GT: The Podcast

Emily Schehlein, MD, recaps her article, “Establishing a Glaucoma Practice Fresh Out of Fellowship,” which was featured in the March/April issue of Glaucoma Today. When ophthalmology training ends, the work of building a practice officially begins. In her article, Dr. Schehlein, a glaucoma specialist at Brighton Vision Center in Brighton, Michigan, offers insights and strategies for young ophthalmologists in building a successful, specialized practice.

Jessie Wang, MD, and Mary Qiu, MD, recap their article, “Learning and Teaching MIGS,” which was featured in the November/December issue of Glaucoma Today. With the growing prevalence of MIGS, it has become increasingly vital for graduating ophthalmologists to be comfortable performing this class of surgeries. In this article, Drs. Wang and Qiu offer their perspectives as a senior resident learning MIGS and an attending surgeon teaching it, respectively.

On this episode of Survey Says, a special edition of GT: The Podcast, I. Paul Singh, MD, is joined by guests Zarmeena Vendal, MD, and Joseph F. Panarelli, MD. They share their perspectives on how glaucoma care has evolved in recent decades and how these changes have affected their decision-making process. Later, the guests weigh in on the case at hand, sharing their preferred treatment options for the patient. Then, they review how their colleagues would proceed, based on results of a social media poll of GT’s audience.

In this special edition of GT: The Podcast, I. Paul Singh, MD, invites Christine Funke, MD, and Pradeep Ramulu, MD, PhD, to talk about the Hydrus Microstent (Alcon), discussing data from the HORIZON trial as well as sharing real-world experiences with the MIGS device in their practices. They further explain how the data help one to decide and understand where the Hydrus fits into the glaucoma treatment paradigm, and they also share insertion pearls for the procedure to achieve successful microstent placement.

Shivani Kamat, MD, recaps her article, “Management of Tube Erosion,” which was featured in the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. Tube erosion through the conjunctiva is a complication of glaucoma drainage device implantation that carries the potential risks of infection and vision loss. Dr. Kamat’s article reviews this complication, including its proper identification and treatment to prevent recurrence and infection.

Nathan M. Radcliffe, MD, moderates a discussion with Deborah Ristvedt, DO, and John Kitchens, MD, about the future of geographic atrophy (GA) treatment and management, the history of GA care, considerations for managing cataracts and glaucoma, and more.

Section Editor Richie Kahn, MPH, recaps his article—“Patient Experience Data Collection”—which was written with Jenn McNary and recently featured in GT. The article covers what patient experience data is and how the information can provide regulatory authorities, payers, providers, and patient communities with a more holistic view of a therapy’s impact.

Matt Schlenker, MD, MSc, recaps his article, “Prioritizing Processes Over Goals,” which was featured in the May/June issue of Glaucoma Today. In this article, Dr. Schlenker makes the argument that results have more to do with the systems we follow as opposed to the goals we set. He explains the limits of goal setting and delves into the importance of habit forming as a way to achieve real progress in surgery and surgical training.

On this episode of “Survey Says” With I. Paul Singh, MD, a special edition of GT: The Podcast, Dr. Singh is joined by guests Oluwatosin Smith, MD, and Jason Bacharach, MD. The panel delves into the benefits and challenges of having a wide array of treatment options for glaucoma and how they approach decisions about surgical intervention. Later, they weigh in on the case in question, offering their thoughts on the target IOP and treatment goals for a patient with moderate primary open-angle glaucoma. Then, they review how their colleagues would proceed based on results of a social media poll of Glaucoma Today’s audience.

Jessica Randolph, MD, recaps her article, “Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage,” which was written with Melissa Suggs, MS, MS, and featured in the March/April issue of Glaucoma Today. This article reviews the fundamentals of managing suprachoroidal hemorrhage, a rare but serious complication of intraocular surgery that can cause significant vision loss.

Marko Oydanich, MD, discusses the growing environmental burden of the health care sector, as featured in an article he wrote with Albert Khouri, MD, and Jasmine Mahajan, BS, for a recent issue of Glaucoma Today. Dr. Oydanich offers strategies for reducing waste in ophthalmology ORs, much of which results from single-use equipment and devices. Later, David Chang, MD, shares the mission of EyeSustain.org, a web-based resource center for sustainability in ophthalmology, as covered in an article written with Cassandra Thiel, PhD, and featured in GT.

