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Articles
A Happy Ending Made Possible By Our Close Network Of Referring Doctors
January 26, 2012
As retinal specialists, we deal with some very serious eye conditions on a daily basis. Many of our patients have sight-threatening diseases, and it is our job to get them better. However, occasionally we encounter a patient with a life-threatening condition that reveals itself through the eyes. It is often during these times that our referring optometrists and ophthalmologists serve as our team members in helping to save a life. Or, in this case, two.
Project Vision Mobile Eye Screening Center
October 20, 2011
What happens when a passionate and dedicated retina specialist gets a wild idea to put his office on wheels and bring it to the people of Hawaii who need help the most? You end up with Project VISION Hawaii, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, mobile vision and health screening center.
This rolling eye care clinic was started three years ago by Dr. Michael Bennett and Retina Institute of Hawaii. It offers free retina screenings to people who might not otherwise have access to proper care. Since getting under way, it has seen over 4,500 people, from the uninsured and homeless to the migrant worker and average Joe, in communities across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island and Molokai.
The Only Treatment For End-Stage AMD
September 1, 2011
Like something more science fiction than science, VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies has developed an implantable miniature telescope (IMT) to improve vision in patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This tiny device, about the size of a pea, is like a classic Galilean telescope but meant to be put inside the eye. Its lenses, like those of a classic telescope, cause images to be focused away from the diseased macula at the back of the eye, toward areas of healthy retina. This allows a significant improvement in vision. READ MORE
Egen's Trip
August 18, 2011
Egen Atkinson, one of the Retina Institute of Hawaii's former superstar research assistants, was recently in Fiji catching some waves and soaking up some sun. He sent in a few pictures of his trip to share.
Egen is currently a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Good luck Egen and thanks for sharing your photos! READ MORE
Dr. Michael Bennett Races in the 15th Annual Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard Race
August 4, 2011
The Retina Institute of Hawaii strives to go above and beyond in helping people achieve their goals. RIH founder, Dr. Michael Bennett, achieved his own goal when he completed the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard Race on July 31, 2011. Dr. Bennett competed in the standup paddleboard division and finished with a time of 6:10:43. The race crosses the treacherous Ka Iwi Channel, which separates the Islands of Molokai and Oahu. This 32 mile journey across the 2300 foot deep channel has challenged athletes since the first organized outrigger race in 1952. READ MORE
Bridging The Distance
July 29, 2011
Our challenge is to find a way of encouraging adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into two different kinds of retinal cells and potentially use these to improve outcomes in our retinal transplant surgeries.
It is difficult to open a newspaper or magazine these days without seeing an article about stem cell research. There is a great deal of excitement surrounding these amazing cells that seem to have unlimited potential to help treat many different diseases. Most of the excitement centers on scientific research in this field. READ MORE
Treating Diabetic retinopathy
June 27, 2011
Until recently, laser photocoagulation – focal laser for diabetic macular edema, and panretinal laser for proliferative disease – has been the mainstay of treatment for diabetic retinopathy.
Recently, a number of clinical trials have provided support for the adjunctive role of anti-VEGF agents and corticosteroids in diabetic macular edema. One of the biological activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is to increase vascular permeability through specific binding to receptors on vascular endothelial cells. In fact, VEGF was originally called vascular permeability factor when it was first discovered. READ MORE
RIH Hopes to Speed Vision Recovery Time Using Stem Cells
May 09, 2011
Our challenge is to find a way of encouraging adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into two different kinds of retinal cells and potentially use these to improve outcomes in our retinal transplant surgeries.
