Tuesday, August 20, 2019

AAO 2019 in San Francisco

Right eye focus
Located in Tucson, Arizona, Retina Associates is a provider of various medical and surgical eye-care services. Headed by a team of experienced American Society of Retina Specialist-member doctors, including Cameron Javid, MD, Retina Associates is affiliated with a number of medical organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) annual meeting for 2019 will take place October 12-15 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The meeting offers a multitude of professional learning sessions and discussions about ophthalmology’s most pressing issues, as well as networking opportunities.

Early programming at the event actually begins on Friday, October 11, covering subspecialty topics, practice management, and nursing, among other areas. Opening remarks will be made that morning by Mark S. Humayun, MD, PhD, and Judy E. Kim, MD. Other Friday sessions will deal with topics as diverse as establishing a cosmetic practice to reoperations and enhancements for strabismus (misaligned eyes). Keynote speaker Dr. Douglas D. Koch will discuss potential improvements to intraocular lens (IOL) calculations during refractive surgery, and Dr. J. Bradley Randleman’s lecture will focus on identifying pre-ectatic (stretched) cornea. 


For a more comprehensive breakdown of all five days of the meeting, or to register for the event, please visit www.aao.org.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

An Introduction to Diabetic Retinopathy


Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Signs and Risk Factors of Ocular Melanoma


At Retina Associates in Tucson, Arizona, Dr. Cameron Javid provides specialized care for conditions and injuries involving the retina. Retina Associates has earned national recognition for its work in ocular oncology, having been chosen as a participant in the (COOG2) Collaborative Ocular Oncology Group and his site was in the landmark Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS).

Dr Javid has published posters, papers and co-authored a book chapter on the topic of eye melanoma.
Melanoma can develop in any of the body cells that produce pigment. It is common in the skin but may also develop in the eye. In most cases, this occurs in parts of the eye not visible externally, and so it is often difficult to detect.

Ocular melanoma may also be challenging to identify because it frequently presents without symptoms. However, it may cause vision loss, flashing sensations, and/or floating specks of 'dust' in the affected eye. It may also cause the pupil to change shape and may be visible as a dark spot on the iris, which is the colored part of the eye.

Patients who have light eye and skin color have a higher risk of ocular melanoma than those whose natural pigmentation is darker. Risk also increases with age and smoking. Certain skin disorders may increase a patient's risk as well.

A person who notices any of these signs or has significant risk factors may wish to visit his or her eye doctor. Through an eye exam, sometimes with the aid of imaging, an experienced ophthalmologist can identify possible melanomas and refer to an ocular oncologist such as Dr Cameron Javid for furhther evaluation.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Diagnosing and Treating Retinal Vein Occlusions


Led by Dr. Cameron Javid, Retina Associates offers patients in the Tucson, Arizona, area a comprehensive range of treatments for eye disease. In addition to treating serious eye conditions such as macular degeneration and retinal tears and detachment, Retina Associates has specialized knowledge of central and branch retinal vein occlusions (BRVO).

The retina is served by a single main artery and a central vein. In cases where this central vein becomes blocked, a condition known as central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) or eye stroke, fluid can leak into the macula, the central part of the retina in the back of the eye, causing serious vision loss. BRVO, by contrast, involves the smaller branches of the central vein becoming blocked, and often manifests in symptoms such as a missing area of vision or blurred sight. In some cases, patients with BRVO find that the condition naturally heals itself and proper vision is regained over time. 

Both conditions are more common as aging occurs and are associated with high blood pressure and diabetes, which can cause a gradual hardening of the veins. In many cases, the proper treatment for BRVO starts with careful monitoring of the condition to make sure it does not get worse. In cases of CRVO, immediate diagnosis and treatment is recommended before irreversible damage such as total central vision loss occurs. Fortunately excellent treatment is available including intraocular anti-vegf medications, and steroids. In addition laser is still occasionally a treatment option. National clinical trials are currently available at Retina Associates with new medications for the treatment of retinal vein occlusions.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Choroidal Melanoma - A Malignant Tumor of the Eye


Dr. Cameron Javid is a physician at Retina Associates, which is based in Tucson, Arizona. He and his colleagues at the Retina Associates practice offer patients treatment for conditions of the eye, including choroidal melanoma and many other ocular tumors.

Choroidal melanoma is a malignant condition that affects the choroid or the blood-vessel layer underlying the retina. Patients typically do not experience symptoms. Thus, the melanoma is often discovered during routine eye exams. When symptoms do occur, they may include floating objects, flashes of light, and distortion in the patients’ eyesight.

Patients who have been diagnosed with a small choroidal melanoma may be treated or its growth may be monitored to ascertain whether the tumor is cancerous. Typically, the growth can be documented over several months or years with an ultimate decision regarding treatment. Depending on the size of the melanoma, treatment options include low-energy radiation therapy and enucleation (which refers to the removal of the eye). Dr Javid is involved in national clinical trials for ocular tumors.