Blog
This section is designed to keep you up to date on current issues relevant to eye care. I could not be any more thrilled than I already am as part of the Duke Eye Center and the Department of Ophthalmology with 64 full time faculty members and a shared mission of delivering the very best care, finding disease cures through research, and training the next generation of the finest physicians and specialists in eye care.
Panuveitis Treated with Cataract Surgery, Intraocular Lens Insertion, Synechialysis, Retisert Steroid Implant, and Glaucoma Filtration Tube
Panuveitis can be one of the most challenging problems in Ophthalmic Surgery as this type of severe and pervasive inflammation can affect multiple aspects of the eye resulting in loss of vision. This particular patient needs the Retisert steroid implant for the treatment of severe inflammatory complications. Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of the Corneal and Refractive Surgery Service at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, NC works closely with Glenn Jaffe, MD and Pratap Challa MD to treat this patient with...
read moreDuke Eye Center Links Obstructive Sleep Apnea to Keratoconus
Research Digest New & Noteworthy Journal Articles Compiled by Andrew E. Mathis, PhD, Medical Editor ► Keratoconus and sleep apnea. Noting the sparseness of post-keratoplasty patients among their elderly patients, ophthalmologists Preeya Gupta, M.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of the Corneal Service at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, NC, undertook a study to determine whether there was any correlation between keratoconus and mortality, looking specifically at sleep...
read moreA Dry Eye Patient Discusses Her Improvement 8-Weeks After LipiFlow Treatment at Duke Eye Center
LipiFlow is a thermal pulsation treatment produced by TearScience (Morrisville, NC) invented by Dr. Donald Korb (Boston, MA) that received FDA approval in July 2011 established as safe and effective in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and its role leading to evaporative dry eye. This treatment has been available at Duke Eye Center since October 2011 when Duke became the first medical center in the country to offer this treatment on a commercial, non-experimental basis. Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of...
read moreLeading Eye Surgeons Gather to Teach the 8th Annual Harvard Cataract Course
Leading eye surgeons selected by their peers as best teachers / surgeons from 28 Universities gathered to teach the 8th Annual Harvard Cataract Course under course directors Roberto Pineda II, M.D. and Sherleen Chen, M.D from Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. The course, given over two days included Dr. Natalie Afshari, Professor of Ophthalmology at Duke Eye Center addressing the importance of intraocular lens calculations. Dr. Barry Seibel lectured on Phaco settings and Fluidics and Dr. Bob Avery gave a meticulous discussion on Phaco Chop...
read moreSeven Scientific Posters Sponsored by TearScience at ARVO Advance Understanding of Evaporative Dry Eye to Improve Patient Care
TearScience Inc. announced that it sponsored research for seven scientific posters on evaporative dry eye and its technology at ARVO. Subjects reflect new, ongoing research on the disease, TearScience’s technology, and clinical outcomes. The posters cover topics such as how the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System can rejuvenate Meibomian gland secretions for up to a year as well as LipiFlow’s efficacy and safety over warm compress therapy for treating Meibomian gland dysfunction. Another demonstrates LipiView Ocular Surface...
read morePupillary Circlage: Repairing the Permanently Dilated Traumatic Pupil During Cataract Surgery
There are a number of potential injuries that can occur to the eye producing the permanently dilated pupil. Infection, angle closure glaucoma, previous surgery, and blunt trauma can all produce this problem. The permanently dilated pupil is more likely to produce unwanted glare, brightness during the day, and halos around oncoming headlights. This functional impact may also include a cosmetic problem as well in patients that have a light colored iris making the problem of anisocoria more apparent. Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of...
read moreCeremonial Ground-Breaking for New Duke Eye Center Clinical Facility
Thanks to Bill and Kathy Hudson and LC Industries for their generosity toward the new state-of-the-art clinical Duke Eye Center in Durham, NC. From: Victor J. Dzau, M.D., Chancellor for Health Affairs; CEO, DUHS Subject: Ceremonial Ground-Breaking for New Eye Center Clinical Facility _____________________________________________________________________ This morning we held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art Duke Eye Center building that will add much-needed clinical examination space and enhance the patient...
read moreBefore and After: LipiFlow Treatment for Dry Eye at Duke Eye Center
A gracious and wonderful patient has offered to share her story as we meet her today to evaluate and treat her severe dry eye condition. Her story is remarkably common and she has offered to share it because the Duke Eye Center has a new and improved ways of addressing this serious problem. Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of the Corneal and Refractive Surgery Service at the Duke Eye Center interviews this patient prior to treatment and then again 20 minutes after her 12 minute treatment, after the topical...
read moreCongratulations Drs. Toth and Afshari as Two Eye Center Physicians Named to 2012 Top 10 Women in Medicine
http://www.dukehealth.org/eye_center/health_library/news/two-eye-center-physicians-named-to-2012-top-ten-women-in-medicine Two of Duke Eye Center’s faculty are honored by being named to the Triangle’s Top 10 Women in Medicine by Triangle Medical News. Appearing in the May edition, the faculty members receiving the award are: Natalie Adel Afshari, MD, FACS, professor of ophthalmology, director of the Centers of Excellence, and the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellowship Program for Duke University Eye Center Cynthia A. Toth, MD,...
read moreCataract Surgery Pearls for Treating the Patient with Small, Poorly Dilating Pupils
Alan N. Carlson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of the Corneal and Refractive Surgery Service at the Duke Eye Center was asked by Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today to review and edit the surgical “pearls” used for successful cataract surgery in patients with small, poorly dilating pupils. Patients undergoing cataract surgery with small pupils pose additional risk for potential complications. It is important to establish prior to surgery the ability to dilate the patient and factors that may hinder dilation. ...
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