Penn ophthalmologists are making headlines with cutting-edge research and specialized patient care.
Recent News Through 2025
- June 6, 2024: Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH. Penn Engineering Today: Six Interdisciplinary Projects Receive Support from ASSET Center Seed Grants in Trustworthy AI Research for Medicine.
- October 4, 2024: Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH. Penn Engineering Today: Revolutionizing Cardiovascular Risk Assessment with AI.
- October 21, 2024: Bennie Jeng, MD, MS. Penn Medicine: Long Term Antiviral Use is Key to Ocular Shingles Treatment.
- August 4, 2025: William A. Beltran, DVM, PhD, DECVO. Penn Vet News: Penn Vet Researchers Evaluate a New Device That Could Streamline Vision-Saving Therapies.
- August 26, 2025: Vatinee Bunya, MD. The Rheumatologist: Sjögren’s Dry Eye Requires Collaboration Among Eye Doctors, Rheumatologists.
- August 28, 2025: Mina Massaro-Giordano, MD. NYU Langone News: Renowned Specialist to Lead New Dry Eye Service at NYU Langone Eye Center.
- August 28, 2025: Rithu Ramchandran, MD, MSc. Healio: AI Shows Promise in Glaucoma Care.
- Various: Artur Cideciyan, PhD, and Tomas Aleman, MD. Penn CHRD (Including):
- October 2025 (re CEP290 trial)
- September 2024 (re GUCY2D-LCA1 gene therapy, * original reporting)
2022 News
- April 26, 2022: Brian VanderBeek. More Evidence That Fenofibrate Slows Diabetic Eye Disease. MedPage Today: A study led by Dr. VanderBeek found that the use of the drug fenofibrate is associated with a reduced risk of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
- April 13, 2022: Eydie Miller-Ellis. 6 Steps to Help You Protect Your Vision. Times of Oman: Dr. Miller discusses the risk factors of glaucoma and preventative measures you can take to protect your vision.
- April 11, 2022: Brian VanderBeek. Fenofibrate Use May Reduce Progression to Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy. HCP Live: A study led by Dr. VanderBeek shows that the use of fenofibrate was associated with a decreased risk of the progression of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy. The results were published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
- March 18, 2022: Joshua Dunaief. Judi Dench Health: 'I Can't do a Crossword' – Star on her Progressive Disease. Express: Dr. Dunaief shares advice to individuals with age-related macular degeneration about leading a healthy lifestyle.
- March 14, 2022: Gui-shuang Ying. Could Depression Make Dry Eye Worse? Health Day: A new study from Penn researchers, including Dr. Ying, shows a correlation between depression and severe dry eye symptoms.
- March 4, 2022: Joan O'Brien. Dr. Joan O'Brien Celebrated for Dedication to the Field of Ophthalmology. 24-7 Press Release: Dr. O'Brien has been included in Marquis Who's Who, which provides biographies of individuals with noteworthy accomplishments and prominence in their field.
- March 3, 2022: Eydie Miller-Ellis. Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council. Philadelphia City Council: Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. introduces a Resolution honoring Dr. Miller's work in the community and beyond.
- March 2, 2022: Bennie H. Jeng, MD, Named Chair of Ophthalmology at Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine News: Bennie H. Cheng, MD has been named the Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Cheng will assume this role on July 1, 2022, succeeding Joan M. O'Brien, MD, who has served as chair for 12 years.
- January 20, 2022: Vatinee Bunya. Can Omicron Cause Itchy Eyes? Experts Explain. Prevention: Dr. Bunya discusses ways to treat itchy and irritated eyes due to Omicron.
2021 News
- December 16, 2021: Joan O'Brien. NAEVR and AEVR Boards Elect New Director, Recognize Retiring Director. NAEVR AEVR: Dr. O'Brien has been elected to serve as a Director on the Board of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) and the Board of the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR).
- November 3, 2021: Joan O'Brien and Ahmara Ross. POAAGG Study Targets Gene Therapy Options for Glaucoma. Ophthalmology Times: POAAGG investigators identified specific gene mutations associated with characteristics of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), which could lead to early treatment intervention.