Richie Kahn, a rare ophthalmic disease patient and co-founder and principal of Canary Advisors, recaps his article—“Patients on Reddit”—from the March/April issue of Glaucoma Today. In this article, Kahn discusses the usefulness of the forum-style social media platform Reddit for allowing patients to connect, share stories, and ask questions. While the platform facilitates connection and support, the credibility of the information shared may be lacking.

Ticiana De Francesco, MD, shares an update on the first-in-human experience with femtosecond laser image-guided high-precision trabeculotomy, or FLIGHT (ViaLase), as covered in an article she coauthored with Iqbal Ike K. Ahmed, MD, FRCSC, for an upcoming issue of Glaucoma Today. Dr. De Francesco describes the new procedure and how it could help expand options for safe and effective glaucoma intervention.

Susan Liang, MD, assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and clinical director at New England Eye Center, Framingham, recaps her article—“Remote Monitoring of Glaucoma”—from the November/December issue of Glaucoma Today. In this article, Dr. Liang outlines existing and developing technologies designed to enable high-quality virtual care today and in the future.

Christopher K.S. Leung, MD, MB ChB, chairperson and clinical professor for the Department of Ophthalmology at The University of Hong Kong School of Clinical Medicine, recaps his article—“Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Optical Texture Analysis”—from the November/December issue of Glaucoma Today. In the article, Dr. Leung describes RNFL Optical Texture Analysis, an algorithm to uncover the optical texture and trajectories of individual axonal fiber bundles, which may help to identify RNFL defects in early and advanced glaucoma.

In this episode of GT: The Podcast, Roshun D. Sangani, MD, recaps his article, “Incidental Glaucoma Screening Using Teleophthalmology at a Tertiary Care Ophthalmology Center,” written with Albert Khouri, MD, and featured in the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. A novel approach to the detection and management of glaucoma in a busy emergency department aims to minimize the number of visits before intervention, treat patients earlier, and encourage follow-up.

On this episode of “Survey Says” With I. Paul Singh, MD, a special edition of GT: The Podcast, Dr. Singh is joined by guests Shamil Patel, MD, MBA, and Manjool Shah, MD. The panel will discuss how they would approach procedure and IOL selection for a real patient case, and later, they find out how their colleagues chose to proceed based on the results of a social media poll of Glaucoma Today’s audience.

In this episode of GT: The Podcast, Zaiba Malik, MD, recaps her article, “Leading Through Uncertainty,” written with Michael Onuscheck, and featured in the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. Change and disruption are inevitable in medicine, and good leadership requires the ability to embrace uncertainty. Dr. Malik discusses different types of uncertainty and the necessary tools to overcome challenges and maintain strong leadership.

In this episode of GT: The Podcast, Leonard K. Seibold, MD, recaps his article, “Physician Burnout in Ophthalmology,” written with Jessica A. Sedhom, MD, and featured in the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. The article discusses burnout syndrome and its increasing prevalence among physicians, as well as results of a survey to determine burnout rates among ophthalmologists and identify the major risk factors for burnout syndrome.

In this episode of “Survey Says” With I. Paul Singh, MD, a special edition of GT: The Podcast, Dr. Singh is joined by guests Analisa Arosemena MD, from Aran Eye Associates in Miami, Florida, and Lorraine Provencher, MD, from Cincinnati Eye Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. The panel discuss how they would treat the patient in question and, later, they find out how their colleagues would approach treatment, based on the results of a social media poll of Glaucoma Today’s audience. In terms of target IOP and preferred treatment, how do the different opinions match up?

In this episode, hear an interview with Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, who was nominated by the Glaucoma Today editorial advisory board to be featured in a recent issue as an influential innovator. In this interview, Dr. Ianchulev describes his journey into medicine, how he discovered his interest in glaucoma, what keeps him motivated to innovate, and what advances he hopes to see for the subspecialty in the future.

