Eye Specialist Hospital(KKESH). Michael Wagoner,M.D., former faculty member inthe Cornea and External DiseaseService at the University ofIowa, and Medical Director ofKKESH, was the co-chair of themeeting.
At the meeting, Dr.Wilkinson presented 8 lecturesconcerning various aspects ofcare for individuals with visualimpairments. In addition to thelectures, he also conducted a
workshop where he demon-strated evaluation techniques andtreatment strategies.
Evening activities included twolavish dinners with traditional musicand dancing, including sworddancing. One dinner took place atthe farm of the President of theSOS, Crown Prince HRHAbdulaziz bin Ahmed bin AbdulazizAl Saud, where participants hadthe opportunity to ride camels andArabian horses.
14 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
The Department’s “Task Forceon Resident Competencies” devel-oped several tools for measuring theperformance of residents includingthe resident portfolio. Upon graduat-ing, a resident’s portfolio will containcopies of a CV, performanceevaluations for each year of training,copies of PowerPoint presentationsmade at morning rounds and atResident/Fellow Research Day,videos of selected surgeries per-formed by the resident, commentsfrom staff and patients, and otherrelevant documentation.
Members of the task forceinclude Drs. Andrew G. Lee, KeithD. Carter, Hilary A. Beaver, H.Culver Boldt, Thomas A. Oetting,and Richard J. Olson. As a result ofthese efforts, the residency trainingprogram received 5-year recertifica-
Task Force on Resident Competenciestion and received a commendationfrom the Accreditation Council forGraduate Medical Education(ACGME). The ACGME websitelists the Iowa site as a “GoodPractice” [www.acgme.org/acWebsite/RRC_240/240_goodPractices.asp]. Read moreabout the competencies on the webat webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/compindex.htm.
In spreading the word about thecompetencies, Drs. Lee, Beaver, andOetting will present the IowaSurgical Competency curriculum asa course at the AAO annual meetingand the Iowa Journal Club tool willbe presented at the AAO annualmeeting as a poster. Dr. Lee willpresent as the Iowa OphthalmologyCompetency Implementation Matrixat the ACGME meeting in March
2006. He will also be a speaker atthe International Council of Ophthal-mology (ICO) Educating the Educa-tors meeting in Lima, Peru, in March2006 and will chair the ICO “Educat-ing the Educators” with the MiddleEast African Council of Ophthalmol-ogy jointly sponsored meeting inCairo, Egypt, in June 2006.
Dr. Lee will also be giving theLouis Girard Lecture at BaylorCollege of Medicine on the “NewCompetencies in Ophthalmology” inJune 2006. He gave the David M.Worthen Memorial Lecture atWilmer Eye Institute in April 2005 on“A New Perspective on ResidentEducation. The Flexner revolutioncontinues...”[webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/ACGMEC/NewPerspective.htm]
Beaver Boldt Carter
Lee Olson Oetting
15“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
The Refractive SurgeryService installed a new IntraLasefemtosecond laser on August 11th
and performed its first proceduresusing it on August 26th when Dr.Kenneth Goins had 6 patients (12eyes) and Dr. John Sutphin had 6patients (11 eyes).
There are two steps to theLASIK procedure: create a cornealflap, and reshape the cornea. TheIntraLase is designed to make thefirst step safer and more preciseby replacing the hand-heldmicrokeratome blade with acomputer-guided laser that deliv-ers micron-level accuracy ofdepth, flap thickness, andcentration on the cornea. This alsoincreases the safety of the proce-dure and reduces the majority ofLASIK complications.1
The IntraLase femtosecondlaser is the first bladeless lasertechnology for creating the cornealflap. The laser focuses an infraredbeam of light to precisely separatetissue through a process calledphotodisruption. In this process, thefocused laser pulses divide mate-
Refractive Surgery Service Acquires IntraLase Laserrial at the molecular level withoutthe transfer of heat or impact tothe surrounding tissue.
Femtosecond laser technologyprovided the basis offemtochemistry research that wonthe 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.The use of the femtosecond laserin ophthalmology was developed bya team of physicists, biomedicalengineers and ophthalmologists atthe University of Michigan.
The IntraLase has possibleuses beyond LASIK such as inDLEK, lamellar keratoplasty.Eyebanks may eventually be ableto use it for harvesting corneas.
Reference(1) Kezirian GM, Stonecipher, KG,Comparison of the IntraLasefemtosecond laser and mechanicalkeratomes for laser in situkeratomileusis. Journal of Cataractand Refractive Surgery; 2004; 30:804-811.
In April, 2005, residents AndrewDoan and Jordan Graff received anunrestricted grant from the UIHCLions Club to help develop a patienteducation arm to EyeRounds. Withfunds from this grant, Drs. Doan andGraff have been working withUniversity of Iowa faculty to developand post pages of patient informationon a variety of topics. A link to thissection has been added to theEyeRounds home page(www.EyeRounds.org) and contentis being developed. The goal is to
Goins
Sutphin
include pages of information on awide variety of topics written interminology appropriate for patients.Currently, information is beingprepared for the web on eye bankdonation, vision screening forchildren, retinoblastoma andstrabismus.
EyeRounds received an addi-tional educational grant fromAllergan in the amount of $10,000 tohelp support the site. Residents andfaculty have been contributing casereports from morning rounds to this
site. Contributors receive $100 foreach case and the best presentationfor the year will be awarded $500for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place, and$200 for 3rd place. The grant hasbeen used to purchase new digitalcameras and memory cards for allincoming residents, and to hireprofessional web design and man-agement expertise. It has also beenused to purchase software andequipment necessary for maintainingthe site.
EyeRounds.org Progress
Contact the Refractive SurgeryService at their new toll-free num-
ber, 866/309-0840, or visit thewebsite at
webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/laser.
