Area patients recoil from race question
Affordable Care Act requires inquiry
Dr. Joseph Walker of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida examines patient Robert Levine. Walkers' practice like many others are asking patients to answer questions about their race, language spoken and ethnicity. An obscure provision of the 2009 health reform law requires physicians to ask demographic questions as part of new standard for electronic medical records. A handful of his patients have objected, asking why it matters. /ANDREW WEST/news-press.com
September 19, 2011, news-press.com—Current treatments for macular disease are leading to gratifying results, saving much of the severe vision loss that was often unavoidable 10 years ago. Still, despite optimal treatment, many patients end up with a moderate level of visual impairment and complain of difficulty in accessing the small print found in their magazines and paperback books. Visual acuities in the 20/40 to 20/100 range, reduced contrast sensitivity or relative scotomas in the central visual field can each make reading less enjoyable or even impossible.
Virginia Hess usually has no problem answering the dizzying list of questions that appear on doctor's office forms, but some new ones are really sticking in her craw.
What languages does she commonly speak? How about her ethnicity? And, maybe most surprising for this 81-year-old, white retiree who goes to the same eye clinic every six weeks: What is her race?
She remembers thinking, "What the heck does any of that matter?"
"I think those kinds of questions are dividing us even more," said Hess, of North Fort Myers. "And that's offensive to me, because our country is falling apart on that basis."
An obscure provision of the 2009 health reform law requires physicians to ask demographic questions as part of the new standards for electronic medical records.
Patients are not required to answer.
But, like many issues associated with the Affordable Care Act, it's bumping up against a public still skeptical about it and one that is ever-sensitive about all issues medical.
Though clinics commonly ask about patient backgrounds, many don't ask about race. And state regulations don't specifically require them to do so.
Hess' ophthalmologist, Dr. Joseph Walker, said many patients have objected to the new questions. Some have crossed it out on the form and left the answer blank, he said. One man answered the race question by writing "the Boston Marathon."
"Some people think it's one more example of intrusion, and it's a change of what we have been doing," said Walker, himself a staunch opponent of what he calls "Obamacare."
He said patients ask, "You didn't need it six months ago, why do you need it now?"
At least one other large Southwest Florida practice, the 50-provider Millennium Physician Group, has also heard complaints from patients, said spokeswoman Brandy Church.
Health organizations and clinics will soon face cuts in Medicare reimbursements if they do not convert to electronic medical records. The rules dictate such systems must meet the government's definition of "meaningful use."
In other words, the computer system must be used in certain ways, like sending electronic prescriptions or ordering medical tests.
And they must collect certain information — in this particular case, questions about race and language.
Organizations meeting these standards may also qualify for government subsidies to help upgrade their systems.
They can get as much as $44,000 per physician in federal grants, a solid financial boost for practices like Walker's Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida.
Retina Consultants estimates it will cost about $300,000 to convert to electronic records. The practice has not yet decided if it will apply for government funding.
Officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expressed surprise anyone has taken offense to the question.
None of those officials wanted to speak on the record.
Instead the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of HHS that oversees Medicare, sent a statement to The News-Press:
"There is ample evidence to suggest that age, race, gender, etc. have important clinical implications for patient health, and, in fact, almost all health care providers routinely collect this information from patients," the statement read. "But, again, CMS only specifies that the provider must collect the information — we're not asking the provider to share that information with CMS."
Can E-Readers Help Your Macular Disease Patients?
Easier reading for those with visual deficits.
June 2011—Current treatments for macular disease are leading to gratifying results, saving much of the severe vision loss that was often unavoidable 10 years ago. Still, despite optimal treatment, many patients end up with a moderate level of visual impairment and complain of difficulty in accessing the small print found in their magazines and paperback books. Visual acuities in the 20/40 to 20/100 range, reduced contrast sensitivity or relative scotomas in the central visual field can each make reading less enjoyable or even impossible.
National Medical Announcement Makes Drug More Affordable for Seniors
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida is One of Two Florida Clinical Trial Sites
Dr. Ashish Sharma examines a patient prior to administering a dosage in the clinical trial.
Dr. Joseph P. Walker, Principal investigator at Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida
May 2011—Two drugs used to treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) are equally effective, despite the fact that one (Lucentis) costs 40 times more than competitor Avastin, according to The National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health.
The NEI announcement has profound implications for the pocketbooks and treatment of Southwest Florida senior citizens with AMD, the leading cause of legal blindness among older Americans.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida, with offices in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, is one of only two sites in Florida and 43 in the United States to participate in the clinical trial that compares the effectiveness of the two drugs manufactured by biotech giant Genentech. Retina Consultants tested the efficacy of the two drugs through its research arm, the National Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI).
About 1,200 patients nationwide (including those from Retina Consultants) have participated in the clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of Lucentis with the far less expensive drug Avastin in treating "wet" AMD. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula, the part of the eye that is responsible for central vision. These new blood vessels leak blood and fluid, damaging the macula and causing rapid loss of vision.
