ASRS's History of Retina

Clinical trials are the foundation of modern medicine, providing the evidence that guides patient care and the advancement of new therapies. The field of retina offers some of the clearest examples of how clinical research can truly transform a specialty. Landmark studies including the diabetic retinopathy studies and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) have established a foundation...

For more than five decades, Evangelos Gragoudas, MD, has been innovating, inspiring, and educating in the field of retina and ocular oncology. Early in his career, Dr. Gragoudas trained under the father of modern retinal surgery – the illustrious Charles Schepens. That transformative fellowship and his training at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary turned into a career-long commitment to the instituti...

Join us for this episode of Leaders & Legends where we explore the extraordinary life and career of Jose S. Pulido, MD, MS, MBA, MPH. Born in Cuba during revolutionary times, Dr. Pulido’s family fled following the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, immigrating to the United States when he was 5. Through his parents’ example, he learned the critical importance of education. An out-of-the-box thinker an...

The History of Retina is pleased to welcome Johanna Seddon, MD, ScM, FARVO, FASRS, to the Leaders & Legends Series. Dr. Seddon’s illustrious career as a clinician/ scientist has focused on the care of patients with retinal degenerations and dystrophies, and she has made notable contributions to shaping our understanding of how genetics, nutrition, and lifestyle factors drive the pathogenesis o...

The History of Retina welcomes Mark W. Johnson, MD, to the Leaders and Legends series. A distinguished clinician, surgeon, and researcher, Dr. Johnson has helped define our field through pioneering work on macular diseases, the vitreomacular interface, and surgical strategies. His academic contributions are enormous with nearly 250 publications. Throughout his remarkable career, Mark has been a st...

Born in Shanghai, China, Stanley Chang, MD, immigrated to the United States with his family in 1949 at the age of two. He went on to earn an electrical engineering degree at MIT in 1968, followed by a master's degree in biomedical electronic engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. He completed hi...

One of Retina’s true statesmen, Dr. Charles Patrick Wilkinson is Chairman Emeritus of Ophthalmology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Wilkinson watched the history of retina unfold, working alongside fellow retina giants, including Drs. Norton, Curtin, Gass, Michels, Machemer, and others. In this int...

If there is one discovery that constituted a quantum leap in the evolution of the field of retina and ophthalmology, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is undoubtedly on the short list. Today’s retina specialists can’t imagine practicing without OCT imaging. It’s one of the first diagnostic tests obtained for the vast majority of patients, and is essential for the diagnosis and management of the m...

Cynthia A. Toth, MD, FASRS, has always been ahead of the curve, from being the first female surgeon to join the faculty at Duke to becoming one of the earliest researchers to use OCT to study retinal injuries. She was also one of the first to use a handheld OCT system to examine infants, and she pioneered the first intraoperative OCT-guided surgical system. Dr. Toth has helped revolutionize how do...

The History of Retina is pleased to welcome one of retina’s most highly esteemed ambassadors to Leaders & Legends.   Dr. William F. Mieler has channeled his passion and impressive background into an illustrious career as a clinician, educator, researcher, and international leader in ophthalmology. He has served in countless leadership positions in organized ophthalmology, including president o...

The History of Retina is pleased to welcome revered educator, surgeon, and clinician Dr. Lee Jampol to Leaders & Legends. Dr. Jampol’s remarkable career has largely centered around research trials, studying retinal diseases like diabetic retinopathy and central serous retinopathy. He has been a key player in some of the field's most pivotal trials, including the Macular Photocoagulation S...

Join us for an extraordinary Milestones in Retina expert panel discussion detailing the discovery and evolution of a treatment that truly revolutionized the field of retina and the lives of patients around the world – virtually overnight. That therapy is, of course, anti-VEGF. It goes without saying that there is an army of researchers, clinicians, patients and industry representatives who contrib...

Unlike most kids, Eugene de Juan, Jr., preferred his toys broken. Fascinated by his ophthalmologist father’s many gadgets and his grandfather’s workshop, Gene discovered his passion for fixing things at an early age.  He went on to complete his ophthalmology and vitreoretinal training at world-class institutions including the Johns Hopkins University’s Wilmer Eye Institute and Duke University, and...

