Before we get started, let's put on our architecture nerd hats and clear something up: Victorian refers to a period, not a style. To call a building "a Victorian" means it was built during the period of Queen Victoria's reign, specifically 1837 to 1901.

Here in San Francisco, the styles were primarily applied in late 19th century single family houses and the reconstruction efforts after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.   Because dynamite was used to control the fire, virtually every original structure east of Van Ness Avenue was destroyed.  You’ll need to head west towards the ocean to find most of these.  There are formal tours you can sign up for to guide you along but here’s a simple quide.   You can walk to most of these within 20 minutes of the OPS hotel.

Carpenter Gothic

Just like it sounds, this interpreted the traditionally stone style with wood. Example: Nightingale House (SF Landmark #47) 201 Buchanan Street

Italianate (1850-1890)

This is probably the earliest interpretation we’ll find in San Francisco. The style San Fra These dominated urban housing between 1860-1880 thanks to pattern books, so right at the time SF grew exponentially thanks to the Gold Rush. A lot of them managed to survive the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, despite being constructed of wood. It started to go out of fashion in the 1880s, only to be replaced by its flashy cousin Queen Anne. Features: low-pitched roof with overhanging eaves, decorative brackets, tall narrow windows, elaborate frames around doors and windows, many with cupola or tower. Example: Hoteling Building (SF Landmark #12) 451 Jackson Street

Flat Front Italianate

A wide projecting cornice hid the roof line behind it. There are lots of these in Western Addition and the east side of Pacific Heights, and single-story cottage versions in Noe Valley and Potrero Hill. Example: Sylvester House (SF Landmark #61) 1556 Revere Avenue

Bay-windowed Italianate

Late to the party in the 1880s, these took over flat front Italianates when lots sizes got smaller as the bay windows increased square footage. You can thank these for bay windows becoming synonymous with San Francisco. Boatloads of these can be found in the Mission, as the neighborhood was built out during the height of this style's popularity. Example: Walker House (SF Landmark 211) 2066 Pine Street

Stick (1860-1890)

This one is all about the decorative detailing, using the wall itself as a decorative element with “sticks” applied to the surface. Chalk its popularity up to house pattern books in the 1860s and 70s. The townhouse version is mostly what you see around San Francisco. Features: steep gabled roof, exposed rafter tails, squared bay windows, wooden cladding with patterned stickwork that’s decorative instead of structural. Example: Shotwell Street in the Mission- 646 Shotwell

Eastlake

This style is often hand-in-hand with the Stick style. So-called "Eastlake" millwork included details like sunburst brackets, rosettes, and flowers and plant imagery. Most of the exterior detailing came from local mills or ordered from catalogs, and these were often painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. Many of these survived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in neighborhoods like the Mission, Eureka Valley, and Pac Heights. Example: Sarah Mish House (SF Landmark #62)1153 Oak Street

Queen Anne (1880-1910)

The granddaddy (grandmamma?) of San Francisco Victorian architecture, this is the style that most people imagine when they think of “Victorians”. Ignore the Queen Anne reference – the style has little to do with her reign (1702-14) and more with Medieval influences. The gingerbread-y details are a more American addition, where no surface was left untouched. The style was super popular to large summer houses, but was alter adapted for the urban row house and even smaller workers cottages like those found in Glen Park and Potrero. Features: steep roofs with an ornamented front-facing gable, patterned surfaces with shingles or tiles, bay windows, elevated front porch, lacey decorative spindle work. Example: Postcard Row Corner of Steiner and Hayes Streets (made famous by the opening scene in the TV series “Full House”

Turreted Queen Anne

Some Queen Anne’s have “turret” towers, usually at the front corner. In SF, these are usually free-standing house (often on corners or large double lots) as opposed to row houses. Needless to say, the extra space required for the large houses meant the owners were usually on the wealthier side. Example: Haas Lilienthal House (SF Landmark #69) 2007 Franklin Street (some of you will remember this house as we had our 25^th Anniversary Cocktail Party there in 1994!)

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog!

