Latest Updates from VMR Institute – Leading Eye Care Center Serving Orange County and Los Angeles Area
The VMR Institute in Huntington Beach, California is a leading provider of vitreous, macula, and retina care. To maintain this distinction, Dr. Sebag and Dr. Chong stay involved in the ophthalmologic field through memberships, lectures, and other endeavors.
NOVEMBER 2011
Floaters - Minor Nuisance or Disease?
Floaters are hair-like, fly-like, grey linear structures that interfere with vision, especially when looking at a bright white background like a white wall, the sky, a hill of snow, etc. Floaters are not seen in dim light situations or when looking at dark backgrounds, such a dark wall or floor. Floaters move with eye movement. When the eye stops moving, floaters keep floating a little bit, hence the name "floaters".
A recent study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology evaluated the impact of floaters on the quality of life. The results surprised doctors. What we previously thought of as a minor nuisance, turned out to have a significant negative impact on the quality of life. According to patients, floaters are equal to age-related macular degeneration and greater than diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma in their negative impact on the quality of life. According to this study, patients perceive that floaters are worse than mild angina, mild stroke, colon cancer and asymptomatic HIV infection.
Most remarkably, the investigators of this study found that these patients were willing to take an 11% risk of death and a 7% risk of blindness to get rid of the symptoms related to floaters. As the authors state, patients with floaters are willing to trade off 1.1 years out of every 10 years of their remaining lives to get rid of the symptoms of floaters.
Dr. Sebag of the the VMR Institute in Orange County near Los Angeles and Long Beach is able to offer a cure for floaters. Contact us to seek consultation with Dr. Sebag and determine whether you are an appropriate candidate for the cure for floaters.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Dr. Lawrence P. Chong of the VMR Institute in Huntington Beach, Orange County near Long Beach and Los Angeles, presented a lecture at the 44th Annual Meeting of the prestigious Retina Society which was combined with the Italian Retina Society meeting in Rome.
Dr. Chong presented the results of his recent success in treating wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration. By combining injections with photodynamic therapy (PDT), Dr. Chong and colleagues at the Doheny Eye Institute of USC improved vision and decreased the number of treatments required, both by a statistically-significant amount.
Following the meeting, Dr. Chong and his wife Lee, director of the operating room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, visited Roma (Spanish Steps, above) and explored the hills of the Piemonte region in northern Italy – by bike!
August 12, 2011 - National Ambulatory Surgery Center Day
To mark the occasion, Dr. Sebag and Dr. Chong of the VMR Institute in Huntington Beach in Orange County near Long Beach and Los Angeles participated in a celebration at the Newport Bay Surgery Center across PCH from Hoag Hospital. This center was built exclusively for eye surgery and has state-of-the-art equipment and top personnel. Dr. Sebag developed the vitreo-retinal surgery service and both doctors perform out-patient surgery in this marvelous center overlooking Newport Bay.
U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (right in photo below), Dr. Sebag, and U.S. Congressman John Campbell (left in photo below) participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating the Newport Bay Surgery Center in Newport Beach, Orange County near Los Angeles to serve the members of our community with top-notch eye surgery in a state-of-the-art as well as elegant environment.
Following the ribbon-cutting, Congressman John Campbell presented a Congressional certificate in honor of the ceremony, shown in the photo below being held by Dr. Sebag.
Lawrence Chong of the VMR Institute in Huntington Beach in Orange County near Los Angeles is seen in the photo below conversing with U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher during National Ambulatory Surgery Center Day at the Newport Bay Surgery Center in Newport Beach, Orange County near Los Angeles.
Also in attendance at the Newport Bay Surgery Center event was Dr. Richard Afable, President and C.E.O. of Hoag Hospital, seen here conversing with Dr. Chong and Dr. Sebag of the VMR Institute in Huntington Beach, Orange County near Long Beach and Los Angeles.
Dr. Sebag was invited by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and European Society of ophthalmology
In June 2011 Dr. Sebag was invited by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and European Society of Ophthalmology to organize a symposium at their joint meeting in Geneva. The topic was “Vitreous – from Biochemistry to Clinical Relevance”. Joining Dr. Sebag and appearing from left to right in the photo below were Professor Susanne Binder, Chair of Ophthalmology, Vienna, Austria; Professor Paul Bishop from Manchester, England; and Professor Einar Stefansson, Chair of Ophthalmology, University of Iceland.
Dr. Sebag was also accompanied by his wife Jacqui seen below before the famous "Jet d'Eau" of Gevena, Switzerland.
Dr. Sebag visits Nagoya University in Japan
In November, 2010, Dr. Sebag was visisting professor at Nagoya University in Japan. At the request of Professor Hiroko Teraski (pictured below), who is the Chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Sebag examined patients in the out-patient clinic of the Nagoya University Hospital and discussed these cases with the students and staff.