- November 2021: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Four Success Stories in Gene Therapy. Scientific American: This article, featuring Drs. Bennett and Maguire, discusses innovations in gene therapy. The wife-husband duo developed Luxturna, a drug that can restore vision in some patients with heritable retinal dystrophy.
- October 26, 2021: Tomas Aleman. Study Examines VR Orientation, Mobility Testing. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. Aleman is coauthor on a study examining the effects of virtual reality on patients with inherited retinal diseases who are treated with gene therapy.
- September 22, 2021: Jean Bennett. Penn Gene Therapy Spinout Taking on Rare Retinal Diseases Launches with $19M in Seed Funding. Philadelphia Business Journal: A new gene therapy company called Opus Genetics launched, which will advance the preclinical research of Dr. Bennett, among other researchers.
- September 20, 2021: Qi Cui and Brian VanderBeek.Diabetes Medications Linked to Glaucoma Prevention. Science Daily: Drs. Cui and VanderBeek led a study showing that a class of diabetes medications may also protect against glaucoma in patients with diabetes. These findings were published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
- August 12, 2021: Vatinee Bunya. Relief for Dry Eyes. Penn Today: Dr. Bunya explains the causes, symptoms, and treatments of dry eye.
- August 9, 2021: Joan O'Brien, Eydie Miller-Ellis, & Ahmara Ross. More Than 10,000 Black Philadelphians are Participating in a Penn Study to Understand Glaucoma. The Philadelphia Inquirer: A study led by Dr. O'Brien, in collaboration with Scheie glaucoma specialists, recruited more than 10,000 Black Philadelphians for one of the largest genetic studies of glaucoma in this population.
- August 6, 2021: Ahmara Ross. Understanding Ocular Migraine: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment. SELF: Dr. Ross discusses the symptoms, prevention, and treatment of ocular migraines.
- July/August 2021: Artur Cideciyan. Let's Talk About Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases. Retina Times: Dr. Cideciyan discusses the future of gene therapy research for retinal diseases.
- July 22, 2021: Vatinee Bunya. Dry Eyes Can Be 'Debilitating.' Here's How to Find Relief. Penn Medicine News: Dr. Bunya discusses dry eye symptoms and treatments, and when it can be a sign of a more serious condition.
- July 13, 2021: Joan O'Brien. Recent PSOM Awards and Accolades. University of Pennsylvania Almanac: Dr. O'Brien and Scheie researchers were awarded a five-year, $6.6 million National Eye Institute grant renewal to investigate genetic variants associated with primary open-angle glaucoma in African Americans.
- June 17, 2021: Eve Higginbotham. Philadelphians React After Congress Approves Bill to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday. 6 ABC Action News: Dr. Higginbotham speaks about the decision by Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
- June 16, 2021: Mina Massaro-Giordano. The Medicine in Eye Drops Needs a Disguise to Sneak Past Your Tears. Newswise: Researchers, including Dr. Massaro, found that using an engineered, artificial protein coating that binds to corneal epithelial cells helps improve drug absorption.
- June 11, 2021: Jean Bennett. Annual and Alumni Virtual Meeting. Harvard Medical School: Dr. Bennett received the 2021 Distinguished Research Achievement Award at Harvard Medical School's annual meeting for her groundbreaking work in the field of gene therapy.
- June 8, 2021: Vatinee Bunya. How Novel Autoantibodies May Improve Screening Dry Eye Patients for Sjogren's Syndrome. Ophthalmology Times: Researchers seek to identify new biomarkers that could improve screening dry eye patients for Sjogren's syndrome.
- June 7, 2021: Grant Liu. A Mysterious Condition Threatens Vision, Especially in Young Black and Hispanic Women. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Dr. Liu discusses the importance of receiving early treatment for idiopathic intracranial hypertension, which can cause spotting vision among other symptoms.
- June 2021: Eydie Miller-Ellis. Tackling Health Care Disparities. EyeNet Magazine: Dr. Miller discusses inequities in patient care and how these disparities play out in the care of patients with glaucoma.