Emily Y. Chew, MD, is director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and deputy clinical director of the National Eye Institute (NEI). She is also a senior investigator and Chief of the NEI’s Clinical Trials Branch. In this Leaders & Legends interview Dr. Chew shares fascinating experiences and perspectives from her extraordinary life and career. Born in Canton, China, Dr....

The History of Retina is pleased to share this Leaders & Legends interview featuring the extraordinary life and career of Mark Blumenkranz, MD.  Dr. Blumenkranz is the HU Smead Professor Emeritus and co-director of the Ophthalmic Innovation Program at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine. In addition, he serves as manager director of Lagunita Biosciences and is co-...

Leaders & Legends is pleased to share an interview with a true dynamic duo in retina: Drs. Susan and Neil Bressler.   Susan and Neil’s personal and professional partnership started in their early days at John Hopkins medical school and, with thoughtful intention, they set out to build their life and careers together.  They both pursued ophthalmology residency and medical retina fellowships at...

Dr. Yale Fisher has had an undeniable impact on the field of retina. He led the way in the development of new techniques and instruments in the field, particularly in ultrasonography and vitreoretinal surgery. His pioneering work in ocular endoscopy has expanded the boundaries of what is possible in the field and he has shared his expertise extensively with audiences both nationally and internatio...

Dr. Stuart L. Fine is world-renowned for his leadership in ophthalmology education, research, and patient care. A pioneering investigator, Dr. Fine helped shape the field of retina through his leadership of numerous National Eye Institute (NEI)-supported, multi-centered clinical trials to evaluate new and existing treatments for retinal disease. Among the many pivotal trials he chaired are the Mac...

In this episode, the History of Retina welcomes retina leader and legend, Morton F. Goldberg, MD, who shares stories from his extraordinary career. Listen in as he recalls co-hosting the 1968 Arlie House Symposium on the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy with colleague Stuart Fine, MD. This groundbreaking international meeting of the world’s experts on diabetic retinopathy led to a major revolutio...

Since its founding in 1982, the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) has grown exponentially in size and influence, making it a powerful national advocate and primary source of clinical and scientific information and education for its members. It does, in fact, represent all things retina. Listen in as ASRS founders, Drs. Jerald Bovino, Roy Levit and Allen Verne, discuss their quest to cr...

Daniel Martin, MD, FASRS, has focused much of his extraordinary career on the design and execution of clinical trials to evaluate new drugs and therapeutic strategies for retinal disease. He has been – and is still -- at the helm of some of the most influential retina research of our time. His contributions have not only guided treatment practices, but have built a framework on which future resear...

Few people have thought as deeply about retina’s most perplexing questions as Richard Spaide, MD. He is a brilliant innovator and ‘retinal philosopher’ whose research and novel theories on the pathophysiology of retinal disorders have spawned nearly 400 peer-reviewed publications, including many of the most-cited and influential papers in the field. Listen in as Dr. Spaide discusses his profession...

Beyond his operating room wizardry and passion for patient care, Donald J. D’Amico, MD, FASRS, is recognized for his gift of oratory which has made him a world-renowned lecturer, moderator and educator. In this compelling interview, Dr. D’Amico recounts fascinating stories of his early days in practice, including his experience operating with the Freeman/Schepens inversion table, and what he wants...

A recognized pioneer in retinal imaging, Lawrence A. Yannuzzi, MD, is a revered practitioner and educator who has earned an international reputation for his keen observational skills, inquisitive mind and the ability to publish findings at lightning speed. In this Leaders & Legends interview, Dr. Yannuzzi shares interesting insights into his career, including ‘stalking’ his mentor, Dr. Donald...

In this inspiring interview you’ll hear from the remarkable Carol L. Shields, MD, FASRS, a true pioneer in every sense of the word. Listen in as she recalls her childhood making house calls with her physician father, her years captaining Notre Dame’s first championship varsity women's basketball team, her induction into the Academic Hall of Fame, to her extraordinary personal and professional...