16 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
The Iowa Eye Association AnnualMeeting was held June 10-11,2005, in Iowa City. With the IowaLions Eye Bank celebrating its 50th
year, the meeting focused on eyebanking and cornea topics.
David L. Epstein, M.D., theJoseph A.C. Wadsworth ClinicalProfessor and Chairman, Depart-ment of Ophthalmology, DukeUniversity Medical Center, deliv-ered the second Mansour F.Armaly Lecture, “If I had Glau-coma.”
Jay H. Krachmer, M.D.,Professor and Chairman, Depart-ment of Ophthalmology, Univer-sity of Minnesota, delivered the24th Alson E. Braley Lecture,“Keratoconus.”
Terrence P. O’Brien, M.D.,Assistant Professor of Ophthalmol-ogy, John Hopkins Hospital,Wilmer Eye Institute, delivered the34th Wolfe Foundation Lecture,“Antimicrobial Prophylaxis inOphthalmic Surgery: Ritual versusReality?”
An address on “Eye Banks andIowa” was delivered by PatriciaAiken-O’Neill, President andCEO, Eye Bank Association ofAmerica; Patricia Dahl, Chair of
the Board, Eye Bank Associationof America and Executive Direc-tor, The Eye-Bank for SightRestoration, Inc.; and John E.Sutphin, M.D., Professor ofClinical Ophthalmology, Univer-sity of Iowa, Director, Cornea andExternal Disease Service, andMedical Director, Iowa Lions EyeBank.
Other speakers includedChristopher J. Rapuano, M.D.,Associate Professor, Wills EyeHospital, Philadelphia, “ExcimerLaser PTK-Trials and Tribula-tions;” Michael D. Wagoner, M.D.,Director, King Khaled Eye Special-ist Hospital, Riyadh , Saudi Arabia,“Outcome of PKP after ProlongedDonor Storage in Optisol-GS;” andPuwat Charukamnoetkanok, M.D.,Assistant Professor of Ophthalmol-ogy, University of Pittsburgh,“Artificial Cornea and the Futureof Eye Banking.”
Edwin M. Stone, M.D., Ph.D.delivered the 2nd Annual Iowa EyeEthics Lecture, “Ethics andMolecular Genetics.”
In a break with tradition,graduation events were held inconjunction with the Iowa Eyebanquet which was held theevening of Friday, June 10th at theIowa Memorial Union, with musicby Funk 101.
The meeting concluded onSaturday with the annual golftournament at Pleasant Valley GolfCourse followed by the family dinnerand the 1st Annual F. C. Blodi PokerTournament, also held at PleasantValley. The first annual F.C. Blodipoker tournament was a hugesuccess; 13 participants started thishistoric Texas Hold-em battle at7 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, 2005,during the Iowa Eye alumni week-end at Pleasant Valley CountryClub. Four hours later Missy Allen,Ph.D. was victorious. Dr. Christo-pher Rapuano (cornea fellow, 1991),one of the invited lecturers for thescientific session from Wills EyeClinic, came in second place. Dr.Lee Alward placed third and Dr.Rich Allen placed fourth. The Eventraised $300 for the Coming to YourSenses (CTYS) program.
The 2005 Iowa Eye Association Annual Meeting
Thirteen Faculty from theDepartment of Ophthalmologyand Visual Sciences were amongthe 152 physicians from Univer-sity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinicsthat were selected for inclusionin 2005 Best Doctors inAmerica® database, a leadingresource for linking consumerswith expert medical care.
The Best Doctors databaseresults from peer review surveysundertaken by Best Doctors® Inc.,a provider of information about thebest medical care available. Tocompile the current database, morethan 35,000 doctors throughout theU.S. were asked to rate the clinicalabilities of other doctors in theirareas of specialization. Onlyphysicians who earned the consen-sus support of their peers wereincluded.
Those named were: WallaceL. M. Alward, M.D., Chris Blodi,MD (adjunct), H. Culver Boldt,M.D., Keith D. Carter, M.D.,Randy H. Kardon, M.D., Ph.D.,Ronald V. Keech, M.D., AndrewG. Lee, M.D., Jeffrey A. Nerad,M.D., Stephen R. Russell, M.D.,Edwin M. Stone, M.D., Ph.D.,John E. Sutphin, Jr., M.D., ThomasA. Weingeist, Ph.D., M.D., andMichael Wall, M.D.(neurology)
Best Doctors
View the Iowa Eye Association Annual Meeting album in the web atwebeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/update/2005/IaEyeAlbum/index.htm
17“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
AlumniBernard F. Godley, M.D., Ph.D., FACSwill return to University of TexasMedical Branch at Galveston asProfessor and Chair of the Departmentof Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences,effective December 1, 2005. Dr. Godleyis currently the Director and SeniorScientist at the Sybil B. HarringtonMolecular Ophthalmology Laboratory atthe Retina Foundation of the South-west. He is also an active partner in theVitreoretinal Practice of Retina Special-ists, P.A., Dallas Texas.
Dr. Godley was an OphthalmologyResident at UIHC from 1990-1993. Hecompleted fellowship training in medicalretina with Dr. Alan Bird at MoorfieldsHospital and a Vitreoretinal SurgeryFellowship with Drs. Bert Glaser andJohn Thompson in Baltimore, M.D.
Former Iowa Pediatric Ophthalmol-ogy and Neuro-OphthalmologyFellow, Dr. Sean Donahue has beennamed as the Chief of Ophthalmologyat Monrow Carell, Jr. Children’sHospital at Vanderbilt University. Dr.Donahue will be creating the first“Division of Ophthalmology” for thepediatric population at Vanderbilt’sChildren’s Hospital. Dr. Donahue hasa very large vision screening programbased on the use of the photoscreenerused by Dr. William Scott and whichis currently being used in the Comingto Your Senses Iowa vision screeningprogram coordinated by Lori Short inthe Department of Ophthalmology.