- June 2021: Top Doctors 2021. Philadelphia Magazine: Scheie physicians are named 2021 "Top Docs" in ophthalmology by Philadelphia Magazine.
- May 12, 2021: Jean Bennett. Eyesight: Vision's Visionaries. Stitcher: On the Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson podcast, Dr. Bennett discusses blinding diseases and gene therapy.
- April 1, 2021: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson. A Single Injection Reverses Blindness in Patient with Rare Genetic Disorder. Science Daily: A patient with a genetic form of childhood blindness gained vision, which lasted more than a year, after receiving a single injection of an experimental RNA therapy. The clinical trial was conducted by Drs. Cideciyan and Jacobson.
- March 30, 2021: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson. Turning Back the Clock on a Severe Vision Disorder. EurekAlert!: In a new study, in collaboration with veterinary ophthalmologists and vision scientists, Drs. Cideciyan and Jacobson found that gene therapy restored vision in dogs with a severe form of Leber congenital amaurosis, a blinding retinal disorder.
- March 30, 2021: Stephen Orlin. Corneal Transplantation Experiences a Revolution. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. Orlin discusses new corneal procedures offering better outcomes for patients.
- March 3, 2021: Eydie Miller-Ellis. Q&A: Mentorship Key to Preparing Next Generation of Ophthalmologists. Healio: Dr. Miller shares advice for advancing underrepresented minorities in the field of ophthalmology.
- January 11, 2021: Jean Bennett, Kenneth Shindler, and Ahmara Ross. Gyroscope Therapeutics, UPenn to Develop Gene Therapies for Serious Eye Diseases. Ophthalmology Times: In collaboration with Gyroscope Therapeutics, a team of researchers at UPenn announced a research agreement to develop gene therapies for serious eye diseases.
2020 News
- December 3, 2020: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. These Scientists Set Out to End Blindness. Their Innovations Just Won Them $3 Million. National Geographic: Drs. Bennett and Maguire were among the recipients of the $3 million Sanford and Susan Greenberg Prize to End Blindness for their advances in the fight to end blindness.
- November 10, 2020: Qi Cui and Joshua Dunaief. Neuraly Announces Strategic Sponsored Research Agreement With UPenn to Explore Use of NLY01 to Therapeutically Target a Neuroinflammatory Mechanism of Glaucoma. Yahoo! News: A biotechnology company, Neuraly, Inc., announced a sponsored research agreement with UPenn researchers to study the use of NLY01 to target a mechanism of glaucoma.
- September 21, 2020: Vatinee Bunya. Yes, Your Eyes Can Get Sunburned - Here's How to Make Sure That Doesn't Happen. SHAPE magazine: Dr. Bunya discusses the signs and symptoms of sunburned eyes, and how to treat and prevent photokeratitis.
- September 10, 2020: Eve Higginbotham. Advocacy and Action: How Eve Higginbotham Is Dismantling Racist and Sexist Systems One Step at a Time. Penn Medicine News: Dr. Higginbotham works to investigate and dismantle barriers that women, especially women of color, face in scientific and medical fields.
- July 7, 2020: Ranjoo Prasad. "Going Blind: Coming Out of the Dark About Vision Loss" Panel Discussion. Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Dr. Prasad presented on a panel for Disability Pride Week to discuss vision loss experiences, advocacy, and the documentary "Going Blind."
- June 10, 2020: Deborah Herrmann. 10 Possible Reasons Your Eyes Are Acting Weird, According to Doctors. Prevention: Dr. Herrmann explains potential conditions that can cause discomfort in your eyes.
- June 8, 2020: Joshua Dunaief. New Treatments for Macular Degeneration Are On the Way. The Wall Street Journal: In this discussion of current research on treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Dr. Dunaief comments on retinal gene therapy for wet AMD.
- May 2, 2020: Top Doctors 2020. Philadelphia Magazine: Scheie physicians are named 2020 "Top Docs" in ophthalmology by Philadelphia Magazine.
- May 2, 2020: Eve Higginbotham. Coronavirus Is Especially Cruel to Minorities. A Doctor Prescribes Solutions. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Dr. Higginbotham comments on the virus's affect on minority populations and what physicians can do to help.
