As we embark on another edition of New Retinal Physician, let’s take a moment to focus on what the retina community means to us. Dr. Mitul Mehta and I are very proud of the American Retina Forum (ARF) members. Not only do our colleagues manage busy clinic schedules and family lives, but also find time to engage in real-time discussions on our Young Retina Forum (YRF) Telegram interface. This past year has been challenging for many reasons, but the COVID-19-related distancing has definitely been a major deterrent in visiting with colleagues to discuss cases and socialize. Personally, I haven’t felt a void in academic pursuit. I attribute this to our daily “conversations with retina friends” and the ease with which we can learn from each other. The scenarios presented in this publication come directly from ARF members. These are real-life cases and concepts representing our daily discussions.

Our friend and member, Dr. Sid Schechet, took the initiative to shed light on the effect social media has on real-time learning. His article, “Social Media Collaboration of Retinal Physicians: A ‘Young Retina Forum’ Survey,” was published in the European Journal of Ophthalmology in July 2020. Almost 60% of respondents stated that their practice patterns changed following real-time case discussion on YRF. Our ability to engage in effective skills transfer has not been limited by distance. An excellent example of this is our discussions related to Pneumatic Retinopexy (PnR). Considered by some as a “bridge” to the next OR date, Dr. Rajeev Muni has been actively educating us, through sharing actual cases, on the art of PnR. In his article (p. 11), Dr. Muni discusses strategies on successfully executing PnR, thereby maximizing patient outcomes. By extension, the utilization of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an important skill of which we should all have some knowledge. Dr. Nadeem Vaidya sheds light on how to perform PDT treatments within a private practice setting (p. 8). His case presentations allow us to better understand where PDT could be utilized within the current “anti-VEGF era.”

As vitreoretinal specialists, we have an excellent vantage point of investigating the posterior segment to better evaluate a patient’s systemic health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that almost 10% of American adults are diabetic. Given those without access to adequate health care, this percentage may be much higher. In his article (p. 14), Dr. Ahmed Alkaliby shares with us an overview of how to appreciate and understand the various therapeutic modalities for treating diabetic macular edema. Dr. Zack Oakey provides some insight on Usher Syndrome and caring for the “total patient,” especially in regard to quality of life (p. 6). Considering the potential limitations of daily living activities, patients with audio-visual sensory deficits should be counseled on occupational health and the risks of injury. In spite of limited treatment options, genetic testing can always be considered to provide patients with more insight into their conditions.

My father always reminds me: “Progress is having more knowledge today than you did yesterday.” On behalf of myself, Mitul, and the American Retina Forum, we invite you to join us in Puerto Rico next summer for the 3rd annual ARF National Meeting for more collegial education and fun. No suits, no podiums, and no egos! More details to come... NRP

DR. PANDYA is president and vitreoretinal surgeon at Dallas Retina Center in Plano, Texas. He reports no related conflicts of interest. He can be reached at DrPandya@DallasRetina.com.