On Friday, March 4, the Houstonchapter of Research to PreventBlindness honored former Iowaophthalmology resident (1962-1965),Malcomb Mazow, M.D. as their personof the year. There was a black-tiedinner with speeches honoring theevent. Dr. Bill Scott says “Malcombhas done a lot for the community. Hehas taken a strong role in ‘childrenfirst’ in health care matters. He hasdone a lot of pro bono work forchildren without health care funding.”Dr. Mazow has also played a leader-
ship role in the American Academy ofOphthalmology where he served as itschair and a member of the AAO Boardof Trustees.
Robin Ross, M.D. (ResidentGraduate, 1995) has decided to pullout of full time private practice towork on her ophthalmology interests.She says, “We just finished workingwith two ophthalmologists in northernBrazil, training them to becomeretinal specialists; they’ll be at theirfirst academy meeting this year. In theprocess, my husband, Chad[Cleveringa], and I founded a non-profit organization called Ruth’sHarvest. Our non-profit’s mission isto work mainly with widows andorphans (usually war ravaged places)to rebuild infrastructure (watertowers, schools, orphanages, jobtraining for artisan products) and thentrade new/used technology training tothe physicians who will deliver carethere using that technology. Our nextproject is Sri Lanka.” Read moreabout Ruth’s Harvest at their website:http://www.ruthsharvest.org/aboutus.html. Dr. Ross also mentionedthat she and Chad “are adopting somekids (plural).”
We had a flurry of updates fromalumni right after the last Iowa Eyewent to the printer.
Anil Patel, M.D. (Neuro-ophthal-mology Fellow, 1996-1998) hasjoined the faculty of The Dean A.McGee Eye Institute at the Universityof Oklahoma. Dr. Patel was with theUniversity of Saskatchewan beforemoving to Oklahoma.
In the fall of 2004, after twosummers in Houston, Rahul Pandit,M.D. (Resident, 2000-2003, CorneaFellow 2002-2003) reported that hispractice is building nicely and he hasnow signed on as partner. He isofficially a Clinical Assistant Profes-sor of Ophthalmology at BaylorCollege of Medicine. He says “Ihaven’t had any recent debates with
any Baylor faculty regarding TheIowa Way, but there are alwaysplenty of opportunities. Lavannya hasstarted her Pulmonary/Critical CareFellowship at Baylor, and our sonSuraj, born in 2003, continues to amazeus.”
Former Retina Fellow (2004graduate), Esther Bowie, M.D. wasmarried in August 2004, in Kingston,Jamaica. We received her news lastfall right after the last Iowa Eye wentto press; at that time she was practic-ing in Kingston. She said, “I hope allis well in Iowa. This summer has beenhectic. I got married in August duringthe only hurricane-free weekend. Istarted working on September 1, 2004,and a few days later, we had acategory 4/5 hurricane with windspeeds up to 140-150 miles per hour.My family and I are OK; a few leakshere and there. Communication, light,and water were unavailable for a while,but life is slowly returning to normal.”To update that news, Dr. Bowie hasrecently joined the Storm Eye Insti-tute, Medical University of SouthCarolina in Charleston, where she is anAssistant Professor in theVitreoretinal Service. She and herhusband celebrated the birth of theirfirst child, Rachel Elizabeth Lyn-Sue,on September 29, 2005. Rachel was 8lbs. 1 oz.
Gary Phelps, M.D. formerly ofWaterloo, Iowa and brother ofCharles Phelps, M.D. is now living inAustralia. He checked in recently andsays, "Summer just coming on hereon the Gold Coast of Australia.Temps up to 30+C and the surfwonderful. Still manage to play alittle tennis, but running has givenway to only occasional jogging.Clinics busy, theatre lists full, andweekly (or usually more often)trauma - mostly from bar fights, whichare discouraging, but better than thedomestic abuse I saw in the states.The expanse of ophthalmic knowledge
18 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Send Us Your NewsInformation about alumni and Iowa Eye Association Members willbe published as space allows.
Send your news to:
Trish DuffelDept. of Ophthalmology & Visual SciencesThe University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics200 Hawkins Dr.Iowa City, IA 52242-1091Fax: 319/356-0357e-mail: [email protected]
continues to explode - I no longereven pretend to keep superficiallyabreast. How the new registrars keepon top of it all is a great mystery to me- they are definitely a bright lot."
Ayad Farjo, M.D. (Faculty 2001-2003) announces that Karin Slettin,M.D. (Retina Fellow 2001-2003) gavebirth to their son, Zayd Joergen (thename is half Arabic / half Scandina-vian) on October 6, 2004 at 9:45 p.m.He was 7 lb. 4 oz. and the whole familyis doing great.
Dr. James T. Quinlan (1982-1985)has relocated to Ada, Oklahoma. Heand his wife, Lena, bought an oldbank (he mentions that, unfortunately,the vault was quite bare). He is nowpracticing comprehensive ophthalmol-ogy. He says, “We live upstairs andtake the elevator all the way to work.Which is really cool, since I can’twalk. I accepted a “field-grade”commission in the Army, then (yep)got myself injured. So while thescrews are settling into new bone, Iam on crutches for a few months.This has given me time to makemusic, read, and plan some new sky-dives. My warm regards to all,Major Q.”
Susan Malinowski, M.D. (Resi-dent 1989-1993) married Gary Shapiroin Italy on September 8, 2004. Dr.Malinowski has been at RetinaConsultants of Michigan since 2000.
Former resident, B.J. Dupps, M.D.Ph.D., and wife, Gretchen, announcedthe arrival of Adrianne, born Decem-ber 7, 2004. She was 8 lbs. 7 oz.
Andrea Lusk, M.D. (Residentclass of 2000) and husband, PaulHahn, M.D., announced the arrival ofidentical twin boys, Matthew Adamand William Francis, born January 24,2005. Matthew was 5 lbs. 4 oz. andWilliam was 5 lbs. 6 oz.