Lucentis was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 for the treatment of the wet variety of AMD. It costs about $2,000 per month for each injection, with an injection needed about once per month.
Avastin is a drug closely related to Lucentis and was approved in 2004 as a treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Many retina specialists have used Avastin off-label as an alternative to Lucentis since the cost is only $40 to $50 per injection.
"We are very pleased that the NEI undertook this important study, which we participated in. We are not surprised by the results, as they mirror our own observations at Retina Consultants," said Dr. Joseph P. Walker, principal investigator at Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida. "An important fact to remember, however, is that your doctor is best suited to determine which drug is best for you, as every patient's health history is different and there are safety issues to consider for each drug."
Walker said the NEI announcement provides results from the first year of the clinical trial, which is now underway for a second year.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida is the most experienced team of retina specialists in Southwest Florida with combined experience of more than 100 years. Offices are conveniently located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Naples and Port Charlotte.
Online Video from 15th Annual Eye & Vision Research Symposia
Nearly 1,000 people turned out in Fort Myers and Naples to hear the latest discoveries in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and other eye disease research. They came to hear from scientists from Harvard Medical School's Schepens Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida at the 15th Annual Eye and Vision Research Symposia held January 20 in Fort Myers and January 21 in Naples.
Retina Consultants Featured in NBC Eye Health Series
Retina Consultants Celebrates 30 Years of Service
The Physicians of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida
Back Row: Dr. Tom Ghuman, Dr. Joseph Walker, Dr. Paul Raskauskas
Middle Row: Dr. Donald Fletcher, Dr. Ashish Sharma
Front Row: Dr. Glenn Wing
FORT MYERS, FL,—Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida is celebrating three decades of serving patients in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties.
When Dr. Joseph Walker founded the practice in 1980, Retina Consultants was the only practice, specializing in the treatment of retinal/vitreous conditions, located in Southwest Florida.
Shortly after opening, Dr. Walker's practice grew and it became difficult to keep up with the volume of patients. Dr. Walker was on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 52 weeks a year.
Realizing he needed help seeing the retinal patients, Dr. Walker contacted his friend and Harvard/Massachusetts Eye and Ear fellow, Dr. Glenn L. Wing who agreed to join Retina Consultants in 1982. Dr. Wing was followed by Dr. Paul A. Raskauskas from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami in 1991. Three years later, Dr. Donald C. Fletcher signed on to run the company's Low Vision Department, a first of its kind center in Southwest Florida. Dr. Tom Ghuman of West Virginia University joined on in 2000. Dr. Ashish Sharma, the newest addition to Retina Consultants, joined the practice in 2008 from the Kresge Eye Institute in Michigan.
Together, this team of doctors has built the largest retinal practice in Southwest Florida with five office locations. The doctors have more than 100 years of combined retinal experience.
They use this experience to be on the forefront of new treatments and eye care technologies.
In 2005, Retina Consultants formed their clinical research arm, the National Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI). NORI participates in numerous clinical research studies of ophthalmic drugs and treatments, many of which have received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use by the American public.
"It's been 30 years, but I can still recall the doctors at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary telling me that I was 'crazy' to go down to the 'Everglades' to practice", said Dr. Walker. "I am so glad that I followed my heart. These 30 years wouldn't have been possible without a great staff and wonderful patients. I am truly blessed to have been able to spend the last three decades doing what I love and helping people at the same time."
Retinal Vein Occlusion Has New Treatment Option
RVO from a patient's perspective.
Dr. Paul A. Raskauskas administering an exam.
FORT MYERS, FL,—June 23, 2010: Overnight, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new use for an ophthalmic drug tested in Southwest Florida.
After more than two years of clinical trials, Genentech’s Lucentis® was approved for use in people suffering from retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida and 19 of its patients have been involved with the RVO clinical trials since 2007. They were also a key testing site for Lucentis from 2003 to 2006 for treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Retina Consultants is currently involved in nine other studies regarding Lucentis.
RVO is a condition where the vessels that supply blood to the eye, specifically to the retina and macula, are blocked. If the blood doesn’t circulate throughout the eye, those parts without blood flow begin to degenerate and die causing a dramatic loss of vision and sometimes, the loss of the eye altogether.
The retina and macula are responsible for sharp, central vision. This portion of the eye allows people to read, write, drive a car and recognize faces. Without vision in this portion of the eye, people would be left with a black spot in the center of their vision.
“We are very happy that the FDA approved Lucentis for RVO,” said Dr. Paul Raskauskas of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida. “We have seen the dramatic impact Lucentis has had on our macular degeneration patients’ vision and quality of life. Because these are two similar diseases, we expect the same to be the case with our patients’ suffering from RVO.”