In this episode, hear an interview with Joel S. Schuman, MD, FACS, who was nominated by the Glaucoma Today editorial advisory board to be featured in the publication as an influential innovator. In this interview, Dr. Schuman shares what sparked his initial interest in glaucoma, discusses his role in the development of OCT imaging, and describes why he thinks a cure for high IOP in glaucoma could be on the horizon.

In this episode of “Survey Says” With I. Paul Singh, MD, a special edition of GT: The Podcast, Dr. Singh is joined by guests Deborah Ristvedt, DO, of Vance Thompson Vision, and Shamik Bafna, MD, of Cleveland Eye Clinic. The guests are presented with a real patient case and asked to weigh in on how they would manage it. Later, Dr. Singh shares the Glaucoma Today audience’s preferred approach to the case, based on the results of a social media poll. How do the polling results match up against the thoughts of today’s panelists?

In this episode, hear an interview with Malik Y. Kahook, MD, who was nominated by the Glaucoma Today editorial advisory board to be featured in the January/February issue as an influential innovator. His desire to improve medical and surgical approaches in ophthalmology has led him to invent and develop numerous technologies over the years. Dr. Kahook discusses some of these innovations, shares why he’s constantly looking for better solutions, and offers his advice to ophthalmologists who want to follow a similar path.

Richie Kahn, MPH, a clinical researcher and patient advocate, leads a discussion between physicians and patients on the use and value of home monitoring technology in ophthalmology. Kahn, who is also a patient with a rare and progressive form of optic atrophy as well as a clinical trial participant, is joined by Barbara Wirostko, MD, FARVO; Craig Chaya, MD; and Dorian De Maio, a long-time glaucoma patient of Drs. Wirostko and Chaya.

In this special edition of GT: The Podcast, I. Paul Singh, MD, presents real patients’ cases from his practice and asks guests Joseph F. Panarelli, MD, and Sahar Bedrood, MD, PhD, to explain how they each would manage these patients. Dr. Singh then shares the results of social media poll questions in which the Glaucoma Today audience voted on its preferred approaches to these cases. Did the polling results match up with the proposed approaches of Drs. Panarelli and Bedrood?

This double episode of GT: The Podcast features a pair of articles published in the November/December 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today. In part one, Finny T. John, MD, and Natasha Nayak Kolomeyer, MD, recap their article, “Lessons in Dissatisfaction,” which shares surgical insight gained from challenging encounters in the clinic and OR. Then, Alexandra Papp, MD, CAPT, USAF, MC, reads her article, “Not Your Grandma’s Puff Test,” which reviews the importance of measuring corneal hysteresis (CH) to determine the risk of glaucomatous progression.

Alexandra “Ola” Pietraszkiewicz, MD, reads her article, "A Holistic Approach to Glaucoma Care," from the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. This article highlights the correlation between vision loss and mental health and discusses how a greater understanding of the psychosocial determinants of health can improve patient-physician relationships and clinical outcomes.

Daniel Laroche, MD, reads his article, "Reducing Pigment Particles in the Anterior Chamber," written with Jose Sinon for the September/October issue of Glaucoma Today. This article reviews the several interventions which can be used to reduce the number of pigment particles in adult patients with pigment dispersion syndromes.

Nathan M. Radcliffe, MD, and Davinder S. Grover, MD, MPH, join Inder Paul Singh, MD, for an in-depth discussion on IOP. The trio discuss their criteria for defining IOP ranges, how they use hysteresis to predict pressure fluctuations, and the complications which may arise when a patient’s pressure creeps outside the defined ranges.

Nikola Ragusa, MD, reads his article, "Is It Time to Rethink the Slit Lamp?" from the July/August issue of Glaucoma Today. This article reviews a practice-based survey that considers patient comfort during eye exams and challenges for the redevelopment of certain ophthalmic equipment to promote greater accessibility.

Brian M. Shafer, MD, reads his article, “The Contrast Sensitivity Story,” from the July/August 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today. In this article, Dr. Shafer looks at contrast sensitivity in patients with glaucoma and challenges what he says is the old dogma that physicians shouldn't implant multifocal IOLs in these patients.

