Blind Spot - The Eye Doctor's Podcast

Blind Spot - The Eye Doctor's Podcast

Blind Spot is the Eye Doctor's Podcast that challenges eye care specialists to examine their own blind spots in the clinical and surgical management of eye disease. Each episode features a different guest expert and focuses on a particular clinical diagnosis or surgical challenge in ophthalmology. The show is hosted by Toronto-based ophthalmologist Dr. Zale Mednick. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/blind-spot-the-eye-doctor-s-podcast--5819306/support.

Episodes

January 8, 2025 22 mins
For decades now, we have been able to offer anti-VEGF treatments to patients with wet AMD.  Yet for dry AMD, there have been few options we can recommend to our patients outside of AREDS formulations and lifestyle modifications.  But with newer scientific advances, there are indeed new classes of injectable medications that are now being offered to some patients wtih dry AMD.  Retinal specialist Dr. Ashkan Abbey joins the podcast t...
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The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) has taken the refractive world by storm over the past couple of years, with an excitement that rivals the enthusaism for the latest multifocals or EDOFs to come on the market.  So what's all the hype?  How does this lens actually work?  And even if the refractive results are impressive, do patients really want to wear UV-blocking lenses for weeks following surgery?  Is the time and cost investment wo...
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October 10, 2024 36 mins
One of the most common clinical presentations to ophthalmologist is 'the eyelid lesion'.  While sometimes it might seem obvious what the diagnosis is, other times it's tough to make a spot diagnosis or even to decipher whether the lesion is concerning or not.  So what are some helpful examination tips to help us discern the benign from the malignant?  Oculoplastics specialist Dr. Lisa Jagan joins the podcast to share an effective a...
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Extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses have transofmed the intraocular lens (IOL) landscape.  As opposed to the binary choice of a monofocal or a multifocal IOL, there is an 'in-between' option that allows for more intermediate vision than monofocal lenses but less dysphotopsias than the mutifocal lenses.  How do these lenses work, how should we explain them to patients, and what are the factors that guide our decisions on lens sele...
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Cataracts and AMD are two of the most common ocular pathologies.  But in patients who have both conditions, are there special considerations that should be taken into account?  Should cataract surgey potentially be delayed in AMD patients because a protective effect of the cataract?  Does cataract surgery exacerbate AMD and potentially lead to progression to geographic atrophy or conversion to wet AMD?  Dr. Ashkan Abbey joins the p...
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August 7, 2024 27 mins
Pterygium surgery is one of the more common procedures performed by ophthalmologists.  Yet despite how common it is, multiple techniques are used by different doctors.  In this episode, Dr. Allan Slomovic joins the podcast to share tips on pterygium removal, indications for excision, and pearls on recurrent pterygia.  

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/blind-spot-the-eye-doctor-s-podcast--5819306/s...
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July 18, 2024 14 mins
July is Dry Eye Awareness month.  In this episode, five cornea specialists each contribute a tip on how to better diagnose and manage dry eye.  Speakers includ Dr. Clara Chan, Dr. Chris Rapuano, Dr. Ashley Brissette, Dr. Tanya Trinh, and host Dr. Zale Mednick. 

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/blind-spot-the-eye-doctor-s-podcast--5819306/support.
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While there are specific guidelines for diagnosis, not every patient falls easily into a particular category of glaucoma.  Many times, it can be challenging to place some patients neatly into one of the glaucoma buckets.  So what are some tips that can help us in diagnosing these grey cases that may or may not be glaucoma?  And how does this impact treatment decisions? Are there certain cases in which it’s okay to monitor a patient...
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Recurrent Corneal Erosion Syndrome (RCES) is an extremely uncomfortable condition for patients to live with.  With so many management options, including ointments, bandage contact lenses, superficial keratectomy, anterior stromal puncture, and PTK, what actually works best?  Wills Eye Hospital Cornea Specialst Dr. Chris Rapuano joins the podcast. 