Dr . Sebag's lecture on vitreous was well-received by the Department of Ophthalmology as well as Professor Graham Holder BSc, MSc, PhD (pictured below) of the Moorfield's Eye Hospital in London who also spoke on electrophysiology. November, 2010.
Dr. Sebag's Induction into the American Ophthalmological Society
During the organization's annual meeting in May 2006, Dr. Sebag was inducted into the American Ophthalmological Society. Founded during the Civil War, the American Ophthalmological Society is the oldest specialty society in America. It is also considered by many to be the most prestigious ophthalmologic society in the world.
To be considered for this society, a candidate must, among other requirements, be recognized for distinction in the art and practice of ophthalmic science. The VMR Institute in Huntington Beach is proud that Dr. Sebag was recognized by the American Ophthalmological Society and is now a part of this organization that is dedicated to patient care, education, research, and the advancement of ophthalmology.
Dr. Sebag Awarded Fellowship in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
ARVO is the world’s premier eye research organization. It was founded in 1928 in Washington, DC by 73 ophthalmologists, but has now grown to more than 12,500 members from over 80 countries. The membership is multidisciplinary and consists of both clinical and basic researchers with approximately 44% MD/Ophthalmologists, 26% PhD's, and 30% other, including optometrists, osteopaths, and veterinarians. ARVO’s mission is to encourage and assist research, training, publication, and dissemination of knowledge in vision and ophthalmology.
The title of ARVO Fellow is an honor established to recognize members for their individual accomplishments, leadership and contributions to the Association. ARVO Fellows serve as role models and mentors for individuals pursuing careers in vision and ophthalmology research and help further ARVO's vision: to facilitate the advancement of vision research and the prevention and cure of blindness worldwide. In 2010, Dr. Sebag was selected as a Fellow of ARVO and encouraged to display the honorific title “FARVO” after his name. Below is a photo of the President of ARVO Dr. Nicholas Delamere and Dr. Sebag’s wife Jacqui following the FARVO medal award to Dr. Sebag.
Ophthalmologic Lectures and Presentations
Dr. Sebag and Dr. Chong are renowned researchers, teachers, and lecturers in the ophthalmologic world. Because of this, they are often asked to present at meetings of various professional organizations. Below are some of their recent and future presentations:
2009
Sebag J: Advanced fundus imaging of vitreo-maculopathies with optical coherence tomography and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. American Ophthalmological Society, Half Moon Bay, May, 2009
Sebag J: Vitreous pathobiology and Anomalous PVD. 4th International Conference on Vitreo-Retinal Diseases, Vienna, September, 2009 (by invitation)
2010
Sebag J: The role of vitreous in Age-Related Macular Degeneration – therapeutic strategies. Fourth International Symposium on Macula de Paris, Paris, January 2010 (by invitation).
Sebag J: Vitreoschisis in Macular Diseases – a Possible Cause of Failed Surgery. Vail Vitrectomy, Vail, Colorado; March 2010 (by invitation)
Sebag J: Vitreous – from Biochemistry to Clinical relevance. Sydney Eye Hospital. Sydney University, Sydney, Australia; October 2010 (by invitation)
Sebag J: Visiting Professor, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; November, 2010 (by invitation)
Sebag J, Wang M, Gupta P, Hageman G, Sadun, AA: Pathogenesis of Macular Holes and Macular Pucker. Club Jules Gonin, Kyoto, Japan, November 2010
2011
Sebag J: Vitreous Anatomy. EURETINA (European Retinal Scoiety), London England; May 2011. (by invitation)
Sebag J: Therapy of Vitreo-maculopathies: Surgery and Pharmacologic Vitreolysis. (Cousre Director). Joint Meeting American Academy of Ophthalmology & European Ophthalmology Society, Geneva, Switzerland, June 2011 (by invitation)
Sebag J: New Therapeutic Avenues For Retinal Vein Occlusions: Insights from Studies of Hyaloid Vessel Regression during Human Embryogensis. Retina Society Symposium, Combined Metting of the European Society of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Geneva, Switzerland, June 5, 2011 (by invitation)
Sebag J: Vitreous: From Biochemistry to Clinical Relevance. (Symposium Director). Joint Meeting American Academy of Ophthalmology & European Ophthalmology Society, Geneva, Switzerland, June 2011 (by invitation)
Supporting the Education of Future Eye Care Professionals
Currently, Dr. Sebag and Dr. Chong
are working with medical students from the University of Southern California
(USC) on clinical and basic research projects. The students come to VMR
Institute on a weekly basis to work conduct their clinical projects. As
educators and researchers themselves, Dr. Sebag and Dr. Chong enjoy being able
to promote the development of tomorrow’s leaders in eye care and surgery.
Patients greatly enjoy the learning environment created in this way.
This is just another example of how the VMR Institute fulfills its mission statement:
“To bring University-level care to the Local Community in a Private Setting”
To learn more about what is new at our Orange County and Los Angeles area eye care center, contact at the VMR Institute today.