Lynn Fraterrigo, M.D. (Residentgraduate, 2005) announced the arrivalof Erin Grace Boler on July 27th. Shewas 8 lbs. 8 oz. and 20.5 inches long.Dr. Fraterrigo says that she, Jim,Sophie, and Erin are all doing well.
Alumni News, continued
Please plan to join us during theAmerican Academy of
Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
Iowa Eye Reception Monday, Oct. 17, 2005
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.Exchange Room
Hotel InterContinentalChicago, Illinois
In March 2005, Lisa Arbisser,M.D. was honored by the AmericanMedical Women’s Association as anIowa “Local Legend” for her accom-plishments in medicine and commu-nity service. The award saluteswomen physicians who have demon-strated commitment, originality,innovation, or creativity in their fieldsof medicine.
Dr. Arbisser was nominated forthe honor by Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa. “Dr. Arbisser is an activemember of both her professional andlocal community and has touchedmany lives in my congressionaldistrict,” he said. “In addition to herprofessional achievements, she hasshown a strong dedication to unselfishpursuits including establishment ofThe See Life Clearly Foundation, anonprofit corporation to continueefforts to restore sight, and hermissionary work abroad. She isclearly a highly skilled and valuablemember of our community.”
In 2003, she celebrated her 20th
anniversary as a cataract surgeon bytreating patients and guests to aperformance of the Ringling Brothersand Barnum & Bailey Circus at TheMark of the Quad-Cities. She boughtout the show for the benefit ofpatients whose sight she had restoredby cataract surgery.
Active in civic affairs, she ischairman of the Davenport SchoolsFoundation, for which she has raisedmillions of dollars over the past 15years to develop special programs foreducators and students. She wasselected as one of the inauguralMarch of Dimes Women of Excel-lence in 2002.
Lisa Arbisser completed herophthalmology residency at theUniversity of Iowa in 1983 afterwhich she joined her husband, AmirArbisser, who completed his PediatricOphthalmology Fellowship at the UI.
Arbisser Honored
19“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Mansour F. Armaly, M.D.,78, died on Friday August 19, 2005,at the George Washington Univer-sity Hospital, after a courageousbattle with cancer. Dr. Armalycompleted his OphthalmologyResidency in June of 1958 and wasa distinguished member of theUniversity of Iowa Department ofOphthalmology faculty from 1958to 1970. In 1970, Dr. Armaly leftthe University to become Chair-man of the Department of Oph-thalmology at the George Washing-ton University where he served for27 years. Dr. Armaly was instru-mental in defining the naturalhistory of glaucoma, in developingtechniques of early detection andmonitoring function loss in the eye,and in demonstrating the geneticcharacter of glaucoma. He wasrenowned internationally as anophthalmologist both in researchand clinical practice.
The Mansour F. Armalylectureship was established in2003 at the University of Iowa byhis wife, Aida, and his children,
DeathsDr. Raya Armaly Harrison, anophthalmologist in Columbia,Maryland, and Fareed Armaly ofBerlin. The first Mansour F.Armaly Lecture was given in 2004at the Iowa Eye AssociationAnnual Meeting.
Mansour Fareed Armaly wasborn in Shefa Amr, Palestine, inwhat is now Israel. He was mar-ried to the former Aida Makdisi in1950. He received his undergradu-ate and medical degrees from theAmerican University of Beirut.
Memorial contributions can bemade to the: Dr. Mansour ArmalyMemorial Fund, Office of Devel-opment-AUB, 3 DagHammarskjold Pl., 8th Floor, NewYork, NY 10007, which willsupport an educational scholarshipat the American University ofBeirut.
Samuel N, Key, Jr., M.D. ofAustin, Texas died on July 27,2005. Dr. Key completed hisOphthalmology Residency in 1946.
Long-time Neuro-Ophthalmol-ogy secretary, Judi Pritchett diedon July 20, 2005 following asudden illness.
Mansour F. Armaly, M.D.
George W. Bounds, Jr.,M.D. of Nashville, Tennessee, diedon August 3, 2005, after a briefstruggle with pancreatic cancer athome. He was born in Meridian,Mississippi on February 19, 1923.He received his medical degreefrom Vanderbilt University (VU)Medical School in 1946 and servedin the US Navy from 1947-1949.Dr. Bounds graduated from UIOphthalmology Residency in 1952and received an M.S. in Ophthal-mology from UI in 1953. Uponcompletion of his residency, he dida six month fellowship at Presbyte-rian Hospital, Columbia Universityin New York City. He was anAssistant Professor of Ophthalmol-ogy at the University Iowa from1953 until 1954 when he moved toNashville. Dr. Bounds establisheda private practice in Ophthalmol-ogy and was also Clinical AssistantProfessor of Ophthalmology at VUMedical School 1955 - 56, ClinicalAssociate Professor of Ophthal-mology, VU Medical School 1962-69, Head of Division of Ophthal-mology, VU Medical School 1959-66. He retired from private prac-tice in 1993, but continued to workfor the State of Tennessee review-ing disability claims until 5 daysbefore his death.
He and his wife were famousfor the Lynxpoint Colorpoint Short-hair cats they bred and exhibited atCFA shows around the country.
He is survived by his wife of 28years, Sharon McKeehen-Bounds;son, G. William Bounds, III;daughters, Margaret Carr ofMemphis, Lynda Gilmore, and JaneRobinson, both of Nashville, and;and 8 grandchildren.
20 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Iowa Lions Donor Memorial and Healing GardenThe Iowa Lions Donor Memorialand Healing Garden was dedicatedon October 10th at 2 p.m. Thememorial garden is one of severalprojects helping to celebrate the50th year of eye banking in Iowa.