Administered into the eye via injection by the physician, Lucentis works to block VEGF. VEGF stands for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. The body makes VEGF to help repair wounds or injuries inside the body. However, in cases such as AMD and RVO, VEGF is triggered to create blood vessels where they are not needed. VEGF also increases leakage for damaged blood vessels. Anti-VEGF medicines, such as Lucentis, work by decreasing this tendency, drying the retina and, in many cases, improving the vision.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida operates an in-house facility called the National Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI). All the physicians of Retina Consultants are also clinical investigators of NORI. With more than 100 years of combined experience, the physicians of Retina Consultants are the largest and most experienced team in the area.
May 25, 2010—For the fifth year in a row, two physicians of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida have been named “Top Doctors”.
Joseph P. Walker, MD and Paul A. Raskauskas, MD, ophthalmologists specializing in diseases of the retina, are featured in Top Doctors section of the June 2010 edition of Gulfshore Life Magazine.
Southwest Florida’s Top Doctors are selected by Gulfshore Life Magazine after extensive research by their partner, Castle Connolly Medical, the nation’s leading provider of information on physicians. A national survey of physicians and hospital administrators is conducted by Castle Connolly Medical in order to obtain a list of the Top Doctors. This list is then narrowed by determining if the doctors have met the strict criteria of board certifications, number of years of unsupervised experience in practice and a clean disciplinary record.
Dr. Walker and Dr. Raskauskas will be presented with a plaque at the Top Doctors awards banquet hosted by Gulfshore Life on June 17.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is the largest, most experienced team of retina specialists in the region. Founded in 1980, the six physicians have more than 100 years of combined experience diagnosing and treating diseases of the retina and vitreous such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other vision-threatening diseases. Visit them at one of their five conveniently located offices in Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, or Bonita Springs.
Vision–Saving Discoveries Discussed at 14th Annual Symposia
Fort Myers, FL—Nearly 1,000 people turned out in Fort Myers and Naples to hear the latest discoveries in macular degeneration and other eye disease research.
They came to hear from scientists from Harvard Medical School’s Schepens Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida at the 14th Annual Eye and Vision Research Symposia held January 15 in Fort Myers and January 16 in Naples.
Headlining the agenda were the very latest discoveries in the field of stem cell and regenerative therapy in treating eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Retina Consultants partner with National Institutes of Health for Benchmark Studies
Fort Myers, FL – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released findings of a three year study in which it partnered with local ophthalmology practice, Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida.
The National Eye Institute (NEI), the ophthalmic division of the NIH, studied the disease, retinal vein occlusion and its potential treatments. The study results set the NEI’s Standard-of-Care, meaning the benchmark at which all other treatments will be compared to regarding safety and efficacy.
A retinal vein occlusion is a condition that affects people mainly over the age of 55 who have high blood pressure and people who have diabetes. The disease affects the portion of the eye called the retina, the light sensitive lining at the back of the eye responsible for vision. A retinal vein occlusion occurs when blood clots slow or stop circulation in veins leading to the retina. If this condition occurs in a large vein, it is known as central retinal vein occlusion (CVO). If it occurs in a smaller vein, the condition is known as a branch retinal vein occlusion (BVO). The blockage of the veins can lead to swelling inside the eye and eventually vision loss. The swelling, also known as macular edema, is the second most common cause of vision loss in the United States.
“The NEI’s study, called SCORE, determined that injections of corticosteroid into the eye can reduce vision loss from CVO as compared to no treatment,” said Dr. Ashish G. Sharma, of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida. “Additionally, the study determined that treated patients were five times more likely to gain vision after one year rather than patients who were under observation only.”
Scientists determined that corticosteroid injections are also effective in BVO patients however they recommend laser treatment as the standard of care. The data suggests that the laser treatment is safer than the injections although they are equally effective.
“By enrolling our patients in this study, we were able to help the National Eye Institute set the standards for future treatments, while giving our patients the ability to receive treatment they would have otherwise had to go without,” said Dr. Sharma.
The clinical investigators of NORI are also the physicians of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida. They are the most experienced team of retina specialists in the Southwest Florida region with a combined experience of 100 years. Offices are conveniently located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs.
Naples Daily News retraction
Dear Patients and Colleagues,
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 an article appeared in the Naples Daily News newspaper, as well as on their website and in their affiliate papers regarding a former Naples doctor, Harsh Sharma. The article outlined Harsh Sharma’s sentencing to federal prison pertaining to his criminal activity.
However, the Naples Daily News accompanied the article with a photograph of Ashish G. Sharma, M.D., F.A.C.S., a highly regarded member of our practice. The Naples Daily News printed the incorrect photograph alongside their article about Harsh Sharma.
We want to assure you that Dr. Ashish G. Sharma is not, in any way, involved or related to the criminal activity of Harsh Sharma.
We are taking all the appropriate steps to rectify this situation. The Naples Daily News has written a correction and posted it on their website. The newspaper has also agreed to reprint the article with the correction and issue an apology to our Dr. Sharma.
