RetinaRounds™

Today we’re diving into what it really takes to start your own retina practice.  We will discuss the upside of autonomy and ownership, and the very real financial, operational, and lifestyle challenges that come with it. Our guest is Dr. Nadeem Vaidya, who will share his journey and playbook for anyone considering going out on their own. 

Today I’m joined by Dr. Daniel Agarwal, a vitreoretinal surgeon at San Luis Obispo Eye Associates on California’s Central Coast. In this episode, Daniel shares hard-earned pearls from his first job search in retina, what he wishes he had focused on, and how those lessons helped him pivot to a second position that was a much better fit both professionally and personally. Whether you’re a fellow sending out your first CVs or an attending rethinking your current role, this is a candid, practical conversation you won’t want to miss.

Today we’re joined by anterior segment expert and guest surgeon of the week, Dr. Steven Safran, who walks us through practical principles for managing complex lens cases that every retina specialist needs to understand.

Retina Rounds is excited to welcome a true leader in ophthalmology and a giant in retina: Dr. Jay Duker. Dr. Duker is one of the most accomplished figures in our field, having served as Chair of Ophthalmology at Tufts Medical Center, where he helped shape both clinical care and research for over two decades.  He’s now President and CEO of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals and, in today’s episode, we discuss his remarkable career journey, his transition from academia to biotech, and a fascinating deep dive into tyrosine kinase inhibitors, clinical trial development, and what it really takes to bring a new therapy from concept to regulatory approval. 

* Retina Rounds has no financial or conflicts of interest in the content presented

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Alex Yuan, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Vitreoretinal Fellowship Program Director at the Cole Eye Institute. In this episode, Dr. Yuan shares his insights on building a successful career in academic medicine, essential strategies for securing grant funding, and his philosophy on medical education. In addition, we discuss the keys to balancing the pursuit of professional excellence with a rewarding personal life.  

Today we’re diving into one of the most transformative forces in modern medicine: Artificial Intelligence (AI).  How will AI change the way ophthalmic care is delivered? What new possibilities, and challenges, will it bring to the clinic and beyond? To unpack these questions, Retina Rounds is honored to welcome Dr. Theodore Leng, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Clinical and Translational Research, and Medical Informatics Director for Ambulatory Specialties at Stanford University. Dr. Leng is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence Summit.  In this episode, Dr. Leng gives us a peak into how Artificial Intelligence is redefining the future of vision care.

This week, we are honored to welcome a very special guest to Retina Rounds: Dr. Rishi Singh, the incoming Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Singh has been a giant in medical education, retina research, and healthcare leadership, having served as Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Martin Health System, as well as Founder and President of the Retina World Congress. In this episode, Dr. Singh discusses the evolving demands on leaders in ophthalmology and the importance of pursuing one’s passions to achieve professional success.

What is the role of scleral buckling in modern vitreoretinal surgery?  In today’s podcast we are going to do something a bit different: we are thrilled to feature an interview performed by our friend and Retina Rounds contributor, Dr. David Perez Gonzalez.  Dr. Gonzalez is a rising star in vitreoretinal surgery and the founder of Eyesite Academy, an ophthalmic surgery education channel.  In the podcast, Dr. Perez Gonzalez and I discuss scleral buckling.  Why is scleral buckling falling out of favor despite outstanding surgical outcomes?  Which patients are the ideal candidates for a scleral buckle?  How can surgeons learn how to perform scleral buckles if they weren’t exposed to this technique during fellowship training?  We hope you find the discussion a useful adjunct to our ongoing series on scleral buckling.  If you haven’t already, make sure to check out and subscribe to Eyesite Academy (see links below).  Thank you Dr. Perez Gonzalez for sharing this interview with us!   

https://www.youtube.com/@EyesiteAcademy

https://www.eyesiteacademy.org

Posterior segment manifestations of ocular trauma are some of the most challenging cases for vitreoretinal specialists to manage.  Today we are absolutely thrilled to welcome an ocular trauma and vitreoretinal specialist to Retina Rounds, Dr. David Lozano Giral.  Dr. Lozano Giral is Director of the Ocular Trauma Service at the Stein Eye Institute at UCLA where he is also an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in the Retina Division.  Dr. Lozano shares his path to ophthalmology and pearls for ocular trauma management.  

Career trajectories rarely follow a linear path.  As new opportunities arise, pivoting professionally or adding on new responsibilities takes courage and requires careful consideration.  In today’s podcast, Retina Rounds is thrilled to welcome an academic and industry leader in our field, Dr. Caroline Baumal.  Dr. Baumal is Professor of Ophthalmology at New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer at Apellis Pharmaceuticals.  She is a prolific researcher, renowned educator, compassionate clinician and is now shaping the future of pharmacologic innovation.  Dr. Baumal talks about how she has navigated these professional roles and the values that have kept her motivated to continue to innovate and break barriers.