Follow Market Street to the end of the line along the Embarcadero.  You’ll know you’ve reached it by the dramatic 245 foot clock tower that has been the icon of the San Francisco waterfront for more than 100 years. You can easily walk there from the official OPS hotel, or hop on one of the historic trolley cars (Line F Market) and it will stop directly in front of the Ferry Building.  Keep in mind these are renovated trolley cars.  My mom used them to commute to work when she came to SF in 1951 for her first job in the big city at age 16!

Opening in 1898, the Ferry Building became the transportation focal point for anyone arriving by train. From the Gold Rush until the 1930s, arrival by ferryboat became the only way travelers and commuters.  The shadow of the double-deck Embarcadero Freeway impeded this building for 35 years. until the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed most of the freeway and decisions were made to take it down and expose this area to its former grandeur.

The Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market is widely acclaimed for both the quality and diversity of its fresh farm products and artisan and prepared foods.  It is renowned throughout the county as one of the top farmers markets to visit.   On any day, especially Saturdays, some of San Francisco’s best-known chefs can be seen at the market.   You’ll especially enjoy the cornucopia of locally produced cheeses, breads, chocolates and local wines.  Outside, there will be many outdoor dining opportunities and a wide variety of street vendors selling interesting, often hand made goods.

Check it out on www.Foodwise.org

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog

Best Rooftop Dining

Cavana (on the 17^th floor of the Luna Hotal – 100 Channel Street 17^th Floor)

Charmaine’s (On top of the Proper Hotel -45 McAllister Street)

El Techo De Lolinda (a Mission district hotspot with the city skyline as its backdrop, 2516 Mission Street)

Dirty Habit ( ice firepits!- 12^th Fourth Street, 5^th Floor)

Good Good Culture Club (Another Mission district favorite - 3560 18^th Street)

Dazzling Décor

Villon (1110 Market Street)

Boulevard (1 Mission Street)

Leo’s Oyster Bar (568 Sacramento Street)

Park Tavern (652 Stockton Street)

Son and Garden (700 Polk Street)

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog.

If the weather is bad, The Aquarium at the Academy of Sciences (in Golden Gate Park) is still first rate. I have happy memories of visiting it when I was a child and taking my own son there.   The Rainforest biosphere, the Sting Ray River and other exhibits are still outstanding.    Keep in mind this event can be pricey- about 38.00 a head.   If you do find yourself in Golden Gate Park, there are two great things you can do for free.  Head to the DeYoung Museum located in the center of the park.   You can take the elevator to the top floor of the “vornado” like tower for a commanding 360-degree view of the city.  If the weather is good, I’d head to the Children’s playground (take a piece of cardboard with you!) There you will find a series of cement slides that kids still love even in the shadow of more sophisticated interactive exhibits at the Academy.    Or, head to the Stow Lake Boathouse.  You can rent a paddleboat there for a fun paddle around the lake or head to the Music Concourse next to the Academy to rent a Surrey bike for a great spin around the park.

While the locals will avoid Fisherman’s Wharf like a bad dish of Chow Mein, the kids still eat it up.  Understandably, seeing the various street performers (Silver Man, Gold Man, and Bush Man are staples) still packs a thrill.    Bring your wallet.  There’s no way you are going to walk past the Bungee Jump station without shelling out $10.00 for the experience. Pier 39 has a wide variety of the usual kitschy offerings of “authentic clam chowder” and the like; however, from a kid’s point of view it still delivers.   Make sure you head to the END of the pier where a pod of boisterous barking pinnipeds lives on K-Dock (check out the Sea Lion webcam on YouTube) The double decker children’s carousel is great and on the weekends there is always a magician, a juggler or other acts on the stage behind the carousel.