It is our mission to make sure that you and your patients are aware of the mistake by the Naples Daily News. We want you to remain confident in Dr. Ashish G. Sharma, his medical abilities, and his upstanding reputation in the community.
Best regards,
Joseph P. Walker, MD
Glenn L. Wing, MD
Paul A. Raskauskas, MD
Tom Ghuman, MD
Ashish Sharma, MD, FACS
Donald C. Fletcher, MD
Dr. Joseph P. Walker: Obamacare in whatever form is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing
As printed in The News-Press, September 3, 2009
Dr. Joseph P. Walker - Guest Opinion
Due to vociferous opposition to many features of ObamaCare, the political wrangling continues. The end-of-life care provisions have been downplayed and there is a possibility of altering or eliminating the public option. Much of this is political games and politico speak. There are at least three main areas of major problems with ObamaCare.
The first problem is that the whole plan revolves around political control of the healthcare system. The Obama Administration has been pushing to have total control of Medicare, as well as the public option, under the Executive Branch, not the Legislative Branch. Under political pressure, the Obama bill has backed away from the mandated end-of-life, death-with-dignity counseling. However, the desire remains.
In July, the Obama Administration reinstituted end-of-life planning at the Veterans’ Administration using the guide, “Your Life, Your Choices.” The primary author of this is Dr. Robert Perlman, who has strongly advocated physician-assisted suicide and is a strong healthcare rationing supporter. The primary resource for this manual is the Hemlock Society, an organization advocating euthanasia, according to Mr. Jim Towey in The Wall Street Journal on August 19, 2009. Obviously, the Administration is strongly supportive of this concept.
An additional problem with ObamaCare is the trillions of dollars it will cost. The governmental debt has enormous ramifications economically. Probably the most disturbing problem with ObamaCare is the continued desire for slashing Medicare. There is a plan for a $500 billion reduction in Medicare over the next 10 years. There will be 30 percent increase in Medicare beneficiaries during the same timeframe. Obviously, this will result in extreme rationing of Medicare services. A little known fact is that the assault against Medicare recipients and senior citizens actually started with the stimulus package.
Funding for “comparative effectiveness research” is in the stimulus package. This is a system based on a formula where the cost of the treatment is divided by the number of years the individual is likely to live. In essence, older patients deserve less care because they will benefit for fewer years. This is a form of rationing that is common in the British system and has been strongly advocated by Obama advisers here. ObamaCare, in whatever form, produces White House control, increasing debt and government rationing with denial of care and possible euthanasia, be it active or passive.
Those who are Medicare eligible or expect to be in the next few years need to be acutely aware that their ability to obtain medical care and control their own healthcare is still at risk under the present administration and its plans. You may keep your own health insurance if you like, but probably not for long. The public option, whether it is a cooperative or otherwise, will ultimately eliminate private insurance and ration medical care.
Dr. Joseph P. Walker: Obamacare exaggerates need for reform, creates more problems than it solves
As printed in The News-Press, August 5, 2009
Dr. Joseph P. Walker - Guest Opinion
Reforming our health care system is a top priority of President Obama. The rationale for the "reform" is to deal with the "crisis" in health care.
Like the enormous "stimulus" spending bill (which nobody read), the Obama administration hopes to pass a trillion-dollar spending bill (unread) to reform health care. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has documented that the rosy projections by the Obama administration for monetary savings with the health care bill are totally wrong. The Obama administration's portrayal of this "universal health care" bill as an urgent, necessary process ignores major problems.
One argument is that 46 million Americans are uninsured, creating a "crisis." Estimates of those 46 million show that 14 million are Medicare or Medicaid eligible, but have elected not to pursue enrollment in those programs. About 18 million uninsured Americans who earn over $50,000 a year choose not to buy health insurance primarily because they are young, healthy and don't want the expense of health insurance.
Approximately 10-plus million non-legal inhabitants would be covered under the Obama plan and paid for by taxpaying Americans. Cost containment and denial of care is also a concern. The bill skirts the issue. It mandates "death with dignity" counseling sessions for every "elderly" American, every five years. Elderly is defined as anyone 65 and older. Is this a gimmick to substitute counseling for expensive medical care, restricting access to dialysis, heart surgery, or other procedures which might prolong their life, health and functional capability?
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of the president's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, holds two key positions in the administration regarding health care. On multiple occasions he has advocated restriction of treatment for those who are "non-productive" or "disabled"; in other words, those who are impaired or elderly (translation: over 65). One Obama goal is to reduce Medicare costs by over $500 billion over 10 years, probably cutting funds for hip surgery, cardiac treatments, cancer care and so forth.
In Britain, the government-run health system has a "NICE Board," which has ruled against the use of numerous medications such as cancer treatments and restricted access to drugs for Alzheimer's and many other conditions.