- April 28, 2020: Eve Higginbotham. For This Physician Communication Is Better Medicine Than Ever in the COVID Era. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Dr. Higginbotham discusses her experiences with patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- March 5, 2020: Artur Cideciyan. CRISPR Treatment Inserted Into the Body for the First Time. Nature: Dr. Cideciyan discusses early results of a study that treats people with Leber's congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10) using an experimental treatment called sepofarsen. These results suggest that this treatment can improve vision in people with LCA10.
- March 4, 2020: Jean Bennett. Doctors Try 1st CRISPR Editing in the Body for Blindness. Associated Press: Dr. Bennett comments on the announcement of a patient in Oregon who recently received a gene editing treatment for an inherited form of blindness.
- March 4, 2020: Artur Cideciyan. In a 1st, Scientists Use Revolutionary Gene-Editing Tool to Edit Inside a Patient. NPR: Dr. Cideciyan comments on this groundbreaking procedure to treat an individual blinded by a rare genetic disorder.
- March 1, 2020: Vatinee Bunya. Eye Do's and Don'ts. Good Housekeeping: Dr. Bunya discusses how to properly care for several types of minor eye issues, including pink eye and floaters.
- February 24, 2020: Jean Bennett. This Isn't a 'Biotech Bubble,' It's 'Philadelphia's Moment' to Become a Center for Gene Therapy, Says Penn-Based CEO. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Dr. Bennett and her research team are included in an article about Philadelphia becoming a center for gene therapy. In 2017, Dr. Bennett and her team developed the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited eye condition.
- February 12, 2020: Jean Bennett. Blazing a New Trail in Gene Therapy for Retinal Disease. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. Bennett discusses the progress of gene therapy over the years.
- February 6, 2020: Brian VanderBeek. For Aging Patients, One Missed Doctor's Visit Can Lead to Vision Loss. Penn Medicine News: A new study, led by Dr. VanderBeek, found that missing one ophthalmology appointment over two years is associated with decreased visual acuity for patients with macular degeneration.
- January 15, 2020: Qi Cui. Maximizing Quality of Life in Glaucoma. Ophthalmology Times: At the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2019 Annual Meeting, Dr. Cui, along with a panel of other ophthalmologists, answered questions about improving quality of life for patients with glaucoma.
- January 6, 2020: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Announcing 11 New Members of the Academy of Master Clinicians. Penn Medicine, Office of the Dean: Dr. Massaro was elected to The Academy of Master Clinicians, the highest clinical honor for a Penn Medicine physician.
2019 News
- December 3, 2019: Joshua Dunaief. What to Expect When You Receive the Diagnosis of AMD. BrightFocus Foundation: Dr. Dunaief discusses what you should know when you are diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- October 18, 2019: Eve Higginbotham. Eye Drops to Reverse Vision Loss One Step Closer to Market. Forbes: Dr. Higginbotham discusses the potential benefits and limitations of eye drops that are being developed to temporarily improve farsightedness.
- October 16, 2019: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Compound Eye as Treatment for Neurotrophic Keratitis. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. Massaro discusses positive results from a new FDA-approved treatment for neurotrophic keratitis.
- October 4, 2019: Mina Massaro-Giordano. 8 Allergy Eye Drops That Will Save Your Itchy, Dry Eyes. Women's Health: Dr. Massaro discusses some of the best eye drops to use for allergies.
- October 2, 2019: Prathima Neerukonda Atluri. 5 Signs You Might Need An Eye Exam. Penn Health and Wellness: Dr. Neerukonda stresses the importance of regular eye exams and describes some signs that you might need to see your ophthalmologist.
- September 19, 2019: Brian VanderBeek. Eye Surgeons Prescribed More Opioids as Procedures Became Less Invasive, Study Finds. PhillyVoice: A new study, led by Dr. VanderBeek, found that the rates of opioid prescriptions filled after eye surgeries more than doubled from 2000 to 2014, even as these surgeries became less invasive.
