Blind Spot - The Eye Doctor's Podcast

Extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses have transofmed the intraocular lens (IOL) landscape.  As opposed to the binary choice of a monofocal or a multifocal IOL, there is an 'in-between' option that allows for more intermediate vision than monofocal lenses but less dysphotopsias than the mutifocal lenses.  How do these lenses work, how should we explain them to patients, and what are the factors that guide our decisions on lens selection? Dr. Eric Donnenfeld joins the podcast.

This episode is sponsored by SunPharma Canada - https://sunpharma.com/canada/

Cataracts and AMD are two of the most common ocular pathologies.  But in patients who have both conditions, are there special considerations that should be taken into account?  Should cataract surgey potentially be delayed in AMD patients because a protective effect of the cataract?  Does cataract surgery exacerbate AMD and potentially lead to progression to geographic atrophy or conversion to wet AMD?  Dr. Ashkan Abbey joins the podcast. 

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada - https://sunpharma.com/canada/

Pterygium surgery is one of the more common procedures performed by ophthalmologists.  Yet despite how common it is, multiple techniques are used by different doctors.  In this episode, Dr. Allan Slomovic joins the podcast to share tips on pterygium removal, indications for excision, and pearls on recurrent pterygia.

July is Dry Eye Awareness month.  In this episode, five cornea specialists each contribute a tip on how to better diagnose and manage dry eye.  Speakers includ Dr. Clara Chan, Dr. Chris Rapuano, Dr. Ashley Brissette, Dr. Tanya Trinh, and host Dr. Zale Mednick. 

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada

While there are specific guidelines for diagnosis, not every patient falls easily into a particular category of glaucoma.  Many times, it can be challenging to place some patients neatly into one of the glaucoma buckets.  So what are some tips that can help us in diagnosing these grey cases that may or may not be glaucoma?  And how does this impact treatment decisions? Are there certain cases in which it’s okay to monitor a patient and wait for glaucoma progression?  Or should all patients suspected of having glaucoma be treated at the first visit? Dr. Irfan Kherani joins the podcast.

Recurrent Corneal Erosion Syndrome (RCES) is an extremely uncomfortable condition for patients to live with.  With so many management options, including ointments, bandage contact lenses, superficial keratectomy, anterior stromal puncture, and PTK, what actually works best?  Wills Eye Hospital Cornea Specialst Dr. Chris Rapuano joins the podcast. 

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada - https://sunpharma.com/canada/

The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in ophthalmology is probably higher than you think. Whether it's an acute injury or a chronic injury from poor posture and positioning, ophthalmologists and optometrists are at high risk for long-term back pain and other musculoskeletal problems, due to the nature of our work. So how can we better at keeping ourselves healthy, both in the short-term and in the long-run? Dr. R. Rishi Gupta joins the podcast.

The toric intraocular lenses (IOL) is a mainstay in the treatment of astigmatism during cataract surgery.  Many people have different thresholds, however, for when they would consider a toric IOL.  What is the appropriate amount of astigmatism that warrants treatment with a toric lens?  Does the threshold vary if a premium lens is being used?  What lens implantation techniques can be implemented to achieve the best possible results with a toric lens?  

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada - https://sunpharma.com/canada/

LASIK has been the procedure of choice in refractive surgery for many years now.  But over the last decade, the development of SMILE has changed the landscape in refractive surgery.  Especially popular in Europe and China, many ophthalmologists are offering their patients SMILE in place of LASIK.  So what exactly is SMILE, and why do many view it as a superior alternative to LASIK?  Dr. Walter Sekundo, the developer of the SMILE procedure, joins the podcast.

As excitement grows regarding the upcoming solar eclipse, anxiety is also increasing amongst patients.  How should we be counseling concerned patients regarding the solar eclipse and what precautions they should be taking to protect their eyes? Dr. Tina Felfeli joins the podcast.