When the macular degeneration drug, Lucentis, was approved in the United States, the "NICE Board" in Britain limited its use to 1 in 5 eligible patients, with treatment only in one eye, letting the other eye go blind, because Lucentis is "expensive."
Dr. Scott W. Atlas, at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, has studied mortality rates in countries with government-run medicine, such as the proposed Obama plan. His studies have shown that breast cancer mortality rates in Germany are 52 percent higher than in the U.S. and 88 percent higher in the U.K. Also in the U.K., colorectal cancer death is 40 percent higher than in the U.S.
There is a marked reduction in mammograms, pap smears, PSA evaluations, and colonoscopies in those countries. Losers in Obama Care are apparent. Young and middle-aged are forced to purchase health insurance and forced to pay a higher rate than they would otherwise in order to subsidize other risk groups. Anyone with cancer or chronic disease such as heart or kidney disease, may have to deal with restrictions and denial of care. The elderly are considered part of the "disposable group" of individuals who may not get dialysis, hip replacement, cancer treatment, or cardiac treatment.
Actually, there are no winners in this plan. The currently proposed health care plan will eventually produce total government-run care, similar to Canadian and U.K. health care. If you want to personally pay for treatment, you probably won't be allowed. This is implicit in the present Obama plan. Politics and the government bureaucrats will dictate your options and your ability to get health care.
FORT MYERS, FL, August 17, 2009 – For the third year in a row, the entire medical practice of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® has been named “Best Doctors in America”.
Ophthalmologists and Retina Specialists Joseph P. Walker, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Glenn L. Wing, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Paul A. Raskauskas, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Tom Ghuman, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Ashish G. Sharma, M.D., F.A.C.S.; and Donald C. Fletcher, M.D. have all received the 2009-2010 honor.
The Best Doctors in America database is compiled by 45,000 members of the medical industry. After an exhaustive peer-review survey, Best Doctors® is able to determine which doctors deserve the accolades. Once the list is compiled, it is made available to the public in order for patients to successfully connect with these honored physicians.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is the largest, most experienced team of retina specialists in the region. Founded in 1980, they have more than 100 years of combined experience diagnosing and treating diseases of the retina and vitreous such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other vision-threatening diseases. Visit them at one of their five conveniently located offices in Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, or Bonita Springs. For more information regarding the Best Doctors of America, log on to www.bestdoctors.com.
Southwest Florida Ophthalmologists Play Major Role in FDA Approval of New Drug
Dr. Glenn L. Wing,
Medical Director,
NORI and Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®
FORT MYERS, FL, JULY 24, 2009—The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just approved a new ophthalmic drug tested in Southwest Florida.
Allergan’s Ozurdexis the first FDA approved drug-therapy for people suffering from macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. A retinal vein occlusion is a blockage or obstruction of a vein in the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue layer that lines the back wall of the eye and is responsible for vision. The center of the retina, called the macula, the portion of the eye that is responsible for sharp, central vision. Macular edema (macular swelling), it is usually a result of retinal vein occlusion. It can lead to blurriness and a drastic decrease in vision.
The FDA approval of Ozurdex comes after several years of clinical testing. The National Ophthalmic Research Institute™ (NORI) at Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® was the only clinical test site for Ozurdex in Southwest Florida. NORI is one of Allergan’s largest patient enrolling sites in North America, participating in multiple studies with Ozurdex.
“We are very excited about Ozurdex,” said Dr. Glenn L. Wing, Medical Director of NORI and Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®. “It has the potential to save the vision of countless patients who would otherwise not have treatment options and potentially lose vision.”
Administered into the eye via injection by the physician, the Ozurdex implant delivers an extended release dose of a steroid to the retina. In clinical studies, patients achieved an average of a three-line improvement when reading from an eye chart compared to those patients who received a placebo.
“This is proof of how important the years of clinical studies are to finding new treatments for diseases,” said Dr. Wing. “Because we offer a clinical testing site, we can allow our patients the opportunity to participate in studies when there are no other options for treatment.”
Allergan plans to make the drug available later this summer. Once on the market, Ozurdex may also be used as treatment for other eye diseases.
“There may be a benefit in the future to patients who have other retinal diseases such as diabetic macular edema and macular degeneration,” said Dr. Wing. “Abnormal functioning retinal vessels found in these diseases may work better when treated with steroid medications.”
The clinical investigators of NORI are also the physicians of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®. They are the most experienced team of retina specialists in the Southwest Florida region with a combined experience of 100 years. Visit www.eye.md for more information about Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® and www.nori.md for information regarding the National Ophthalmic Research Institute.
Retina Consultants Doctors
Named Top Doctors on the Gulfshore
For the fourth year in a row, two of Retina Consultants physicians are named Gulfshore Life Magazines’ “Top Doctors”.