- September 9, 2019: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson. Success of Gene Therapy for a Form of Inherited Blindness Depends on Timing. Science Daily: New research, led by Drs. Cideciyan and Jacobson and researchers from Penn Vet, found that the success of gene therapy for Leber congenital amaurosis, a rare, inherited form of blindness, depends on treatment timing.
- August 8, 2019: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. 'AGT' Contestant Born with Blinding Disease Says Gift of Sight Allows Him 'To See Such Incredible Things.' Fox News: 'America's Got Talent' contestant Christian Guardino was given his sight back thanks to a new gene therapy developed by Drs. Bennett and Maguire.
- August 7, 2019: Eydie Miller-Ellis. Hypotony More Than Just a Number; Consider Symptoms During Therapy. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. Miller discusses the importance of accounting for symptoms when managing hypotony.
- August 5, 2019: Vivian Lee, Vatinee Bunya, and Mina Massaro-Giordano. Blinking Eye-on-a-Chip Used for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing. Science Daily: Drs. Lee, Bunya, and Massaro-Giordano collaborated with researchers from Penn's Department of Bioengineering to create an artificial human eye replica that will help improve the understanding and treatment of dry eye disease.
- July 23, 2019: Joan O'Brien. ASRS Sets Sights on Windy City for Conference. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. O'Brien received the Retina Research Foundation's Gertrude D. Pyron Award during the ASRS Annual Meeting.
- July 16, 2019: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Main Line Dog, Used to Help Cure Blindness in Humans, Dies at 12. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Drs. Bennett and Maguire are featured in a story about their late dog, Venus Bennett, who underwent experimental gene therapy treatment that helped reverse an inherited form of blindness.
- July 10, 2019: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Gene Therapy Gives People with Inherited Eye Disease a New Perspective on Life. ABC News: Patients facing blindness from Leber congenital amaurosis see results from this groundbreaking gene therapy.
- June 25, 2019: Joan O'Brien. Fighting Fire with Fire: Combating Burnout Among Medical Educators. Ophthalmology Times: Dr. O'Brien advises on steps that physicians can take to avoid burnout.
- June 11, 2019: Mina Massaro-Giordano. A High-Tech Solution is Zapping the Problem of Dry Eyes. CBS Philadelphia: An FDA-approved device for dry eyes has been successfully used by Dr. Massaro-Giordano to treat patients.
- May 9, 2019: Kenneth Shindler. Press Release, Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. AP News: Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced the publication of further preclinical results supporting the neuroprotective properties of ST266 in retinal ganglion cells. Dr. Shindler is a senior author on the paper published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology.
- April 26, 2019: Top Doctors 2019. Philadelphia Magazine: Scheie physicians are named 2019 "Top Docs" in ophthalmology by Philadelphia Magazine.
- March 18, 2019: Joshua Dunaief. Dr. Joshua Dunaief MD, Renowned Age-Related Macular Degeneration Clinician and Researcher, Joins Mperia Therapeutics Inc. Clinical Advisory Board. BioSpace: Dr. Dunaief joins the Clinical Advisory Board of Mperia Therapeutics Inc.
- March 8, 2019: Jean Bennett. How Gene Therapy Can Reverse a Form of Congenital Blindness. Scientific American: Dr. Bennett discusses the process of developing the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited disease.
- March 6, 2019: Robert Avery. CHOP Receives NIH Grant for Biomarkers of Vision Loss in Children with Optic Pathway Gliomas. OCT News: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia receives a 2019 NIH grant for $686,771 for Biomarkers of Vision Loss in Children with Optic Pathway Gliomas, led by Robert Avery.
- March 4, 2019: Regina Altemus. 6 Common Questions About LASIK Eye Surgery. Penn Health and Wellness: Dr. Altemus answers six frequently asked questions about LASIK eye surgery.
- February 26, 2019: Ranjoo Prasad. Traveling With Low Vision. AARP: Dr. Prasad offers travel advice for people with visual impairments.
