Doctors Corner

Apr 28, 2022

Vuity Eye Drops

By: Jeffry Gerson, OD With direct-to-consumer marketing of medical products becoming so common, it is often hard to know if something you see a commercial for might be right for you. For example, who wouldn’t want an eyedrop that they could use to improve their vision? This may be your interpretation of the commercials now on television for Vuity (from AbbVie). Believe it or not, there are literally tens of millions of Americans that have never had an eye exam and are wearing over the counter reading glasses to help their reading vision (and since they haven’t had an eye…

Vuity Eye Drops

Apr 8, 2022

What about my kids?

by: Jeffry Gerson, OD, FAAO -Medical Director-Optometry-Macular Degeneration Association (MDA) This is a question I often get asked by my patients that have age-related macular degeneration. I interpret this to mean one of two things on my patients’ minds, and hopefully, this post will help you answer these same questions thought. The obvious thing being asked is whether by having this condition, will their children also have it. Unfortunately, the answer to this is not so simple. We know that approximately 70% of those who develop AMD are genetic. This means that genetics is a strong predictor/risk factor, but…

What about my kids?

Mar 22, 2022

Blue Light and the Macula

By: Joshua Mali, M.D. What is Light? Light can at its core be explained as radiation visible to the human eye. However, there are lots of lights not visible to the eye, this is because they fall on the non-visible part of the Electromagnetic Radiation. Examples of these would be X-Rays, Microwave waves, and of course Ultraviolet Light. What is so special about blue light? The reason blue light has been discussed across all parts of the world is because it sits very close to the ultraviolet part of the electromagnetic spectrum. These wavelengths are very short in…

Blue Light and the Macula

Jan 11, 2022

What’s the deal with nearsightedness?

By Dr. Joshua Mali What are the symptoms of nearsightedness? The main symptoms of nearsightedness (or myopia) are unable to see far away objects, eyestrain, squinting to bring things into focus, or headaches. Common symptoms reported by patients with myopia include being unable to clearly see the board in the classroom, TV across the room, clock on the wall, or road signs from a distance. The spectrum of symptoms are directly related to the degree of myopia. For example, people that are more nearsighted will have more difficulties than people with only minimal myopia. What are the causes and risk…

What’s the deal with nearsightedness?

Dec 3, 2021

New Eye Drop for Presbyopia: You bet!

By Dr. Joshua Mali Allergan, an AbbVie company, announced FDA approval of pilocarpine HCl ophthalmic solution 1.25% (VUITY) for the treatment of presbyopia, commonly known as age-related blurry near vision, in adults. According to the company, pilocarpine HCl ophthalmic solution 1.25% is the first and only FDA-approved eye drop to treat this common and progressive eye condition that affects 128 million Americans, nearly half of the US adult population. Pilocarpine HCl ophthalmic solution 1.25% is a daily, prescription eye drop that works in as early as 15 minutes and lasts up to 6 hours, as measured on day 30, to…

New Eye Drop for Presbyopia: You bet!

Nov 3, 2021

The Approval of Susvimo: A Big Victory for AMD Patients

By Dr. Joshua Mali I am very excited to announce the recent FDA approval of Genentech’s Susvimo, previously called the Port Delivery System (PDS) with ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech), the first wet, or neovascular, AMD treatment in 15 years to provide an alternative to standard-of-care eye injections needed as often as once a month. The drug is billed as a first-of-its-kind therapeutic approach for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and may help people with the disease maintain their vision with as few as 2 treatments annually. According to Genentech, the treatment is for intravitreal use via ocular implant to treat people…

The Approval of Susvimo: A Big Victory for AMD Patients

Oct 7, 2021

Gamification and AMD Vision Monitoring: A reality

By Dr. Joshua Mali I am very excited about the prospect of utilizing our technology to improve our patients’ lives. The idea of combining online gaming with vision monitoring is not only fascinating but is now a reality. Tilak Healthcare, a digital therapeutics pioneer specializing in the development of mobile medical application games used as monitoring and rehabilitation tools for chronic diseases, is launching a pilot program in the US with Novartis for OdySight, Tilak Healthcare’s first clinically tested mobile app for patient remote vision monitoring. The program is the first to launch under an international collaboration announced in 2020…

Gamification and AMD Vision Monitoring: A reality

Sep 1, 2021

How Natural Disasters can make Healthcare Heroes

By Dr. Joshua Mali As I observed the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida on New Orleans over the past weekend, I remembered how our community here in Sarasota, Florida responded to a recent natural disaster: Hurricane Irma. It brought out the best in our team and showed why we are regarded as Healthcare Heroes. Here are three key questions and my responses from an interview at that time: Question 1: How has the natural disaster affected your team and your operations? – While Hurricane Irma has been a significant natural disaster for the state of Florida, fortunately, my team…

How Natural Disasters can make Healthcare Heroes

Aug 10, 2021

Proud to be a Fellow of the ASRS

By Dr. Joshua Mali Recently, I was honored to be awarded by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) with the new Fellow of the ASRS (FASRS) designation. The FASRS is awarded based on criteria that recognizes members in good standing who have demonstrated consistent commitment to the Society, expertise in the management of vitreoretinal disorders, and the highest ethical and professional standards. The American Society of Retina Specialists is the largest organization of retina specialists in the world, representing over 3,000 physicians in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 63 countries. The Society serves…