Southwest Florida’s Top Doctors are selected by Gulfshore Life Magazine after extensive research by their partner, Castle Connolly Medical, the nation’s leading provider of information on physicians. A national survey of physicians and hospital administrators is conducted by Castle Connolly Medical in order to obtain a list of the Top Doctors. This list is then narrowed by determining if the doctors have met the strict criteria of board certifications, number of years of unsupervised experience in practice and a clean disciplinary record.
Dr. Walker and Dr. Raskauskas were presented with their awards at a cocktail reception sponsored by Gulfshore Life Magazine.
SW Florida is New Site for Macular Degeneration-Risk Test
FORT MYERS, FL, MAY 12, 2009—A new genetic test is now available in Southwest Florida to help individuals assess their risk of developing the vision-threatening disease Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States affecting more than 20 million Americans.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is among only a few local medical practices now offering the new test, called MACULA RISK®. The test examines a person’s DNA to determine their likelihood of developing advanced AMD. DNA is collected via a simple saliva sample. A medical and family history accompanies the sample to allow for a comprehensive analysis.
Scientists can determine genetic links associated with AMD. In diagnosed cases of AMD, 80 percent of the patients had one or more of the genetic variants. Of those, 20 percent had an above average risk for developing advanced stage AMD. Age-related Macular Degeneration affects central vision. Damage to central vision reduces the ability to read, drive, and recognize faces.
MACULA RISK® is recommended for people age 50 or older who have been diagnosed with early or intermediate AMD. In these cases, the test will determine the likelihood the disease will progress, potentially leading to severe vision-loss if untreated. MACULA RISK® is also recommended for individuals who have relatives with advanced AMD. Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is administering the MACULA RISK® test because they recognize it as a valuable tool for early detection and treatment of AMD.
Until recently, the MACULA RISK® test has only been available in Canada. Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is an authorized testing site and is administering the genetic tests in any of their five offices. If you are interested in scheduling a test, call Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® at (239) 939-4232 or (800) 282-8281.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® is the most experienced team of retina specialists in the Southwest Florida region with a combined experience of 100 years. Offices are conveniently located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs and Port Charlotte.
Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida is proud to announce some
big changes that will benefit our patients.
First, we are returning to Bonita
Springs. Starting in January we will begin seeing patients
at our new office in the Bonita
Community Health Center located at 3501 Health Center
Blvd., Suite 2170, Bonita Springs.
“Bonita Springs is growing
at a fast pace and we recognize the need of our patients to
be in that area to service them,” said Dr. Tom Ghuman
of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®.
Second, Retina Consultants understands
how difficult it can be for patients to rely on a friend or
loved one to drive them to appointments at our office on a
work day. Many times, friends or loved ones must take time
off of work to drive patients to the appointment and wait
while the examination takes place. In most cases, that may
take a couple of hours.
“Many patients tell us
they feel like they are a burden on their loved ones because
their appointments are inconvenient for their loved ones,”
says Dr. Ghuman. “We know that no one wants to be inconvenienced
by doctor’s appointments. That is why we are now offering
Saturday appointments.”
Dr.
Ashish Sharma, Retina Consultants newest addition to our
practice, is seeing patients one Saturday a month in our Fort
Myers office.
In addition to the new, convenient
weekend appointments, Retina Consultants offers a beeper service
for the patient’s driver. That way, loved ones can run
their Saturday errands during the appointment. When the appointment
is complete, we will “beep” them to let them know
the patient is ready for pick-up.
If you are interested in scheduling
a Saturday appointment or an appointment in our new Bonita
Springs office, please call (239) 939-4323 and speak with
one of our receptionists.
We hope our new office and our new office hours will help
make life a little easier for you and your loved ones.
Retina
Consultants Welcomes
Our New Physician, Dr. Ashish Sharma
In August, Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida welcomed its sixth physician
to the medical staff. Dr. Ashish Sharma
comes to us from the Kresge Eye Institute at Wayne State University
School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan.
“I am very
excited to join Retina Consultants,” said Dr. Sharma.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work in such
a great practice and to help build the practice toward the
future.”
Dr. Sharma is a
Fellowship Trained Retina Specialist. His area of expertise
focuses on diseases and conditions of the retina and vitreous,
specifically the condition of Uveitis.
Uveitis is defined
as inflammation inside the eye. It affects any or all of the
three parts of the eye that make up uvea which are: the iris
(the colored ring of the eye); the ciliary body (located behind
the iris and responsible for making the fluid inside the eye);
and the choroid (the vascular tissue underneath the retina).
Uveitis is the third leading cause of preventable blindness
in the developed world.
In addition to his
duties of seeing patients with conditions such as Uveitis,
Age-Related Macular Degeneration, and Diabetic Retinopathy,
Dr. Sharma will also play a significant role in Retina Consultants’
research division, the National
Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI). He will take part
in clinical studies and trials conducted at NORI’s headquarters
in Fort Myers. His work will
help determine what pharmaceutical and device companies are
able to safely introduce to the marketplace in regards to
new treatments for retinal conditions.
