Pupil Pod

Caroline Baumal, MD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to discuss a case in which a 53-year-old man with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes presented with sudden painless loss of vision in his left eye. Dr. Baumal explains that a dilated exam revealed the retina had an opaque appearance with a cherry red spot, causing her to suspect central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). Listen to gain insights into additional risk factors, pathophysiology, and how to approach patients with presumed CRAO.

Andrea Tooley, MD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to review a case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with sudden onset periorbital pain and edema on her left side. On examination, vision was 20/20 with normal IOP and extraocular movements. Dr. Tooley walks through important orbital examination findings that physicians should evaluate in every patient with an orbital concern. Listen to gain insights into the approach to idiopathic orbital inflammation and other potentially concerning orbital inflammatory conditions. 

Brian Shafer, MD, and Sila Bal, MD, MPH, discuss important glaucoma studies that guide clinical practice and provide a deep understanding of how to manage patients. They review the Early Manifest Glaucoma Treatment Trial, the Collaborative Normal-Tension Glaucoma Study, the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study, and several others. Listen to gain insights into the benefits, effects, and approaches to lowering IOP.

Avni P. Finn, MD, MBA, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to discuss a case in which a 47-year-old man with a history of hypertension and type-2 diabetes presented with a sudden decrease in vision in his left eye. After observing tortuous retinal vasculature and intraretinal hemorrhages on dilated examination, Dr. Finn suspected branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Drs. Bal and Finn further discuss the diagnosis and pathophysiology of BRVO and the most effective forms of treatment.

Nicole R. Fram, MD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to discuss a case of a 68-year-old woman who presented as unhappy with her quality of vision 2 months after refractive cataract surgery. Dr. Fram reviews her typical preoperative screening process for refractive cataract patients, focusing on the ocular surface, patient lifestyle, and other diagnostic tools. She also describes how she educates patients preoperatively about their lens selection options. Drs. Bal and Fram further review common potential reasons that a refractive cataract patient might be unhappy with his or her vision, and Dr. Fram shares how she postoperatively assesses and manages these patients to improve outcomes.

In this episode, Ehsan Rahimy, MD, talks to Sila Bal, MD, MPH, about a case of a 13-year-old girl who presented with floaters and decreased visual acuity for 2 weeks. Examination revealed 1+ vitreous cells with a focal area of necrotizing chorioretinitis. Dr. Rahimy outlines his approach to this case and his framework for making a diagnosis. He then explains how to navigate treatment strategies for rare infectious etiologies in the retina.

Diana Laura, MD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to share a case in which a 22-week-old gestational infant girl presented to the NICU with respiratory distress and concern about retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Dr. Laura explains the screening criteria for ROP in premature infants and reviews the identifying factors for ROP stages 0 through 5. Drs. Bal and Laura also discuss information and findings from multiple studies on ROP management and treatment.

In this case review, Lisa K. Feulner, MD, PhD, describes a case of a 73-year-old woman who presented with gradually decreasing vision 3 years after cataract surgery. Host Sila Bal, MD, MPH, and Dr. Feulner discuss how to approach these patients and review the potential conditions that could influence decreased vision, such as ocular surface disease, glaucoma history, medications, etc. Dr. Feulner explains the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for this specific patient and shares pearls for how to avoid common postoperative complications following cataract surgery.

Sahar Bedrood, MD, PhD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to present a case of a 45-year-old woman who came to the emergency room reporting headache, nausea, blurred vision, and rainbow halos. Upon initial examination the patient’s visual acuity was 20/100 and had an acutely elevated IOP of 51 mm Hg OD. Dr. Bedrood discusses how she initially approached this patient and stresses the value of obtaining a detailed medical history. She outlines her examination and treatment process and shares insight into how she might have managed this patient with earlier intervention.

In this episode, P. Dee G. Stephenson, MD, joins Sila Bal, MD, MPH, to review a case of cataract surgery evaluation for a 72-year-old patient with a history of an unknown eye infection, astigmatism, and an anterior stromal scar. Dr. Stephenson outlines her approach to preoperative planning and evaluation for all patients and describes how she counsels them about lens options based on their individual needs.