The garden was established asa memorial honoring eye, tissueand organ donors. It is located atthe front entrance of the Univer-sity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.The theme of the memorial isHope, Renewal, Transformation.Designed by Lisbon Artist TimEllsworth and Country LandscapesDesigner Alex Schmidt, the donormemorial and healing gardencommemorates donors who havetransformed lives through theirgenerosity as well as Iowa Lionsand others who have supported thework of donation.
In addition to serving as atribute to donors and Iowa Lions,the memorial will carry a messageof hope and renewal throughmedicine and the promise ofresearch at The University of IowaHospitals and Clinics. The memo-rial is intended to serve as a placeof reflection for visitors, patients,staff and students, inspiring all whovisit. The tribute should also informand encourage future donors whomay choose to give the gift of sightand potential Lions whose selfless-ness will mean a brighter future formany Iowans.
A variety of areas and struc-tures will be available for “naming”
Staff, patients, andvisitors enjoy the gardenon an idyllic fall dayafter the dedicationceremony.
Mosaic designed and producedby Tim Ellsworth
in the garden. There are opportuni-ties to commemorate and “name”the following:
The Water Feature (A): On thenorth side of the garden, at themain entrance, there is a bubblingstream running the length of thegarden.
The Bridge (B): The hogback stylebridge is at the main entrance tothe memorial and healing garden,leading visitors over the flowingwater into the main structure ofthe memorial.
Flower Beds (C): Three flowerbeds are available, one betweenthe benches on the east side ofthe garden, and two on the southside of the memorial.
The Healing Circle (D): A quietsemi-circle of stones that is aplace of rest and reflection.
Benches (E): Eight benches areavailable both inside the gardenand on the north sidewalk leadingto the garden.
Limestone Pavers: Limestonepavers measuring 1’ x 2’ will beavailable for families to furtherhonor their loved ones and thework of donation. Pavers areavailable in the main memorial($1500) and on the path leadingto the healing circle, as well ason the path leading away fromthe healing circle ($1000). Allpavers will have the honoree’sname and city inscribed accordingto the wishes of the purchaser.
See more pictures atwebeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyebank/garden
For more information abouthow you can help support the IowaLions Donor Memorial at theUniversity of Iowa Hospitals andClinics, contact: Cindy Reed R.N.,Ph.D., Executive Director IowaLions Eye Bank, 2346 MormonTrek Blvd., Suite 1500, Iowa City,IA 52246. Phone 319/356-2871 oremail: [email protected] orGary Fry, P.I.D. State SecretaryTreasurer/ Field Rep Lions Clubsof Iowa 2300 South Duff Ames,IA 50010 515/232-2215 Email:[email protected] the Iowa Lions Eye Bankwebsite at: www.ialeb.org.Visit the Lions Clubs of Iowawebsite at: www.iowalions.org.
University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences * The University of Iowa Foundation * P.O. Box 4550 * Iowa City, Iowa 52242-4550
*For these purposes, “domestic partner” is your spousal equivalent rather than asibling, parent, child, etc.
Spouse’s/domestic partner’s Social Security number(optional/confidential)
Opportunities for Giving
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I want to share recognition for the enclosed gift with my:
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Signature
Ophthalmic Gift Fund (30-520-001)Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Research& Development (30-520-019)Blodi Chair Endowment (30-520-015)Braley Enrichment Fund (30-520-024)Braley Lecture Fund (30-520-011)C. S. O’Brien Library Resource & LearningCenter (30-520-002)Cataract Research and Development(30-520-023)Center For Macular DegenerationResearch (30-519-005)
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Neuro-Ophthalmology Research(30-520-018)Oculoplastic Research (30-520-009)Orthoptic Training Program (30-520-030)Pediatric Ophthalmology (30-520-008)Retinal Research (30-520-005)Robert C. Watzke Research Fund(30-520-028)William E. Scott Chair for Education inPediatric Ophthalmology (30-520-060)
Charles D. Phelps Research Fund(30-520-016)Cornea Research (30-520-007)General Ophthalmology & Visual SciencesResearch and Development(30-520-022)Glaucoma Research (30-520-026)Hayreh Research (30-520-033)Iowa Lions Eye Bank (30-520-004)Low Vision Research (30-520-025)Molecular Ophthalmology LaboratoryResearch (30-519-001)
Here is my check or credit card authorization for a gift of:
$100 $250 $500 Other $_______________$1,000
Please direct my/our gift to the following Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences fund(s): (Unless you indicate otherwise, your gift will bedivided equally among the funds you select.) 2005OPNA
Questions? Contact:Mitch BeckmanSenior Director of DevelopmentUniversity of Iowa Carver College of MedicineUI Hospitals & ClinicsThe University of Iowa FoundationPO Box 4550Iowa City, IA 52244-4550319/335-3305 or 800/648-6973
Please make your check payable toThe University of Iowa Foundation and send it to:
University of Iowa Department ofOphthalmology & Visual SciencesThe University of Iowa FoundationP.O. Box 4550Iowa City, IA 52244-4550
[email protected] a gift online!www.GiveToIowa.org/eye
22 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Update and Highlights of 20 Years
This is my final UpdateThe process of “stepping
down” has taken longer thananticipated, but it is nearingcompletion. The Dean has beengiven the names of four finalistcandidates, two internal, twoexternal; we expect an announce-ment soon.
On October 17th, I hope youwill join me, alumni, and friends ofthe Iowa Eye Association duringthe annual meeting of the AAO atthe Intercontinental Hotel for ourannual reception. I plan to be therefor the duration and would love tosee the whole Iowa family at thereception.
Instead of the fuel thirsty LeerJet, Cathy and I will drive to andfrom Chicago during the next yearin our hybrid Prius. The opportu-nity to work with Mary Hendrix,PhD at Children’s MemorialHospital on cell biology of ocularmelanoma is something I havebeen looking forward to for a longtime. Mary was formerly chair ofthe Department of Cell Biology and
Anatomy at Iowa and is nowPresident and Director of Re-search and Education of CMH.I don’t plan to be away for a year.I will be back periodically to seepatients and then return to Chicagoto give the faculty and the Depart-ment Head time for a smoothtransition without me.