So far, 2008 has
been a booming year for Dr. Sharma. In addition to passing
his medical board exams, completing his fellowship program,
being hired at Retina Consultants and moving to Florida, Dr.
Sharma recently got married. He and his bride, Dr. Nadia Kazim,
were married in July. The two have more than marriage in common.
They both are in the Ophthalmology field. Dr. Kazim is the
director of Oculoplastic Surgery at Florida Eye Health.
“Being married is a wonderful experience,” said
Dr. Sharma. “My wife and I love living in Southwest
Florida – everyday is so beautiful!”
When he is not working, Dr. Sharma says you will be able to
find him out on the tennis court.
“Because of
my fellowship training and the Michigan weather, I have had
to put tennis on hold for a while but I am looking forward
to picking it back up.”
When asked what
he is most looking forward to doing while in Florida, Dr.
Sharma said he is “looking forward to the mild Southwest
Florida winter. That means we get to skip the brutal Michigan
winter!”
Dr. Sharma is seeing
patients at Retina Consultants four conveniently located offices
in Fort Myers, Cape
Coral, Naples, and Port
Charlotte. He will also begin seeing patients in our Fort
Myers and Naples offices one Saturday a month. If you interested
in seeing Dr. Sharma, please call our office to schedule an
appointment.
ENTIRE MEDICAL PRACTICE
NAMED THE BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA®
Feb.
2008 — Fort Myers— The physicians of Retina Consultants
of Southwest Florida are all named the Best Doctors in America®
for 2007-08. This is the first time for Dr.
Joseph P. Walker and Dr. Tom
Ghuman has earned this prestigious honor. Dr.
Glenn Wing, Dr. Paul A. Raskauskas
and Dr. Donald C. Fletcher
have been named Best Doctors in America for several consecutive
years.
Dr. Wing: 1996 -2008
Dr. Raskauskas: 2003-2008
Dr. Fletcher: 1998-2008
In
the last 28 years, Retina Consultants’ physicians have
treated hundreds of thousands of Southwest Florida residents
who risk losing their vision due to a variety of eye diseases,
including macular degeneration. The physicians of Retina Consultants
are the most experienced team of retina specialists in the
region with more than 93 years of combined practice among
them. In order to give their patients the best possible care,
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® has four (4) office
locations to treat patients in Fort
Myers, Cape Coral, Naples
and Port Charlotte.
In
addition to their practice experience, the physicians of Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida established the National
Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI). NORI is used by
national pharmaceutical companies as a clinical testing site
for new treatments. Each of the physicians are clinical investigators
with NORI and recruit patients from their practice to participate
in national clinical trials.
Compiled
by Boston-based Best Doctors, Inc., the Best Doctors in America®
database is the result of an exhaustive survey of more than
40,000 physicians in the United States. Only those doctors
recognized to be in the top 3-5% of their specialty earn the
honor of being named one of the Best Doctors in America®.
About
Best Doctors, Inc.
Best Doctors, Inc. is the world leader in connecting people
with the best medical care.
Best Doctors services help dramatically improve quality of
care by bringing the clinical knowledge of the world’s
top specialists to the problems of people with serious medical
conditions. Founded in 1989 by doctors affiliated with Harvard
Medical School to provide doctor-to-doctor consultations for
complicated cases, Best Doctors has grown into an international
company providing services to 10 million people in 30 countries.
For more information please visit www.bestdoctors.com
Retina
Consultants Doctors
Named Top Doctors on the Gulfshore
Dr. Walker
Dr. Raskauskas
Two
of Retina Consultants physicians are named Gulfshore Life
Magazines’ “Top Doctors of 2007”.
“This
is a very special recognition for us because the nominations
came from our peers,” said Dr. Walker.
Southwest
Florida’s Top Doctors are selected by Gulfshore
Life Magazine after extensive research by their partner,
Castle Connolly Medical, the nation’s leading provider
of information on physicians. A national survey of physicians
and hospital administrators is conduced by Castle Connolly
Medical in order to obtain a list of the Top Doctors. This
list is then narrowed by determining if the doctors have met
the strict criteria of board certifications, number of years
of unsupervised experience in practice and a clean disciplinary
record.
“Gulfshore
Life’s readers are fortunate to be in a region
of the country with many excellent doctors and hospitals,
but many people will still have difficulty in selecting a
physician,” said William Liss-Levinson, vice president
and chief strategy & operations officer for Castle Connolly*.
Liss-Levinson
also points out that because of the widespread advertising
and promotion of doctors or medical practices, it can be confusing
as to whom or what to trust to determine if the doctor you
select is, in fact, a Top Doctor. That is why Castle Connolly
Medical produces this list working only with physicians and
hospital administrators. Liss-Levinson says the best way to
gain information on Top Doctors is by asking their peers who
work with them or share patients with them.