Lorraine M. Provencher, MD, and Constance O. Okeke, MD, MSCE, join Inder Paul Singh, MD, to discuss new molecules and mechanisms of action. How do these new medications change the way physicians treat glaucoma?

Erin Sieck, MD, Assistant Professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Georges M. Durr, MD, FRCSC, Assistant Professor at the Université de Montréal, Montreal, share their teaching pearls for mastering angle-based and subconjunctival MIGS procedures, as featured in their article in the May/June 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today.

In the final episode of a three-part miniseries on navigating challenges after XEN Gel Stent (Allergan) implantation, Vanessa Vera, MD, and Luís Abegäo Pinto, MD, PhD—co-authors on a publication titled “Navigating Challenges After Xen”—explore atypical bleb morphologies after Xen implantation (prominent, nasal or avascular), how to treat and how to avoid these complications altogether.

In the second episode of this three-part miniseries, Oluwatosin Smith, MD, and Daniel Krivoy, MD, offer some surgical tips and tricks from their experience using the XEN Gel Stent (Allergan). Together, Drs. Smith and Krivoy offer techniques to manage complications such as clinical hypotony, migration, or dislocation.

Manjool Shah, MD, and Steven R. Sarkisian Jr., MD, walk through the complications they faced after the implantation of the XEN Gel Stent (Allergan). Drs. Shah and Sarkisian discuss in detail the different risks presented in ab interno and ab externo cases—such as leaks, erosions, occlusions or obstructions—approaches to avoid these risks, and how to develop your surgical skills following complications.

David Woods, MD, reads his article, “A Superonasal Corneal Traction Suture for Ab Interno Xen Implantation,” from the May/June 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today. Here, he outlines his technique for ab interno implantation of the Xen Gel Stent (Allergan) using a superonasal corneal traction suture.

In this special-edition of GT: The Podcast, Dr. Blake Williamson leads an expert surgical panel with Dr. Debbie Ristvedt and Dr. Mark Gallardo to discuss the benefits of the iStent inject W device. The panel reviews key features and clinical data, with a focus on how this impacts their treatment algorithm and they reveal why iStent inject W is their go-to MIGS device when treating patients with mild-to-moderate glaucoma undergoing cataract surgery.

In this special episode of GT: The Podcast, made possible with support from Santen Pharmaceuticals, Ike Ahmed, MD; George Durr, MD; and Ticiana De Francesco, MD, share lessons learned on their use of the MicroShunt since its release. Together, they offer pre-operative, intra- operative, and post-operative suggestions, tips for patient selection, proper positioning, and more based on the retrospective clinical studies conducted, in part, by Dr. Durr and Dr. Ahmed.1,2 1. Durr GM, Schlenker MB, Samet S, Ahmed IIK. One-year outcomes of stand-alone ab externo SIBS MicroShunt implantation in refractory glaucoma. Br J Ophthalmol. 2020. Available at: bjophthalmol-2020-317299. Epub ahead of print. 2. Schlenker MB, Durr GM, Michaelov E, Ahmed IIK. Intermediate outcomes of a novel standalone ab externo SIBS MicroShunt with mitomycin c. Am J Ophthalmol. 2020;215:141-153.

In this special edition of GT: The Podcast, made possible with support from Santen Pharmaceuticals, Michelle Lim, MD; Davinder Grover, MD; and James Brandt, MD, analyze their experience with the MicroShunt-a controlled micro-incisional ab-externo glaucoma filtration surgery device. Together, they share their surgical procedures and pearls, how to deal with the complications of post-op blebs, and proper mitomycin dosage based on the recent INN005 clinical trial findings.1   1. Baker ND, Barnebey HS, Moster MR, et al; INN005 study group. Ab-externo MicroShunt versus trabeculectomy in primary open-angle glaucoma: 1-year results from a 2-year randomized, multicenter study. Ophthalmology. 2021 :S0161-6420(21 )00384-00385.

In this episode of GT: The Podcast, Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH, reads her article, “Equal Pay for Equal Work: Closing Ophthalmology’s Gender Gap in Compensation,” written with Sunidhi Ramesh, BS, and Aakriti Garg Shukla, MD, for the March/April 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today. This article takes a deep dive into the gender gap that still exists in the field of ophthalmology, breaks down the wage statistics, and looks at the multifactorial ways that the disparities in pay can be mitigated.