- February 25, 2019: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Big Exit Alert: Roche to Buy Philly's Spark Therapeutics in $4.8B Deal. Technically Philly: Roche has agreed to acquire Spark Therapeutics. The work leading to Spark's first approved gene therapy is the product of decades of research from Drs. Bennett and Maguire.
- January 31, 2019: Jean Bennett. 12 Power Women Who Are Having an Impact on Bioscience. Philadelphia Business Journal: Dr. Bennett is recognized as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's Power Women who are greatly impacting bioscience.
- January 23, 2019: Eydie Miller-Ellis. Reality Check - Dr. Miller-Ellis. WURD Radio: Dr. Miller talks with radio host Charles Ellison about glaucoma risk and management, and the prevalence of the disease in the African American community.
- January 15, 2019: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Sam Smith Reveals He Had Surgery to Remove a Stye. Self.com: Dr. Massaro-Giordano describes various treatment options for styes.
- January 4, 2019: Jean Bennett. How Jean Bennett Found a Way to Treat Hereditary Blindness in Children. Smithsonian Magazine: Dr. Bennett explains how she found a way to use gene therapy to treat inherited blindness in children, and discusses the future of gene therapy.
- January 3, 2019: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Dompé Announces First Treatment with Oxervate Eye Drops for Neurotrophic Keratitis. CISION PR Newswire: Dr. Massaro-Giordano discusses new therapy to treat patients with neurotrophic keratitis.
2018 News
- December 17, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. What Are LASIK Surgery Complications and How Often Do They Happen? Yahoo Lifestyle: Dr. Massaro-Giordano discusses potential side effects after LASIK surgery.
- December 17, 2018: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson. Stories covering new treatment for patients with a form of congenital retinal blindness that has shown success in improving vision. Results published in Nature Medicine.
- December 13, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. So Your Doctor Says You Have Dry Eye? Here Are 8 Treatment Options to Know. Self.com: Dr. Massaro-Giordano describes several treatment options for dry eye.
- December 11, 2018: Vatinee Bunya. 8 Ways to Keep Winter From Making Your Dry Eyes Worse. Self.com: Dr. Bunya explains how to prevent dry eyes from becoming worse in the winter.
- December 7, 2018: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Local Researchers Helping Reverse Inherited Form of Blindness. 6ABC: Drs. Bennett and Maguire discuss their work leading to the first FDA approved gene therapy to treat a specific inherited gene mutation.
- December 4, 2018: Jean Bennett and Katherine High. Sanford Lorraine Cross Award 2018 Winners. Sanford Health: Drs. Bennett and High are the 2018 winners of the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award for their work leading to a landmark gene therapy treatment.
- December 2018: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. A New Treatment for Blindness Comes From Gene Therapy. Smithsonian Magazine: Drs. Bennett and Maguire receive the 2018 American Ingenuity Award for Life Sciences for their work leading to the FDA approval of the first gene therapy for an inherited disease.
- November 8, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. This Is How Diabetes Can Affect Your Eyes. Self.com: Dr. Massaro-Giordano discusses symptoms and treatments of diabetic eye disease.
- November 1, 2018: Vatinee Bunya. 5 Preventable Eye Injuries Doctors See Way Too Often. Self.com: Dr. Bunya talks about entirely preventable eye injuries that doctors see very often.
- October 25, 2018: Vatinee Bunya. 8 Signs You're Way Overdue for an Eye Exam. Self.com: Dr. Bunya discusses the importance of getting regular eye exams.
- October 19, 2018: Alisha Fleming. Is It Terrible to Wear the Same Contact Lenses for a Long, Long Time? Self.com: Dr. Fleming talks about the risks of wearing the same contacts for an excessive period of time.
- October 13, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano Dompé at the Medical Conference "The Impact of Environment and Healthy Lifestyles in Human Health" in Washington, D.C. Newswise: Dr. Massaro-Giordano spoke about the recent FDA approval of the first drug based on human nerve growth factor (NGF).
- October 10, 2018: Alisha Fleming. Here's Why Your Eyes Are Burning When You Put In Your Contacts. SHAPE magazine: Dr. Fleming talks about several reasons that may cause your eyes to burn when putting in contacts.
