Tune in to explore the remarkable career of Evangelos Gragoudas, MD. Early in his career, he trained under the father of modern retinal surgery – the illustrious Charles Schepens. That transformative fellowship and his training at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary turned into a career-long commitment to the institution and set the stage for the groundbreaking advances he would go on to achieve.

Dr. Gragoudas’ numerous accomplishments include pioneering proton beam irradiation for uveal melanoma, contributing to the development of photodynamic therapy for macular degeneration, and serving as a pivotal member of the team that uncovered the role of VEGF in age-related macular degeneration. His research has not only saved vision but also saved lives, giving hope to millions of our patients worldwide.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques, and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

Join us for this episode of Leaders & Legends where we explore the extraordinary life and career of Jose S. Pulido, MD, MS, MBA, MPH. Born in Cuba during revolutionary times, Dr. Pulido’s family fled following the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, immigrating to the United States when he was 5. Through his parents’ example, he learned the critical importance of education. An out-of-the-box thinker and life-long learner, he went on to train at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Today, he is a world-renowned retina and ocular oncology clinician and scientist, who is known for pioneering research in vitreoretinal infection and inflammatory diseases, retinal degeneration, stem cells, checkpoint inhibitors, and immunotherapies. Listen in as Dr. Pulido shares details of his remarkable journey and explains how his differences and forward-thinking mindset influenced his professional career and personal story.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

The History of Retina is pleased to welcome Johanna Seddon, MD, ScM, FARVO, FASRS, to the Leaders & Legends Series. Dr. Seddon’s illustrious career as a clinician/ scientist has focused on the care of patients with retinal degenerations and dystrophies, and she has made notable contributions to shaping our understanding of how genetics, nutrition, and lifestyle factors drive the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.

She has also served in numerous leadership roles and on the editorial board of the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Lastly, Dr. Seddon is a woman retina pioneer who is helping to trailblaze the way for women in the field. Listen in to learn more about her extraordinary career and contributions to the field.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques, and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

The History of Retina welcomes Mark W. Johnson, MD, to the Leaders and Legends series. A distinguished clinician, surgeon, and researcher, Dr. Johnson has helped define our field through pioneering work on macular diseases, the vitreomacular interface, and surgical strategies. His academic contributions are enormous with nearly 250 publications. Throughout his remarkable career, Mark has been a steady and inspiring force advancing retina science through keen observership, thoughtful innovation, and unwavering commitment to patient care. All of this, while mentoring generations who are now shaping the field worldwide.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

Born in Shanghai, China, Stanley Chang, MD, immigrated to the United States with his family in 1949 at the age of two. He went on to earn an electrical engineering degree at MIT in 1968, followed by a master's degree in biomedical electronic engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. He completed his ophthalmology residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1978 and his fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 1979. World-renowned for his many groundbreaking contributions to the field, Dr. Chang is perhaps best known for his development of perfluorocarbon liquids, a product that revolutionized the process of repairing retinal detachments, particularly those associated with proliferative vitreoretinopathy and giant retinal tears. He also played a pivotal role in the development of a panoramic vitreoretinal surgery viewing system and subsequently educated retina specialists worldwide on the merits of this novel technique to improve the outcomes of vitreoretinal surgery. Listen in as he shares a firsthand account of these and other innovations, along with compelling stories from his prolific career.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

One of Retina’s true statesmen, Dr. Charles Patrick Wilkinson is Chairman Emeritus of Ophthalmology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Wilkinson watched the history of retina unfold, working alongside fellow retina giants, including Drs. Norton, Curtin, Gass, Michels, Machemer, and others. In this interview, he recounts the early years, the birth of vitreoretinal surgery and the rapid-fire innovation that followed. You’ll be hard-put to find a more-humble soul, but make no mistake, Pat Wilkinson is a true pillar in retina, a renowned surgeon, clinician, academician, and author who has contributed mightily to the development of the field.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

If there is one discovery that constituted a quantum leap in the evolution of the field of retina and ophthalmology, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is undoubtedly on the short list. Today’s retina specialists can’t imagine practicing without OCT imaging. It’s one of the first diagnostic tests obtained for the vast majority of patients, and is essential for the diagnosis and management of the most common retinal diseases, as well as the most rare. Join host Dr. Christina Weng as she traces this remarkable story of innovation with first-hand accounts from leading pioneers Drs. James G. Fujimoto, David Huang, Jay S. Duker and David Sarraf.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina
The History of Retina is brought to you by the Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.

Cynthia A. Toth, MD, FASRS, has always been ahead of the curve, from being the first female surgeon to join the faculty at Duke to becoming one of the earliest researchers to use OCT to study retinal injuries. She was also one of the first to use a handheld OCT system to examine infants, and she pioneered the first intraoperative OCT-guided surgical system. Dr. Toth has helped revolutionize how doctors see and treat the retina, not only in adults, but also in our youngest and most vulnerable patients.

Interestingly, despite an early inclination toward engineering, Dr. Toth chose medicine, and in this truly inspiring Leaders & Legends interview, you’ll hear how she found ways to weave threads of engineering into the tapestry of her illustrious medical career.

Learn more at www.HistoryofRetina.org.

About the History of Retina

The History of Retina is brought to you by the Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in an effort to preserve the history and heritage of retina for generations to come. Trace the journey of the specialty's dynamic evolution by exploring milestones in technology, instrumentation, and techniques and hearing first-hand accounts from retina pioneers whose innovative spirit and pivotal contributions laid the framework for the advanced sight-saving retinal care of today and the enormously promising treatments of tomorrow.