Deborah Ristvedt, DO, and Mark Gallardo, MD, join Inder Paul Singh, MD, to discuss what constitutes controlled glaucoma. How have their perspectives and management strategies evolved?

In this episode of GT: The Podcast, Lynn W. Sun, MD, PhD, reads her article, "In Advocation of Advocacy," from the March/April 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today. Dr. Sun makes her case for the importance of medical advocacy and describes how her fellow physicians can get involved.

Lynn K. Gordon, MD, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology and Senior Associate Dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, discusses the concept of allyship. She offers insight into what it means to be an ally and how effective allyship can help us achieve greater equity and inclusion, as featured in her article in the March/April 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Vladislav P. Bekerman, MD, MBA, an ophthalmology resident at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, offers insight into the use of new treatments as additive therapies for IOP reduction, as featured in an article by Bekerman and Albert S. Khouri, MD, in the January/February 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Welcome to episode 1 of Dose & Delivery, a new podcast series from GT: the Podcast. Nathan Radcliffe, MD, and Steven R. Sarkisian Jr, MD, join Inder Paul Singh, MD, to discuss evolutions in their approaches to glaucoma management. Learn about their experiences with a bimatoprost intracameral implant (Durysta, Allergan).

Richie Kahn, MPH, a health policy professional, clinical researcher, and patient advisor, offers his perspective as a patient who has had to navigate visits to the glaucoma clinic over the past year. Also, Andrew Iwach, MD, discusses a video resource for patients that demonstrates the measures providers are taking to safely deliver glaucoma care during the pandemic, as featured in the January/February 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Edmund Tsui, MD, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Stein Eye Institute at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, offers a primer on Twitter for ophthalmologists looking to get started with social media, as featured in the January/February 2021 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Marez Megalla, MD, an ophthalmology fellow at the Yale School of Medicine, outlines the benefits of mastering gonioscopy during ophthalmology training, as featured in the November/December 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

In this episode, several physicians share how they have navigated the range of challenges presented by COVID-19 over the past year and how these challenges have yielded new discoveries about glaucoma and its management, as featured in the November/December 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Sébastien Gagné, MD, Director of the Institut de l’Oeil des Laurentides in Montreal, outlines the advantages of performing MIGS outside the OR, as featured in the November/December 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Chris Johnson, PhD, DSc, Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, discusses technological advances in diagnostic testing, including tablet- and internet-based procedures and the use of virtual reality headsets, as featured in the November/December 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Gerami Seitzman, MD, Medical Director of the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at the University of California, San Francisco, shares how she and her colleagues developed a drive-through IOP screening service for patients whose care was interrupted by COVID-19, as featured in the September/October 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Lisa Nijm, MD, JD, Founder and Medical Director of Warrenville EyeCare and LASIK, in Warrenville, Illinois, shares her top 12 tips for elevating the quality of your online presentations, as featured in the September/October 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Hunter Cherwek, MD, Vice President of Clinical Services with Orbis International, talks about the recent launch of Orbis International’s virtual Flying Eye Hospital training program for eye care providers around the globe, as featured in the September/October 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Kateki Vinod, MD, discusses some of the existing and emerging tools for expanding glaucoma diagnosis and management beyond the office, as featured in the July/August 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

In this special episode of GT: The Podcast, Drs. E. Randy Craven, Oluwatosin Smith, and I. Paul Singh expand upon the guidance presented in the “Evolving Guidelines for Intracameral Injection” paper by Jeffrey M. Liebmann, MD, et al, that was published in the Journal of Glaucoma in March 2020. This podcast episode is supported by Allergan Medical Affairs.

Amol Sura, MD, ophthalmology resident at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reflects on the ups and downs of addressing glaucoma, as featured in the July/August 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.

Ahmad Aref, MD, MBA, provides an update on the complex relationship between cannabis ingestion and glaucomatous optic neuropathy, as featured in the July/August 2020 issue of Glaucoma Today.