It is difficult to open a newspaper or magazine these days without seeing an article about stem cell research. There is a great deal of excitement surrounding these amazing cells that seem to have unlimited potential to help treat many different diseases. Most of the excitement centers on scientific research in this field. READ MORE
Systemic Treatments
April 20, 2011
Since opening its doors in 2001, Retina Institute of Hawaii has worked hard to become the leader in treating sight-threatening diseases throughout the Pacific region. Being a leader requires passion and commitment, and from day one we’ve served as an enthusiastic incubator for clinical trials and new technology. READ MORE
Retina Institute of Hawaii Open House 2011
April 19, 2011
On April 7, 2011, Retina Institute of Hawaii held their second annual Open House, which focuses on providing continuing education to local optometrists. Some of the latest research and procedures the Retina Institute of Hawaii’s doctors are performing were highlighted in a presentation for the nearly 100 optometrists in attendance. Systemic eye diseases and treatment were the main topic for this year’s presentation. READ MORE
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
April 01, 2011
What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative condition of the macula (the central part of the retina), and is the most common cause of vision loss in the United States in those 50 years and older. It is a disease associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision. In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to loss of vision in both eyes. Fortunately, macular degeneration does not cause total blindness, since it does not affect the peripheral retina and peripheral vision. READ MORE
An Artist’s Story
March 10, 2011
Just over five years ago, Danish artist and musician Aisha (Inger Birgitte) Holm was attacked in her apartment while working on a humanitarian mission in Jakarta, Indonesia. The incident left her blind in one eye and unable to read music or paint.
Following this unfortunate incident, Aisha was in and out of surgeries in Denmark until the health system put a halt to her treatments. READ MORE
How The Camera Functions Like The Eye
February 16, 2011
The human eye is remarkable. It serves to focus an image of the external world onto the retina and then sends this information on to the brain, where it is interpreted as vision.
The individual components of the eye work in a manner similar to a camera. Each plays a vital role in providing clear vision. The cornea behaves much like a lens cover. As the eye’s main focusing element, the cornea takes widely diverging rays of light and bends them through the pupil, the dark, round opening in the center of the colored iris. READ MORE
What You Eat Affects Your Eye Health
January 04, 2011
Though we grew up believing a carrot a day would help keep the ophthalmologist away, the colorful vegetable is not the only food choice for healthy vision. Certain vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients can help prevent or slow down the progression of eye disease.
And although it’s important to add certain micronutrients to your diet, it’s also vital to cut some things out. The American Heart Association reports the average American consumes more than 72 pounds of sugar per year. This unhealthy lifestyle is leading many to develop diseases like diabetes, which can have devastating effects on vision, among other problems. READ MORE
Project Vision
December 10, 2010
Project VISION is a mobile screening unit that provides free vision screenings and advocates for the early detection of eye diseases and disorders.
Over a decade ago, Dr. Michael D. Bennett, president of Retina Institute of Hawaii, examined a young University of California graduate who was home from school and was, unexpectedly, experiencing vision loss in both eyes. She had diabetes and, up until that point, had neverobtained an eye exam. Knowing her vision could have once been saved through early detection, Dr. Bennett founded Project VISION, a mobile screening unit that provides free vision screenings and advocates for the early READ MORE
Neovista Radition Treatmants Show Great Promise
November 04, 2010
by: Eugene W.M. Ng , M.D., M.B.A.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains one of the leading causes of vision loss in older adults in the Western world. Most patients have the dry form of AMD, but approximately 10% of patients develop the wet, or neovascular, form of AMD. The hallmark of wet AMD is choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which is a sprout of abnormal, new blood vessels growing directly underneath the retina, typically right under the center of the macula. These vessels leak fluid and< bleed, resulting in dramatic vision loss.READ MORE
Dr. Michael Bennett Races for Project VISION
July 25, 2010
The Molokai to Oahu Paddleboarding Word Championship drew hundreds of participants, supporters, friends and family to the shores of Hawaii Kai for the dramatic finish of the 14th annual running of a race that crosses the Ka Iwi Channel, separating the Islands of Molokai and Oahu. This 32-mile journey across the 2300-foot deep channel has challenged athletes since the first organized outrigger race in 1952. READ MORE
How To Prevent Diabetic Eye Disease
July 16, 2010
As we know, diabetes is a major health concern here in the state of Hawaii. It has been estimated that nearly 25% of the population of Hawaii has been diagnosed with diabetes, and that another 10% probably already has diabetes but does not have the regular health examinations necessary to detect this disease. READ MORE
