Experts InSight

Drs. Fasika Woreta and Ekjyot Gill join host Dr. Jay Sridhar to discuss the literature and their experiences surrounding socioeconomic determinants of corneal pathology, and how social risk factors impact access to necessary corneal treatment and surgery. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Dr. David Huang joins the show to share his story of developing optical coherence tomography (OCT), for which he, Dr. James Fujimoto, and Eric Swanson won the National Medal of Technology, the highest award for innovators in the United States, as well as the 2023 Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, often called "America's Nobel Prize." For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Host Dr. Jay Sridhar invites Drs. Sneha Kannan and Zirui Song to discuss their research group's recent publication in JAMA analyzing the association between private equity ownership and the rate of hospital adverse events, and what the results could indicate for ophthalmologists and other physicians. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

 Host Dr. Andrew Pouw and Dr. Chris Johnson, a leading authority on visual field research, discuss the advent of virtual reality (VR) visual field perimetry, its advantages over conventional bowl perimetry, and how this new diagnostic technology will impact the care for patients with glaucoma. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Recent surveys have shown that a majority of ophthalmologists report musculoskeletal pain in the neck, back, and shoulders. Those who regularly use surgical loupes or perform clinical exams that induce neck flexion—such as when examining for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)—may be at even higher risk for chronic pain and disability. In today’s episode, Drs. Donny Suh and Safeer Siddicky discuss ergonomics in both the clinic and operating room, and how posture, behavior, and simple ergonomic modifications can help prevent musculoskeletal disease. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Drs. Natalie Homer and Andrea Tooley share some major can’t-miss diagnoses in the lids and orbit that carry significant morbidity and mortality, including sebaceous cell carcinoma, orbital tumors, and infectious processes such as mucormycosis and necrotizing fasciitis. Strategies for imaging, histopathology, and management are also discussed. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

A surgical team from NYU Langone Health recently made history when it performed the world's first whole-eye and partial-face transplant in a patient who survived a high-voltage electrical accident. In today's episode, host Dr. Ben Young welcomes Dr. Vaidehi Dedania, a retina specialist and the primary ophthalmologist involved in the case, to discuss the surgery, the patient's progress, and the potential future for similar surgeries. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Adhering to an eye drop regimen can be difficult—especially for elderly patients with glaucoma. Those same patients often face an unexpected additional barrier to care when they run out of their medication and are denied early refills by a pharmacy or coverage by their insurance carrier. In today’s episode, Dr. Kevin McKinney talks about how his own advocacy efforts at the state level helped protect early eye drop refills in Oregon. He advises what other US clinicians can do to advocate for their patients and empower them to receive the care they need, while also helping them administer eye drops effectively. Resources  The latest eye drop prescription refill legislation in your state (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Contact your state’s department of insurance (Forbes) Sample card for patients to use when requesting early refill of an eye drop prescription (Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology) For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

How do you advise patients who need an intraocular tamponade but also plan to travel into areas of high altitude or by air? When should the surgeon opt for silicone oil instead of gas or air? Drs. Sarah Read and Jack Stringham share their experiences and pearls for managing retinal surgery in these challenging cases. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.

Where do guide dogs come from? How are they trained, and how do they functionally support patients with visual impairment or blindness? What steps should you follow to "prescribe" a guide dog? Which patients qualify, and how much does it cost? In today’s episode, host Dr. Ben Young invites Jake Koch and his dog Forli from Guide Dogs for the Blind to share everything the ophthalmologist needs to know about guide dogs. Learn more about the services offered by Guide Dogs for the Blind. For all episodes or to claim CME credit for selected episodes, visit www.aao.org/podcasts.