I would like you all to know thatI am very grateful to have had thechance to work with an outstandingfaculty, staff, and house staff overthe past 20 years, as well as thecountless alumni and friends of theDepartment that I have encoun-tered. Together we have accom-plished a lot. Imagine, at the startevery member of the faculty wasone of my mentors; the last ofthose retired in 2003.
I believe that to be successful,each of us must be enfranchised tomake decisions and take risks.Supervisors must provide theresources and support faculty andstaff, and when things do not workas expected, continue to supportfaculty. Faculty and staff shouldget the credit; chairs should beaccountable. I am afraid there is alack of accountability among toomany leaders in universities,government, and business. Theimplosion of Enron could not haveinvolved a few bad apples or evena group of leaders at the top. Thecorporate culture was defective. Itwas known and expected that 15%of Enron employees would be let
go annually if they did not achievebenchmarks. This led to unethicalbehavior on the part of peoplethroughout the organization andoften those least able to cope gothurt the most. The chaos resultingfrom Katrina is also symptomaticof people not being accountableand being given assignmentswithout having appropriate re-sources.
I was fortunate, when ap-pointed, that Dean Jack Ecksteinand John Colloton, the CEO of theUIHC were willing to take risks.They were known for hiring strong,independent department heads andlet them act. They gave me theopportunity to succeed or fail.They did not always agree orsupport department heads (DEOs),but they enabled each of us topursue what we thought was bestfor our faculty and departmentsand they expected that we wouldbe accountable as they would fortheir units. When they said youwould hear from them by a certaintime, they responded and whenthey made promises, they keptthem.
What did we accomplish?The most important attribute of
a great department is its people: thefaculty, staff employees, and itstrainees. I viewed my role as theconductor of a premiere orchestra.I tried to give each member of theorchestra an opportunity to per-form. I reminded them periodically
23“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
that solos cannot be played byeveryone at once. Sometimes thepiccolo needs to be heard abovethe tympani or violins. The con-ductor may be the most visiblemember of the orchestra, but thecredit for the performance goes tothe musicians.
Unfortunately, the naming ofeach faculty member in thisUpdate would be too cumbersometo read, but each individual hasbeen credited repeatedly, person-ally over the years for their efforts;their contributions can be found onour website. By omitting themhere, in no way do I want to takecredit for their accomplishments.Clearly, without musicians anorchestra conductor has no value.Or one could say the audience didnot come to hear Toscanini orZubin Mehta conduct the NewYork Philharmonic Orchestra.They came to hear great music.
Over the past 20 years, I haveassigned faculty and staff toleadership roles to plan and over-see medical student, resident, andfellowship programs. These time-consuming efforts were rewardedwith thanks and financially. Fac-ulty ran the Faculty Practice Plan,Medical Management, Finance,Clinical Research, and othercommittees without my presence.I hope this gave them a greatersense of autonomy. I worked withthe chairs of committees and metweekly with a good administrative
group that included the financialand administrative staff of thedepartment, nurse manager, vicechair, and director of medicalservices. I seldom overruled theirdecisions and I had an open doorpolicy.
Our excellent resident andfellowship training programs havegained recognition among morethan 120 academic programs. Ourresidency was just awarded themaximum 5-year reaccredidationand a certificate for excellence duein large part to Drs. Keith Carterand Andrew Lee.
A 2-week rotation for third andfourth year medical students wasestablished with the appointment ofHilary Beaver, MD, director ofmedical student education. It maycome as a surprise to you thatmany medical schools do notrequire a rotation in ophthalmology.Is there any wonder that physiciansoften do not recognize the differ-ence between ophthalmologists andoptometrists?
Optometrists were hired andlater became faculty members toperform comprehensive optometricevaluations, fit cosmetic andmedically necessary contact lenses,and perform low vision rehabilita-tion services. These facultymembers engage in clinical andbasic research including uniquestudies using the National DrivingSimulator. Ophthalmologists andoptometrists can work effectively
together in caring for patients,teaching, and performing research.In academic ophthalmologyprograms, optometrists do not needto treat glaucoma any more than aretina, neuro-ophthalmologysubspecialist need to workup andmanage new glaucoma patients.
We have increased the numberof faculty from 15 clinicians to 31clinicians and scientists. This hasenabled each clinical service toprovide clinical care throughout theweek and also engage to a greaterdegree in clinical, basic researchand teaching. Full-time basicresearchers with secondaryappointments in other departmentswithin the College of Medicine andother colleges have enhanced thescope of collaborative researchresulting in increased extramuralfunding for the University andstronger ties with the College ofEngineering and College of LiberalArts.
On a daily basis we see 300 ormore patients in the clinics andperform cases in the AmbulatorySurgery Center. Relatively fewpatients are hospitalized. Compli-cated vitreoretinal cases stay for“23 hours” and occasional casesare hospitalized longer because ofcorneal or orbital infection. Thevolume of patients is deceptivelylow because follow-ups havegenerally been reduced in length,and patients are returned to localphysicians when stable.
Update, continued
24 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Four thousand square feet ofresearch laboratories and officeswere created at the OakdaleResearch Facility under the leader-ship of Greg Hageman, PhD. Inearly 2006 the Ophthalmology CellMorphology and Molecular BiologyLaboratory will move to newfacilities on the Oakdale campus.This new and exciting program,developed by Greg Hageman, hasbeen propelled by the initiative ofthe new University of Iowa VP forResearch, Meredith Hay, PhD[research.uiowa.edu/vpr/?get=hay].