Proud to be a Fellow of the ASRS

Jun 1, 2021

The Importance of Genetic Testing in Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs)

By Dr. Joshua Mali Recently, I was watching a movie with my wife in which the plot revolved around the idea of futuristic medical technology and therapies including gene-targeted treatments. While most of it seemed far-fetched at best, there were some aspects that seemed not only feasible but actually being utilized in medicine today. With this as the backdrop, I have been encouraged as a retinal specialist with all the excitement and promising new treatments in gene therapy. Given that there are several retinal diseases with known inherited patterns and confirmed genetic loci responsible for the clinical manifestations, our…

The Importance of Genetic Testing in Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs)

May 17, 2021

AMD AWARENESS MONTH, PART 2: THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Dr Joshua Mali: Welcome everybody to another episode of the podcast series. My name is Dr Joshua Mali. I’m your host today, and this is part two of our podcast series in honor of AMD awareness month in February. We are developing this podcast series, which is the first of its kind. In the first episode, I provided you a retina specialist perspective on managing patients with age-related macular degeneration or AMD. And now I want to turn my attention to presenting a patient perspective on the disease, how it impacts their life and what advice they can give us…

AMD AWARENESS MONTH, PART 2: THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Apr 7, 2021

AMD AWARENESS MONTH, PART 1

Welcome everybody, to Dr. Mali’s AMD awareness month podcast series. I’m your host, Dr. Joshua Mali. It’s an honor to be here today to present to you a great podcast series in which I hope to provide a unique perspective into age-related macular degeneration and its management. I like to present this podcast in two parts. This will be part one in which I’ll discuss the clinical aspects of AMD and how eye care professionals can present AMD to patients and how to help them to understand AMD and all the treatments and how to explain to patients and really…

AMD AWARENESS MONTH, PART 1

Feb 9, 2021

What’s the deal with stem cells and how can they potentially help Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

What’s the deal with stem cells and how can they potentially help Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)? By Dr. Joshua Mali So, what’s the deal with stem cells? It seems like a buzzword phrase that is used commonly in the news media but what are they and why should you care about them? Well, let’s begin: What are stem cells? Stem cells are cells that can be used to either replace completely or rejuvenate existing cells in the retina to help improve function. Typically, stem cells can be directed towards any organ in the body so that’s why now they are…

What’s the deal with stem cells and how can they potentially help Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Jan 18, 2021

Eating Your Way To Better Vision

We see a lot in news and articles about what kinds of things we can eat to help with or prevent macular degeneration. The main things that come to mind are lutein and zeaxanthin that are found in green-leafy vegetables. A recent publication hypothesizes that fish is an important food item, especially for people with a family history of macular degeneration. According to one of authors, Stuart Richer, O.D., This Scripps -VA collaborative study suggests that oily fish consumption, and particular the DHA fraction is important. Offspring of an AMD parent presenting with a vulnerable foveal macular pigment dip, and…

Eating Your Way To Better Vision

Nov 6, 2020

Is there a cure for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

By Dr. Joshua Mali The short answer is not yet. However, I am very optimistic that we will have a cure for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the future. The goal of the cure two-fold: (1) try and prevent AMD from occurring in the first place and (2) cure wet AMD. Currently, the key strategy for dry AMD is to utilize AREDS2 vitamins for moderate/advanced dry AMD, lifestyle modifications (including stopping smoking, eating a good diet, and getting moderate exercise), and using the ForeseeHome device or Amsler grid for home monitoring. Our current treatment approach for wet AMD is…

Is there a cure for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Sep 15, 2020

Why are anti-glare sunglasses and night glasses so important in people with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

By Dr. Joshua Mali Why is sunlight/glare so uncomfortable/damaging overall? – UV light exposure in high levels can cause damage to the eye from front (cornea/lens) to back (retina). Why are anti-glare sunglasses important? – Sunglasses with UV light protection or polarization help to block out the damaging effects of sunlight on our eyes. Why are night glasses important? – Anti-reflective coating on glasses are very important, especially with night glasses. This coating helps to reduce glare which can be a critical factor with driving at night with oncoming headlights shining all around the driver. What are some things…

Why are anti-glare sunglasses and night glasses so important in people with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Jul 2, 2020

Dr. Mali’s Top 5 Myths Answered About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

By Dr. Joshua Mali 1. Eating carrots are good for your eyes and will improve your vision (even though mom said so) True: Carrots contain beta-carotene which is converted to Vitamin A in our bodies to provide nutrition to the eye from front (cornea) to the back (retina). However, carrots are not the only food to contain Vitamin A (others include milk, eggs, and liver). In addition, green leafy vegetables contain lutein and zeaxanthin which are very important for retinal cell health and have tremendous benefit in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 2. AMD leads to total blindness False:…

Dr. Mali’s Top 5 Myths Answered About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)