This episode is sponsored by Sun Pharma Canada - https://sunpharma.com/canada/

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The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in ophthalmology is probably higher than you think. Whether it's an acute injury or a chronic injury from poor posture and positioning, ophthalmologists and optometrists are at high risk for long-term back pain and other musculoskeletal problems, due to the nature of our work. So how can we better at keeping ourselves healthy, both in the short-term and in the long-run? Dr. R. Rishi Gupta j...
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The toric intraocular lenses (IOL) is a mainstay in the treatment of astigmatism during cataract surgery.  Many people have different thresholds, however, for when they would consider a toric IOL.  What is the appropriate amount of astigmatism that warrants treatment with a toric lens?  Does the threshold vary if a premium lens is being used?  What lens implantation techniques can be implemented to achieve the best possible results...
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LASIK has been the procedure of choice in refractive surgery for many years now.  But over the last decade, the development of SMILE has changed the landscape in refractive surgery.  Especially popular in Europe and China, many ophthalmologists are offering their patients SMILE in place of LASIK.  So what exactly is SMILE, and why do many view it as a superior alternative to LASIK?  Dr. Walter Sekundo, the developer of the SMILE pr...
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April 4, 2024 27 mins
As excitement grows regarding the upcoming solar eclipse, anxiety is also increasing amongst patients.  How should we be counseling concerned patients regarding the solar eclipse and what precautions they should be taking to protect their eyes? Dr. Tina Felfeli joins the podcast. 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/blind-spot-the-eye-doctor-s-podcast--5819306/support.
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Traditionally, most of us were taught that after cataract surgery, a patient should be assessed on day one, week one, and month one.  But what are these recommendations based on?  Practically speaking, does our typical survellance of post-operative cataract surgery patients make sense, or are we overly dogmatic in our approach? Dr. Uday Devgan, aka 'The Cataract Coach', joins the podcast. 

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The traditional paradigm is that when a patient presents with acute angle closure due to pupil block, a peripheral iridotomy (PI) must be performed immediately. But in reality, is this always the best approach? Is it safe to treat medically for a period of time before the PI? In which situations might a PI actually exacerbate the acute angle closure? Dr. Ike Ahmed joins the podcast.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.sp...
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We all know that keratoconus is very highly associated with eye rubbing. But in general, the widely held belief has been that keratoconus is just associated with eye rubbing, one of multiple factors that leads to the condition. But have we gotten it wrong? Is eye rubbing not merely associated with keratoconus, but actually the sole causative factor of keratoconus? Has there been a huge blind spot in our basic understanding of kerat...
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January 10, 2024 23 mins
Acetazolamide is a common and important medication used in ophthalmology. It is used as a treatment for both high intraocular pressure and high intracranial pressure. Yet despite its many uses, many ophthalmologists feel nervous when prescribing it due its potential side effects and the concern of sulfa allergy. And while caution is always a good thing, have we perhaps overstated the risks with acetazolamide to such a point that we...
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A central retinal artery occlusion is arguably one of the worst ocular events that can occur, given its extremely poor visual prognosis. As such, our efforts to find an effective treatment for CRAO have been extensive, but in many regards, inadequate. There are certain treatment options that we all learn in residency to try and halt a CRAO, but for the most part, many of these techniques are fairly unproven and don’t work so well. ...
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November 29, 2023 53 mins
Over the past two decades, Botox and Fillers have changed the landscape of cosmetic plastic surgery, including the field of oculoplastics. But how exactly to Botox and Fillers work, and more importantly, how should patients be counseled on these elective treatments? And from a philosophical standpoint, has the world of cosmetic surgery gone too far in 'de-aging' the population and perhaps further stigmatizing the natural process of...
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November 15, 2023 17 mins
Blepharitis is a common diagnosis, but it’s also an umbrella term that encompasses many different clinical disorders which require varying treatment approaches. Many patients struggle with chronic blepharitis, where it’s tough to find an effective treatment. So what exactly is the best approach to blepharitis? How does one differentiate staph blepharitis from demodex? What are the most effective treatments on the market? And from a...
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