|
FDA Approval of New Drug: Allergan’s Ozurdex
June 30, 2009
Dear Colleague,
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida®, along with our in-house research facility, the National Ophthalmic Research Institute™ (NORI), is proud to announce the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the first drug-therapy for macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.
Allergan’s Ozurdex just received FDA approval and will soon be available for public use. Administered into the eye via injection by the physician, the Ozurdex implant delivers an extended release dose of the corticosteroid, dexamethasone, 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.
The FDA approval of Ozurdex comes after several years of clinical testing. NORI has been at the forefront of Ozurdex’s clinical trials and is one of Allergan’s largest patient enrolling sites in North America, participating in multiple studies with Ozurdex.
The FDA approval is proof of how important the years of clinical studies are to finding new treatments for diseases. Because Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida offers a clinical testing site, we can allow patients the opportunity to participate in studies when there are no other options for treatment.
Once Ozurdex is on the market, it may also be used as treatment for other eye diseases such as diabetic macular edema and macular degeneration. Abnormal functioning retinal vessels found in these diseases may work better when treated with steroid medications.
We are very excited about Ozurdex. It has the potential to save the vision of countless patients who would otherwise not have treatment options and potentially lose vision. If you have a patient whom you feel may benefit from Ozurdex or who may be a candidate for any of our ongoing clinical studies, please call our office. If you have questions regarding any clinical trials, please contact NORI at (239) 938-1284.
Best regards,
Joseph P. Walker, MD
Glenn L. Wing, MD
Paul A. Raskauskas, MD
Tom Ghuman, MD
Ashish G. Sharma, MD
Donald C. Fletcher, MD
Gulfshore’s Top Doctors
June 30, 2009
Dear Colleague,
Because of the dedicated care you show the patients you share with us, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing us the privilege to be recognized as Top Doctors again this year.
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.
This is not the first time you have assisted us in becoming The Gulfshore’s Top Doctors. We have also had the privilege to be included in the list in 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well.
Again, we thank you for your help achieving this honor.
Joseph P. Walker, MD
Paul A. Raskauskas, MD
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida
MACULA RISK® Age-related Macular Degeneration test
May 12, 2009
Dear Colleague,
It is our pleasure to inform you of a new medical test offered at Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida to help protect your patients’ vision.
We are now offering the MACULA RISK® Age-related Macular Degeneration test. MACULA RISK® is a genetic test that helps determine the risk of vision loss due to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States. More than 20 million Americans have early or intermediate AMD. One in five will lose their vision because of it.1
The MACULA RISK® test examines eight genetic sequence variations within four different genes that are linked to an increased risk of developing advanced AMD. Statistics show that 80 percent of patients with AMD have one or more of these genetic variants. 20 percent of those patients have an above average risk for developing advanced AMD.
The test can be administered in any of our five offices. Patients are asked to give a saliva sample and provide a brief medical and family history. The information is then sent to a laboratory for a genetic analysis. Test results are returned to our office within two to four weeks. We then counsel the patients regarding the risk for AMD.
The test is recommended for people age 50 or older with evidence of early or intermediate AMD. It is also recommended for individuals who have relatives with advanced AMD. The MACULA RISK® test costs $399; however, it is not covered by insurance.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida provides the MACULA RISK® test because we recognize it as a valuable tool for early detection and treatment of AMD. Please contact our office and speak with Jay Holmes, CEO, or visit www.macularisk.com for more information.
Best regards,
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.
Donald C. Fletcher, M.D.
1A. Lowenstein. Retina 2007; Vol 27 no 7
Study Suggests Vitamin B and Folic Acid
Can Prevent Early Stage AMD in Women
February 24, 2009
Dear Colleague,
Attached, please find an article that appeared this week on Bloomberg.com and was featured in the Fort Myers News Press, in a condensed form, regarding women, Vitamin B, Folic Acid and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). These are the first study results that suggest that Vitamin B and Folic Acid can prevent early stage AMD in women.
The article outlines a study, funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), showing the potential correlation between women who took Vitamin B and Folic Acid supplements for seven years and a decreased risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration.
Please note that Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida is aware of the NIH study cited in the article. These findings are in addition to the NIH study released a few years ago called AREDS (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) which showed a diet rich in vitamins A, C, E, Copper and Zinc can reduce the risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration by 25 percent.
As part of the healthy guidelines set forth by the AREDS program, we urge patients to eat a diet high in green, leafy vegetables containing Lutein as well as supplementing their diet with Beta Carotene, Copper and Antioxidants. However, as with any vitamin or supplement regimen, patients should first consult with their primary care physician to determine if any of the AREDS formulations will interact with their daily prescribed medications.
Currently, the NIH is conducting AREDS II which studies the effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Age-related Macular Degeneration. The study also examines the effects of decreased levels of Zinc and Copper on AMD risk reduction.
The study began in June 2008 and results are expected in five to six years. You can count on Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida to keep you updated on the study’s progress and informed of its outcome.
Best regards,
Joseph P. Walker, MD
Glenn L. Wing, MD
Paul A. Raskauskas, MD
Tom Ghuman, MD
Ashish G. Sharma, MD
Donald C. Fletcher, MD
Encrypted Email Feature
Dear Colleague,
In an effort to continue to provide the best service and care available to your patients, we have designated a new feature within our practice.
Retina Consultants of Southwest Florida® and the National Ophthalmic Research Institute (NORI) now accept patient medical records and images via the internet. We are abiding by HIPPA guidelines which state that patient information can only be transmitted via the internet by means of encrypted and secure email and websites.
We have designated the email address: eyemail@eye.md as the official address for secure patient medical records for both Retina Consultants and NORI.
In order to use this address, your email must first be encrypted. There are many internet based services available for this type of communication. We use and recommend ZixMail. Information can be obtained about ZixMail by visiting www.Zixcorp.com. An annual fee of $125 will apply.
Please note, a subscription to ZixMail is not required, however HIPPA guidelines mandate email be encrypted before it sent to us regardless of which service is used.
We also ask that when information is sent to eyemail@eye.md, someone from your office place a follow-up phone call to us to ensure we received the email.
We hope you find this new service helpful in the care of your patients. We look forward to any feedback regarding this new feature. If you have any questions, please contact our Practice Administrator, Jay Holmes, at 239-939-4323.
Best regards,
Joseph Walker, MD
Glenn Wing, MD
Paul Raskauskas, MD
Tom Ghuman, MD
Ashish Sharma, MD
Donald Fletcher, MD
Retina
Consultants of Southwest Florida, P.A.
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. |