- September 25, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Why Do My Eyes Water When I Yawn? SHAPE magazine: Dr. Massaro-Giordano discusses reasons why your eyes might tear when you yawn.
- September 18, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Is Your Birth Control Pill to Blame for Your Crappy Vision? SHAPE magazine: Dr. Massaro-Giordano explains how hormonal changes can affect your vision.
- September 14, 2018: Jean Bennett. Pioneer in Ocular Gene Therapy to Receive 2018 Marion Spencer Fay Award. Drexel NOW: Dr. Bennett receives the 2018 Marion Spencer Fay Award on behalf of Drexel University College of Medicine's Institute for Women's Health and Leadership for her work in gene therapy.
- September 13, 2018: Jean Bennett. Meet the Extraordinary Doctors 2018. Philadelphia Business Journal: Dr. Bennett is recognized as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's Extraordinary Doctors 2018.
- September 8, 2018: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Philly's Spark Therapeutics Is Revolutionizing Medicine. Philadelphia magazine: Drs. Bennett and Maguire discuss their gene-therapy research journey.
- September 6, 2018: Alisha Fleming. 8 Contact Lens Rules People with Dry Eyes Should Always Follow. Self.com: Dr. Fleming offers tips on how to properly wear contact lenses if you have dry eyes.
- September 4, 2018: Jean Bennett, Samuel Jacobson and Albert Maguire Stories covering the receipt of the 2018 António Champalimaud Vision Award given to these researchers for their revolutionary work leading to the first successful gene therapy for an inherited disease.
- August 29, 2018: Alisha Fleming. Why Do My Contacts Keep Popping Out of My Eyes? Self.com: Dr. Fleming explains why your contact lenses might be falling out of your eyes.
- August 20, 2018: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson Stories covering new gene therapy for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa in canine model.
- August 14, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. This Is Why Your Eyes Get So Dry and How to Fix it. Self.com: Dr. Massaro-Giordano explains why your eyes can feel dry and how to relieve these symptoms.
- August 1, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. 7 Things That Can Make Your Dry Eyes Even Worse. Self.com: Dr. Massaro-Giordano talks about dry eye and how you might be unintentionally making things worse.
- July 29, 2018: Ebenezer Daniel. Study Reveals Connections Between Scarring and Anti-VEGF Treatments. MD Magazine: Dr. Daniel discusses a large collaborative study, recently published in Ophthalmology, investigating the long term risks of anti-VEGF treatments for AMD.
- July 25, 2018: Alisha Fleming. 7 Dangerous Mistakes You're Making with Your Contact Lenses. Self.com: Dr. Fleming offers tips on contact lens hygiene.
- June 7, 2018: Ahmara Ross. Ocular Migraines Shouldn't Exist, But They Do, So Here's What to Know. Self.com: Dr. Ross explains common causes of ocular migraines.
- June 5, 2018: Nirali Bhatt. 9 Health Issues That Can Cause Sensitivity to Light. Self.com: Dr. Bhatt discusses symptoms of corneal abrasians.
- June 1, 2018: Nirali Bhatt. Yes, You Can Get Freckles In Your Eyes — No, You Shouldn't Ignore Them. Women's Health: Dr. Bhatt describes how skin and eye freckles form.
- May 23, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. 5 Reasons Your Eyes are Burning Like Mad. Self.com: Dr. Massaro explains causes of and remedies for eye discomfort.
- May 17, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Easy on the Eyes: Protecting Eye Health Through Cancer Treatments. CURE: Dr. Massaro emphasizes the importance of consulting an ophthalmologist when undergoing cancer treatment.
- April 25, 2018: Ahmara Ross. Reality Check- Dr. Ahmara Ross. WURD Radio: Dr. Ross talks with radio host Charles Ellison about socioeconomic and racial disparities related to diagnosing and treating glaucoma.
- April 13, 2018: Maureen Maguire. Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating omega-3 fatty acid supplements are not effective in treating dry eye symptoms.
- April 10, 2018: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Vision Restored: The Latest Technologies to Improve Sight. The Scientist: Luxturna is featured as one of the foremost advances in vision research today.
