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Chicago Cornea Consultants - News and Seminars

Dr. Randy J. Epstein

The career of Dr. Epstein was recently profiled by Illinois Eye-Bank, a subsidiary of the Michigan Eye-Bank and Transplantation Center

This feature highlighted Dr. Epstein's commitment to the Illinois Eye-Bank, which provides donor tissue to patients needing corneal transplant surgery, and gave some insight into his personal and professional career development.

Midwest Eye Banks - Perspective

Click here to read the article.

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Dr. Epstein was interviewed at Rush University Medical Center by WGN-TV Chicago regarding the dangers of swimming with contact lenses. This was part of a segment that featured a young patient of his who had acquired a serious infection, (Acanthamoeba keratitis), in this manner. Fortunately, after 3 corneal transplants, she is finally free of this disease. However, her mother is actively lobbying Congress and the FDA, with Dr. Epstein's encouragement, in an attempt to heighten public awareness of this important issue. Dr. Epstein is one of the world's experts on this condition, having been involved in some of the original research during an epidemic of contact lens-related Acanthamoeba keratitis that was studied at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) while he was a Fellow at Emory University in Atlanta, between 1984-86. He has authored or co-authored numerous publications on this subject, and frequently sees these patients in consultation from other ophthalmologists.
Click here to watch video

For additional information regarding this condition please click here.

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The Corneal Dystrophy Foundation.

The Corneal Dystrophy Foundation (the Foundation), is a 501 (c)(3) Public benefit Charity whose mission is to increase public awareness of corneal dystrophy, potentially blinding diseases affecting the transparent front part of the eye. The foundation produces educational literature for patients, family members and others interested in learning more about corneal dystrophies such as Fuchs’ dystrophy. These can be viewed on line at http://www.cdfpubs.org or by visiting their web site at http://www.cornealdystrophyfoundation.org/.

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Dr. Epstein, underwent LASIK surgery on one eye (to eliminate his need for reading glasses) in our office in 2004.

Dr. Epstein is an internationally acclaimed authority on refractive surgery, and has access to all of the information relating to currently approved procedures, as well as those likely to be available soon. This historic procedure was performed on Dr. Epstein by his partner, Dr. Richard Dennis, at our Highland Park Facility on 3/11/04. Dr. Dennis utilized the Bausch & Lomb 217z flying spot laser and the Bausch & Lomb Hansatome to create the corneal flap. This was followed by a “hyperopic” laser treatment designed to restore Dr. Epstein's failing near vision. At the age of 50, he had previously undergone both the LTK and CK procedures to improve his near vision, which worked for a few years. However, with the passage of time, he became increasingly dependent on reading glasses. Motivated by an upcoming seminar he was to deliver, entitled “Reading glasses a problem?”, Dr. Epstein felt compelled to provide his audience with a firsthand impression of the impact of “ mon-vision LASIK” as a means of overcoming this “dependency”. The procedure was performed by Dr. Richard Dennis, President of Chicago Cornea Consultants, who had also performed Dr. Epstein's previous LTK procedure.

The operation was successful, immediately restoring Dr. Epstein's near vision, and eliminating his “dependence” on reading glasses. This procedure is one of a number of operations available to eliminate the need for reading glasses.

• Drs. Epstein and Majmudar were among the first surgeons in the area to perform the first procedure designed to correct both distance AND near vision, "Refractive Lens Exchange". This procedure is designed to correct both distance and near vision, using an "accommodating" intraocular lens implant, the Crystalens™. Until now, patients who underwent cataract surgery (or even LASIK) could only have their DISTANCE vision corrected, and still needed reading glasses. This technology is so "cutting edge" that Chicago's NBC-TV affiliate, Channel 5 (WMAQ), featured a segment on the first procedures performed on June 21, 2004.

• On August 12th, 2004, Dr. Epstein became one of the first Chicago ophthalmologists to do another procedure so patients could throw away their reading glasses. This procedure, called CK (for Conductive Keratoplasty) is almost painless and takes just three minutes!
  
  CK actually uses radio waves to reshape the cornea of one eye so patients can see close-up again.
  
  Presbyopia affects virtually everyone over 40, or about 90 million people in the U.S. You may be a candidate for this procedure if you have normal distance vision and only need to wear reading glasses.