“It
is common for patients to be overwhelmed with the process
of selecting a physician,” said Dr. Raskauskas. “Sometimes
it is difficult to understand their diagnosis let alone trying
to find a good doctor to treat it. That is why we are fortunate
that a Top Doctors list is available to people in Southwest
Florida.”
This
is not the first time Drs. Walker and Raskauskas have been
named Top Doctors. They were included in the list last year
as well.
The
other physicians of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®
have also had the privilege of being on Gulfshore Life
Magazine’s Top Doctor List in the past.
*information
obtained from Gulfshore Life Magazine
New Treatment for Macular Degeneration
Approved by FDA
Retina Consultants of Southwest
Florida is proud to announce the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has approved a new treatment for the wet form of Age Related
Macular Degeneration (AMD) called Lucentis®.
We are very excited about Lucen
tis because our facility, along with the National Ophthalmic
Research Institute, was instrumental in the testing process
of this new treatment.
For the past three years, Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida, in conjunction with the
National Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI), have performed
studies on local patients living with the potentially blinding
disease. Retina Consultants and NORI collected data for Genentech,
the manufacturer of Lucentis, who turned the findings over
to the FDA. Our physicians and staff are very aware of the
capabilities of this drug and its effects on wet AMD.
In wet AMD, new blood vessels
may begin to grow and leak fluid in the eye. Lucentis works
by blocking the protein responsible for growing new blood
vessels, essentially cutting off the supply of fluid and blood
before it has a chance to develop and leak. The main objective
of Lucentis is to slow the progression of the wet form of
the disease so that vision loss is less severe. In clinical
trials, 90% of patients maintained or improved their current
vision compared to 53% of patients who were in the control
group.
Studies also show that Lucentis
has the ability to improve vision
in some patients. In the studies, 59% of the patients treated
with Lucentis improved vision by a gain of 15 letters or more
on an eye chart.
Retina Consultants of Southwest
Florida has begun administering Lucentis to patients that
would benefit from this new treatment. Your retina specialist
will determine if you are a candidate for this treatment.
Retina
Consultants Celebrates 25th Anniversary
October
marks the 25th Anniversary of Retina Consultants of Southwest
Florida,
the most experienced team of retina specialists in Southwest
Florida.
Joseph
P. Walker, MD (center) and Retina Consultants’ staff
members, who presented a beautiful stone fountain to commemorate
the Silver Anniversary of the practice.
Joseph P. Walker, MD founded
the practice in 1980 after he realized there were no retina
specialists between Tampa and Miami. A retina specialist focuses
mainly on the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases that
impact the health of the retina (the thin lining in the back
of the eye that is critical to eyesight).
Shortly after he opened
the practice, Dr. Walker was flooded by the number of patients
who needed help, but who didn’t want to travel a long
distance for treatment. To keep up with the growing demand,
Retina Consultants added three other highly skilled retina
specialists over the years. They include Glenn L. Wing, MD;
Paul A. Raskauskas, MD; and Tom Ghuman, MD. Plus Retina Consultants
has Southwest Florida’s only Low Vision Rehabilitation
Center which is directed by Donald C. Fletcher, MD. In the
past two and a half decades, Retina Consultants doctors and
staff have treated some 350,000 patients!
“These 25 years wouldn’t
have been possible without a great staff and wonderful patients,”
said Dr. Joseph P. Walker. “I am truly blessed to have
been able to spend the last 25 years doing what I love and
helping people at the same time. It is amazing to look back
and remember doctors at my alma mater, the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary, telling me that I was ‘crazy’
to go down to the ‘Everglades’!”
To mark the Silver Anniversary, Retina Consultants’
employees bought the doctors a beautiful stone fountain. The
soothing sounds of the lapping water now graces the garden
at Retina Consultants’ Fort Myers office.
Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida Helps
Hurricane Katrina Victims
Jay
Holmes, CEO of Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®
and Arlene Knox, Development Director at The American
Red Cross of Lee County
Retina Consultants of Southwest
Florida has donated $1,530 to The American Red Cross/Hurricane
Katrina Relief Fund.
“This is such a generous
gift. It is greatly appreciated,” said Arlene Knox,
Development Director, of The American Red Cross of Lee County
during the check presentation.
Immediately after Hurricane Katrina destroyed parts of the
Gulf Coast in August, Retina Consultants’ employees
were anxious to assist in the relief efforts. They felt the
best way to help was to collect donations. Staff members pooled
together $1,020 of their own money, of which the company matched
50 percent.
“We are so proud that our
staff was able to give so graciously of themselves,”
said Jay Holmes, CEO of Retina Consultants. “This just
proves that we have one of the most caring groups of employees
around.”
Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida is proud to announce some
big changes that will benefit our patients.
Retina
Consultants Welcomes 
Feb.
2008 — Fort Myers— The physicians of Retina Consultants
of Southwest Florida are all named the Best Doctors in America®
for 2007-08. This is the first time for 