- April 7, 2018: Joshua Dunaief. I'm Terrified Screens Are Destroying My Eyes, How About You? Gizmodo: Dr. Dunaief weighs in on the effect of screen usage on eye health, and offers tips to keep eye strain at bay.
- March 30, 2018: Sonul Mehta. What you need to know about Joel Embiid's orbital bone fracture surgery. Philly.com: Dr. Mehta explains 76ers star Joel Embiid's orbital bone fracture surgery.
- March 16, 2018: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire. Animals Start New Lives After Time in the Lab. The Scientist: Drs. Bennett and Maguire adopt two canine participants in gene therapy trial.
- March 2, 2018: Artur Cideciyan and Samuel Jacobson. New Gene Therapy Corrects a Form of Inherited Macular Degeneration in Canine Model. Science Daily: Drs. Cideciyan and Jacobson discuss successful trial of gene therapy for Best disease in canine model.
- January 16, 2018: Mina Massaro-Giordano. Describes results of study investigating the effect of sex steroid hormone fluctuations on the physiology of male retinal-pigment epithelial cells and risk of developing AMD.
2017 News
- December 19, 2017: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire – Stories covering the FDA approval of Luxturna, the first gene therapy for an inherited disease.
- October 12, 2017: Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire Stories covering the FDA endorsement of Luxturna.
- September 29, 2017: Alexander Brucker. Struggling with vision loss, she finds new purpose in Philly's Foundation Fighting Blindness. Philly.com: Heather Napolitano, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, writes about the experience of losing her vision.
- September 8, 2017: Benjamin Kim. Eye Changes May Signal Frontotemporal Lobe Degeneration. Penn Medicine News: "Penn Study suggests that a quick, non-invasive retina test may help diagnose FTD."
- September 8, 2017: Benjamin Kim. Dementia news: Simple eye test could quickly detect early signs of rare type of dementia. Express: "Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found eye changes may signal frontotemporal dementia, also known as frontotemporal lobe degeneration."
- September 8, 2017: Tomas Aleman. Zika Associated with Similar Retina Problems as Cobalamin C Deficiency. MPR: A collaborative study with Scheie researchers finds the first in vivo evidence that Zika can affect retinal development in humans.
- September 6, 2017: Gil Binenbaum. Penn-CHOP study: Art courses could help medical students become better doctors. PhillyVoice: "'Artful Thinking' improved clinical observation in medical students, researchers say."
- September 6, 2017: Gil Binenbaum. Art Courses Could Help Medical Students Become Better Clinical Observers. Penn Medicine News: "Penn-CHOP researchers found that students who took a course in Art Observation significantly improved clinical observation and professional development skills."
- August 30, 2017: Dr. Ranjoo Prasad. How Low Vision Services Can Help You. BrightFocus: "Ranjoo K. Prasad, OD, a specialist in low vision rehabilitation at Penn Medicine, is the guest speaker on this podcast."
- July 3, 2017: Albert Maguire. With Fourth of July Celebrations, Officials Warn Caution with Fireworks. The Washington Post: Scheie Eye Institute patient Stacy Young shares her experience after a home firework accident 17 years ago.
- June 29, 2017: Albert Maguire. Woman Regaining Sight After Fireworks Mishap. CBS Philly: "After six reconstructive surgeries at Penn Medicine, some of Young's vision has been restored in one eye."
- June 29, 2017: Joshua Dunaief. Wet AMD Treatment: What's on the Horizon? BrightFocus: "New long-lasting medications are now in clinical trials for wet age-related macular degeneration."
- June 5, 2017: Albert Maguire. Woman's Vision Saved After Devastating Fireworks Injury. AAO: After the accident, Stacy was told she would never see again. Drs. Albert Maguire and Stephen Orlin saved her vision.
- April 10, 2017: Gil Binenbaum. CHOP Ophthalmologist Honored With the 2017 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Young Investigator Award. PR Newswire: "Gil Binenbaum, MD, recognized for achievements in research and treatment."
2016 News
May-June 2024 (re CEP290 gene editing)