Greg’s team will be the nucleusof a bold venture that will includethe University, the Department ofOphthalmology and Visual Sci-ences, and corporate partnerswhose primary objective will beAMD research. We are position-ing ourselves so we can continue toinitiate state of the art laboratoryresearch, work closely with indus-try to create new drugs to preventor cure AMD, and participate inclinical trials while providing thebest kind of patient care to theever-increasing numbers of patientsthreatened with blindness fromAMD. This and similar groups willserve as a catalyst for new grantsand patents, educational opportuni-ties for graduate students.
The Carver Molecular Ophthal-mology Laboratory was createdthrough a generous gift of $2million dollars by Martin and RuthCarver and $1 million from the
Department. These and fundsfrom Research to Prevent Blind-ness and later from FoundationFighting Blindness provided thenexus for the creation of the CMD.
I vividly recall attending theBoard of Regents meeting in CedarFalls, Iowa in August of 1997,during which the University ofIowa Center for Macular Degen-eration was approved with thecommitment that the Departmentof Ophthalmology and participatingmembers would support theprogram with spaced provided bythe College of Medicine. It hasbeen a very worthwhile investmentfor all involved.
The AMD research programgained international recognitionwhen Ed Stone, MD, PhD wasappointed by the Howard HughesMedical Institute as the first andonly ophthalmologist so far to benamed as an HHMI Scientist. Hejoined Val Sheffield, MD, PhDfrom the Department of Pediatrics,another member of the CMDnamed as an HHMI Scientist.
The opening of the MedicalEducation and Research Facility(MERF) makes up approximately16,000 square feet of contempo-rary research facilities that areoccupied by a multidisciplinarygroup led by Edwin M. Stone, MD,PhD the director of the UI Centerfor Macular Degeneration (CMD).
Last month, Professor GregHageman, PhD, from our Depart-
ment gave testimony in WashingtonDC to the Director of the NIH, Dr.Elias Zerhouni and members ofCongress. It was a rare andwonderful opportunity to informpublic leaders where we stand andwhat needs to be done to cureAMD. Earlier in the year GregHageman and collaborators fromseveral other universities publisheda seminal paper demonstrating therole of Factor H (not forHageman) and the complementcascade in AMD.[www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/20/7227]
The next Department Head willhave the opportunity to identifyfrom within the Department andrecruit a number of faculty deserv-ing of named chairs and professor-ships. Clearly, Greg Hageman
Update, continued
Medical Education & Research Facility
25“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
deserves to be among that list.Mainly through the generosity ofalumni and friends nearly $20million dollars are available.[webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/Endowment/]
The foresight that GregHageman had while at St. LouisUniversity to create a repository ofeyes, obtained within 4 hours ofdeath, for AMD research has beenvery rewarding. We are thefortunate recipients of this initiativethat moved to Iowa and has grownto over 2,500 eyes. The collectioncontains a variety of forms ofAMD specimens, blood specimensfor molecular biology, tissuesamples for state of the art studiesusing the most sophisticatedscanning laser microscope in theworld, transmission and scanningelectron microscopes, DNAsequencers and other technologysupported in part by the NationalInstitutes of Health, National EyeInstitute, private individuals,philanthropic organizations such asResearch to Prevent Blindness,Lions Clubs, and corporate sponsors.
As the Iowa Lions Eye Bankinitiated by Dr. Alson E. Braleycelebrates its 50th anniversary weare pleased to announce thecreation of the Iowa Lions DonorMemorial and Healing Garden.
As conductor I must pause tothank Cindy Reed, RN, PhD,Executive Director of the EyeBank who, during her first year on
Update, continued
the job, initiated this project. Cindywas able, in a remarkably shorttime, to create a plan, a way to payfor the project, and receive ap-proval from the CEO of the UIHC,Donna Katen-Bahensky, to locatethe garden at the front entrance ofthe UIHC. Opening ceremoniestook place on October 10, 2005.Details can be read elsewhere inthis newsletter (page 20) and onour website.[webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/News/2005/200510-06-ILEB.htm]
Collaboration between theGlaucoma Service directed by LeeAlward, MD and investigators inthe MERF have led to outstandingclinical and basic research discov-eries including identification of the
first gene for a juvenile form ofprimary open angle glaucoma.Collaborations with industry andacademic centers continue toenhance our understanding ofglaucoma.
Young Kwon, MD, PhD, andMarkus Kuehn, PhD, as well asscientists in Ames at the Veteri-nary College of Medicine at IowaState are working on neuro-protective mechanisms in glau-coma. Recently Emily Greenlee,MD, was hired to develop aglaucoma clinical and teachingprogram at the Veterans MedicalCenter in Iowa City; and plans areunderway to hire a clinician-research scientist in glaucoma in2006 and to offer foreign scientistsand clinicians limited support to doresearch fellowships in glaucoma.
The Cornea/External Diseaseand Refractive Surgery programhas a VISX excimer laser andIntralase instrument to performrefractive surgery. We have aunique training program wherebyresidents and fellows obtain specialdidactic and clinical training withour instrumentation leading tocertification.
Dr. Ken Goins and Dr. JohnSutphin have gained tremendousexperience and have refinedDLEK (deep lamellar endothelialkeratoplasty). They have pains-takingly maintained details of allaspects of the pre-op and post-operative procedure on more than
26 “Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Update, continued
75 cases. Transplanting theposterior portion of the corneaavoids the complications of astig-matism and suturing a cornealbutton with the advantage of morerapid visual recovering, albeit amore time consuming and moredifficult technical procedure.Learn more and see an earlyprocedure on streaming video.[webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/DLEK.htm].