• In August, 2004, Dr. Epstein added to his duties by becoming a Consultant to the new Vision Correction Center at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

• On September 13th, 2004, Dr. Epstein became one of the first ophthalmologists to use the Vision Correction Center’s new Intralase® device. The revolutionary Intralase® laser allows for the entire LASIK procedure to be done using an "all laser technique." The Intralase® creates a corneal flap by using infrared light to separate the tissue right beneath the eye.
  
  The Intralase® makes a flap that’s accurate to within 1/300th the width of a human hair. As a result patients get better vision correction. In fact the vast majority of Intralase® patients have vision of 20/20 or better. Those patients also have far fewer surgical complications.

• Dr. Randy Epstein was notified that he had received the Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The award was given to only a handful of ophthalmologists nationwide. The Award was officially given at the Academy’s annual convention in October, 2004.

• Dr. Epstein was also promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology at Rush Presbyterian Medical Center. He’s been on Rush’s faculty since 1986.

Dr. Parag A. Majmudar

• Dr. Majmudar received the prestigious Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

• Dr. Majmudar was selected to be one of three representatives from the USA to the International Refractive Surgery Council of the ISRS/AAO.

• Dr. Majmudar was invited to speak at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS) Annual Meeting in Paris, France, in September 2004.

• In October, 2004, Dr. Majmudar received a promotion to "Associate Attending" in the Department of Ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center.

• In December, 2004, Dr. Majmudar became one of the first surgeons in Illinois to implant the Verisyse™ phakic intraocular lens for high nearsightedness.

• Dr. Majmudar was invited to speak at the 63rd All-India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) Conference in Bhubaneswar, India in January 2005.

• In April, 2005, Drs. Dennis, Epstein, and Majmudar participated in presentations delivered at World Cornea Congress V, an international gathering of corneal specialists that takes place only once a decade. Following that, they also participated as faculty members at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). Both meetings were held sequentially in Washington, DC.

Dr. Douglas S. Kaplan

• On November 14, 2004, at the Physicians for Responsible Negotiation (PRN) convention held at our joint headquarters with CIR (Committee of Interns and Residents) and Doctors Council (DC), Dr. Kaplan was elected Secretary on the Board of Directors. [PRN was originally created by the AMA but we are now associated with the above organizations, all of which are affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This union has the largest health care contingent. CIR and DC represent the greatest number of unionized physicians nationwide (10,000-20,000). Our focus will now be on helping non-salaried physicians who desire representation under state laws that allow them to engage in collective bargaining, and efforts involving managed care & insurance companies. Our previous efforts have been tied up due to litigation and hearings before the National Labor Relations Board and Supreme Court.]

• On December 16, 2004, Dr. Kaplan was formally elected Treasurer of the Lake County Medical Society, Illinois State Medical Society alternate delegate, and alternate member of the county Medical Review Committee.

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Publications:

• Sheppard, JD; Epstein, RJ; Lattanzio, FA; Marcantonio, D; Williams, PB: Argon laser photodynamic therapy of human corneal neovascularization after intravenous administration of dihematoporphrin ether. Am J Ophthalmol 141: 524-529, 2006.

• Klein, SR; Epstein, RJ; Randleman, JB; Stulting, RD: Corneal ectasia after laser-in situ keratomileusis in patients without apparent preoperative risk factors. Cornea 25: 388-403, 2006.

• Majmudar, PA; Epstein, RJ; Parent, A; Raphtis, EM; Grostern, R; Torczinski, E: Noninvasive diagnosis of epithelial downgrowth after penetrating keratoplasty using immunohistochemical analysis of resected corneal buttons. Cornea 25:727-733, 2006.

• Epstein, RJ; Herst, B; Goren, M; Gerstein, M; Brenner, S: Exploring Liability Issues in Refractive Eye Surgery, ISMIE Newsletter, Spring 2006.

• Seldomridge, DL; Candal, EM; Epstein, RJ: Wavefront analysis for keratoconus and PMD. Review of Ophthalmology 2005 Oct;12:10:96-103

• Epstein, RJ and Majmudar, PA: Alternative approach to the treatment of subepithelial fibrosis following radial keratotomy. Arch Ophthalmol 124:288, Feb., 2006.

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Bibliographies

Richard F. Dennis, M.D.
Randy J. Epstein, M.D.
Parag A. Majmudar, M.D.
Douglas S. Kaplan, M.D.
Maria E. Rosselson, M.D.

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