Retina Research Across the Labs: Doheny + Jules Stein Eye Institutes at Work

Here at Doheny the benefits of joining forces with our colleagues at UCLA/Jules Stein Eye Institute are obvious to us every day. We appreciate the ability to collaborate and share research, and the very real advances we are making for patients.

One of the most exciting areas of collaboration is OCT (optical coherence tomography) angiography, an approach to retinal diagnosis and care that is nothing short of transformational.

For decades, the standard approach of fluorescein injections worked to effectively identify areas of disease. Now the work of Dr. David Sarraf and Dr. Alfredo Sadun, my own work, and that of many other research associates at Doheny promises to make that approach obsolete. OCT angiography allows images of blood vessels in the eye to be captured with microscopic detail in just a few seconds without the use of any intravenous dye or contrast.

In addition, because OCT allows us to tell the depth within the retina at which an abnormality is located, we are much better able to identify exactly what part of the retina is damaged and how best to tackle it in terms of treatment. The field of OCT angiography is very much in its infancy, but the potential of the technology is enormous. We anticipate these advances will likely transform how we treat diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and optic nerve disorders.

Our research teams at Doheny and Stein work collaboratively in crucial ways as we collect the data we need to know how to accurately interpret these new types of images and how best to use the information to treat patients.

Through advances in technology such as OCT angiography, our patients can look forward to more comfortable and quick testing, more accurate diagnosis, and better ways to monitor the progression of their disease and their response to treatment.

Treatment of retinal and optic nerve disease is part of our mission at Doheny. The ability to link our labs and research with colleagues at Jules Stein is stimulating; it elevates our standard of care and points toward a future of accelerated advances in ophthalmologic research and care.