The recruitment of MichaelAbramoff, MD, PhD, as AssistantProfessor demonstrates howtalented faculty, hard work, andcooperation with other units in theUniversity can lead to greatsuccess. Although less than a yearout of fellowship training, Dr.Abramoff received a K-12 grantfrom the Carver College of Medi-cine awarded through the NIHproviding him with 80% time forresearch. During the past fewmonths he has submitted numerousgrants and written a number ofpapers for peer-reviewed journals.He recently received a $1.8 milliongrant from the National EyeInstitute to further develop andperfect a fundus camera which willcost less than $2,500 and is capableof recording digital photographs ofthe posterior pole without dilation.The aim will be to transmit imagesvia the Internet to a grading centerto assess diabetic patients forretinopathy. This will tie in beauti-fully with a program that hasalready been started using conven-
tional non-mydriatic cameras set upin distant Family Practice Pro-grams in Iowa. Images sent viathe Internet to the UIHC aregraded and letters are returned toreferring physicians indicatingwhether patients need promptophthalmic assessment, routinefollow up or can be followedanother year by the family physi-cian. Dr. Abramoff developed asimilar program in the Netherlandswhere more than 10,000 patientswere screened last year.
Dr. Abramoff, a computerscientist and ophthalmologist, hasalso developed a computer systemto assess images for diabeticretinopathy which is under reviewin a collaborative effort with theUniversity of Wisconsin Photo-graph Reading Center (WPRC).The objective will be to have allphotographs screened by computerand for those that are identifiedwith diabetic retinopathy to bereviewed by professional graders.In this way thousands and ulti-mately millions of pictures can beevaluated without graders. Moreattention can then be paid tostudying those with diabeticretinopathy. The WPRC will testthe sensitivity and specificity ofdigital photography and comparethe computer assessment withgraders. We are hopeful that a USDepartment of Agriculture grantfor additional cameras will enableus to open 8 more sites as part ofour Telediagnosis of Retinal
Diseases in Rural Iowa programwhich stretches from the QuadCities on the east to Akron on thewest. We have already beencontacted by physicians in otherstates wishing for us to help themidentify patients with diabeticretinopathy. Interestingly, some ofthese physicians are retina special-ists who are swamped screeningpatients unable to afford costlyexaminations. These physiciansare willing to offer laser andsurgical care for limited or noreimbursement, but cannot copewith screening the hundreds ofpatients who will not requiretreatment.
27“Together, we have a vision for the future.”
Update, continued
Incorporation of Iowa Eye Asso-ciation, membership dues,directory
Beginning of digital programs withfiber optic connections to faculty,secretary and laboratory officesin the UIHC and research labs.
Iowa archival and retrieval systemfor ophthalmic photographs
Establishment and Renovation ofFrederick C. Blodi Eye PathologyLaboratory
Expansion of Molecular Ophthal-mology Laboratory
Oakdale Research Facility expan-sion
Name change to Department ofOphthalmology and VisualSciences
Collaboration with Iowa and thenNational Driving Simulator
Plans to build and move toPomerantz Family Pavilion (PFP)
Establishment of the University ofIowa Center for Macular Degen-eration
First refractive laser instrumentpurchased by UIHC
Move to PFP February 16, 1996Relocation and expansion of C. S.
O’Brien Library, Research andLearning Center
Entrepreneurial Research Programestablished at the OakdaleCampus, Greg Hageman, PhD
Establishment of Chief of Ophthal-mology at VAMC with supportstaff and faculty from the UIHC– Thomas A. Oetting, MD
Constance Grignon, MD appointedChief of Ophthalmology at DesMoines VAMC to providesupervision for 3rd year residents
Establishment of Glaucoma Serviceat Iowa City VAMC, EmilyGreenlee, MD, director
Relocation of Alson E. BraleyAuditorium
Second refractive laser instrumentpurchased and used on largescale
Intralase purchasedDLEK procedureDigital imaging system for fundus
color and fluorescein angiographyEndowments for chairs, professor-
ships, clinical, research, andteaching programs amounting to$20 million and growing
Endowed lectureships:Wolfe Foundation LectureshipBraley LectureArmaly Lecture
Hired optometrists for contact lensand low vision rehabilitation
Faculty appointments for optom-etrists at UIHC and VA
Full-time basic researchers in cellbiology, molecular biology, com-puter science and engineering
Secondary appointments for facultyin neurology, neuro-surgery,pathology, otolaryngology, depart-ment of biological sciences,computer engineering, biomedicalengineering, and genetics.
Tumors of the Optic Nerve andInflammation initiative
University of Iowa Center forMacular Degeneration
Hansjoerg E. KolderElectrodiagnostic Laboratory
H. Stanley Thompson Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic
Adaptive Optics ProgramIowa Ophthalmic Imaging Group –
Michael Abramoff, directorTelediagnosis of Retinal Diseases
in Rural Iowa143 Residents and 204 Fellows
trainedDepartment websiteEducational programs on websiteOnline Atlas of OphthalmologyEyeRounds.org establishedStreaming video surgery and CME
programs on internetElectronic newletterPrinted Directory of Services
distributed to referring physiciansDepartmental written and online
survey for patient feedbackIowa Lions Donor Memorial and
Healing Garden, Cindy Reed,Executive director, Iowa LionsEye Bank
Have screened over 50,000children in the Coming to YourSenses vision screening programdirected by Lori Short andWilliam Scott, MD
Major Accomplishments
CALENDAR 2005-2006Clinical Conferences
DATE TOPIC GUEST SPEAKERNovember 4, 2005 Cataract M. Bowes Hamill, MD
December 2, 2005 Glaucoma Douglas H. Johnson, MD
February 3, 2006 Neuro-Ophthalmology Steven A. Newman, MD
March 3, 2006 Oculoplastics David E. E. Holck, MD
April 7, 2006 Cornea Mark A. Terry, MD
June 15-17, 2006 Iowa Eye Association Annual Meeting
Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid
Permit #45Iowa City, Iowa
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesPomerantz Family PavilionUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics200 Hawkins DriveIowa City, Iowa 52242-1091
Iowa Eye Reception Monday, Oct. 17, 2005
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.Exchange Room
Hotel InterContinentalChicago, Illinois
Please plan to join us during theAmerican Academy of
Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
