The Eye & Ear Foundation proudly introduced a new biweekly lunchtime educational webinar series of the research and clinical innovations at the Eye and Ear Institute. Our inaugural webinar was Thursday, April 16th and featured Jeffrey Gross, PhD Ronald Salvitti Chair in Ophthalmology Research Vice Chairman of Research Professor of Ophthalmology and Developmental Biology Director, […]
The Department of Ophthalmology continues to provide services while restricting visitation and postponing non-urgent procedures in order to keep patients and employees safe. We want to provide patients with information about our availability and other concerns relating to your vision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Q: Can Coronavirus affect my eyes? Viruses cause infection of the […]
Read More… from Coronavirus & Your Eyes: What UPMC Eye Center Ophthalmologists Want You to Know
I am excited to share the news that the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists announced today a potential COVID-19 vaccine, which goes on like a Band-Aid, does not require refrigeration, and lends itself to the massive scale of production required to rapidly tackle a global pandemic. To read the full press release, please […]
The COVID-19 viral pandemic has arrived in Western Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf has called for preventative measures to limit the spread of this disease, including frequent hand washing, cleaning surfaces, and social distancing. On Monday, March 23, Governor Wolf and Health Secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, issued a “stay at home” order for the counties most […]
Read More… from Telemedicine: The Department of Otolaryngology’s Response to COVID-19
The Eye & Ear Foundation is happy to announce that Caroline Vloka, MD has been awarded this year’s Dorothy Christie Scott Academic Mission Award in Ophthalmology. Dr. Vloka is a second-year resident in ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her current research projects focus on better understanding the natural history of periorbital […]
Read More… from Dr. Caroline Vloka Wins Dorothy Christie Scott Academic Mission Award
I hope this post finds you healthy. I wanted to advise that currently our office is following the University of Pittsburgh and government COVID-19 guidelines, and the staff is working remotely. We are available by phone and by email. We intend to connect with our donors during this stressful time and to continue to support […]
Physicians, scientists, and staff from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children (WPSBC) are working together to help find a solution for Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI). CVI is the leading visual diagnosis among children, affecting nearly […]
Included below is a translated segment by Kalevi Rantanen published in Helsingin Sanomat, the largest subscription newspaper in Finland, on February 20, 2020. In the future, the blind can see light when video is sent directly to the brain. Eyes, and even the optic nerve, can be bypassed by optogenetics, where images are produced by […]
Read More… from A Beam of Light to the Brain Can Help to See in the Future
“While the goals seem lofty, they are within reach.” —Dr. Uma Duvvuri Advancements in personalized medicine are changing the way scientists and clinicians are studying and treating cancer, particularly of the head and neck variety, at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Personalized medicine is broadly defined as an approach to medicine in which […]
Read More… from Why Cancer Patients Need Individualized Treatments
Dr. Taka Kuwajima, whose team focuses on optic nerve regeneration and mechanisms that lead to nerve cell death in a variety of ocular diseases has recently identified novel molecular pathways that affect nerve cell death at early and late stages of axon degeneration. Visual information is conveyed from the eye to the brain via the […]
Balance disorders are a common problem with potentially debilitating effects. Because many different conditions can cause a balance disorder, in order to prescribe the best treatment, physicians must first determine the cause. An accurate diagnosis will allow the best treatment to be determined. The Center for Balance Disorders within the Department of Otolaryngology has a […]
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has implanted the first patient in the United States with a new wireless retinal device as part of a clinical trial aimed at restoring partial sight to patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that leads to permanent blindness. “Vision research has advanced dramatically in the recent […]
Read More… from First in the U.S. to Implant Wireless Retinal Device
Whether you are saying hello to a friend, answering a question at school or work, or simply talking to your neighbor, your voice is what often connects you to the people and world around you. Clinicians and scientists in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine continue to study voice […]
Read More… from The Challenge of Voice Patients in Transitioning to Conversational Speech
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jim Funderburgh, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Ophthalmology. Jim passed away on November 27, 2019 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He died quietly at home surrounded by his family. His obituary is available to read online. “This is […]
While some people associate the word ‘bacteria’ with disease or infection, Anthony St. Leger, PhD is seeing it in a different light: as a means to better eye treatment. Dr. St. Leger and his team have been investigating how the eye microbiome, a collection of microbes such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, work together with […]
Read More… from Using Our Own Bacteria to Treat Eye Disorders