For the preteen or teenager, nothing beats the GoCar tour of the aquatic park and nearby Presidio Park.   They are GPS guided so you can’t get lost.  You can just rent the cars or sign up for a longer tour.  It’s a great family experience and a way to see more of this area up close while having fun!  The Aquarium By the Bay is geared to the older kid- find this Aquarium at Pier 39 as well.  Forget the Haight Ashbury District. That Summer of Love was only a short year (1969) and the “hippie” vibe complete with tie dyed shirts and Patchouli Oil is getting a bit tired, isn’t it?   This area is pretty seedy and only offers the occasional glimpse into what it used to be.   I hope these suggestions are helpful.  You can always check out SFGate.com or 7x7.com for neighborhood by neighborhood suggestions and/or events going on in the area.  This is San Francisco!  There are always events or street fairs going on somewhere…. Denice Barsness

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog.

Check out the Mission's abundance of vibrant street art with a stroll around the neighborhood—start at the Valencia-adjacent Clarion Alley (between 17th and 18th streets), filled with murals by local artists. One of the alley's newest additions, "The world is on fire" was created in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion SF to generate awareness about climate change.

The shops, bars and restaurants in this neighborhood, just adjacent to the famed Dolores Park, are too numerous to mention.    Plan a visit to the Mission Dolores Basilica, the oldest intact building in San Francisco, was constructed from 1782-1791 with Native American labor. It has been used continuously for religious purposes since that time. The Mission was founded in 1776 by Father Francisco Palou under the direction of Father Junipero Serra.  The classic Spanish architecture is one of the best examples of the Mission esthetic in all of California.

Go to 7x7.com for a comprehensive review of the Valencia Street shops, bars and restaurants

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog.

Approach this area through the Lions Gates at Grant and Bush.   It’s an easy ten-minute walk across Union Square to the grand entrance through the Lions Gate on the corner of Grant /Bush Streets.  Or, take the downtown BART to the newly finished Rose Pak station northbound.

From there you can stroll uphill to the heart of the region along Grant all of the way to Broadway.    Technically, Broadway separates Chinatown from the Italian North Beach area. /span>There are ornate temples, including the landmark Tien How, as well as the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum. The heart of Chinatown is technically Portsmouth Square- but frankly, it’s just a small park above a parking garage.  Your biggest bang for your time is to stay on Grant Street where shops and places to eat will line each side of the street.  The Tin How temple on Waverly Place is the oldest Chinese temple in the USA.   At the intersection of Grant and Pine you will see the Dragon Street Lamp that was installed in 1925.

Pop into the Far East Café which opened in 1920.   With the last remaining banquet hall, it is a very important part of Chinese culture (and great food!)  You won’t find it advertised, but check out these booths along the side that used to provide privacy for all types of nefarious deeds including opium smoking and perhaps a bit of hanky panky for the businessmen visiting all of the local brothels that were in this area at this time.

Walking and Gawking

Walk the allies like Waverly Place and Ross Alley.  Take a moment to go up one block to Stockton Street.  Look up! You will notice the names of the original Chinese Six Companies and their Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association community clubs.

For me, just wandering the SIDE alleys of this area is the most interesting. These allies have a deep history and you can still hear the sound of Ma Jong being played in the back rooms.  

The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory is at 56 Ross Alley.  Be prepared, the Cookie Factory these days is nothing more than a little side storefront where they will sell you all kinds of Fortune Cookies.  There will be an older than time grandmother sitting at the hot metal apparatus folding the cookie dough around very hot little metal prongs.  It’s good for about a ten-minute look, but frankly, I have to look away when I see her poor fingers wrapped in protective bandages.  I get that it’s a must see, but Fortune Cookies aren’t really even Chinese! (Like Chow Mein)

Eating

If you want to go where the locals go check out the Hop Lee for off the charts incredible crispy chicken in garlic sauce or the Mee Sum Café- both are long established Cantonese centric places to eat. Alas, my favorite did not survive COVID.  

My Favorite?  Hunan Home (826 Washington) Great booths, a large downstairs area for large groups and the Best Honey Walnut Prawns on the planet.  For foodies, House of Nan King. It’s small, the wait will seem interminable, but getting in is akin to being bestowed soup by the Seinfeld Soup Nazi.  The hip and cool?  They head to the R&G Lounge. All good choices for various reasons.

Check out the YouTube series “My Chinatown” for in-depth information about the history of Chinatown, the thriving foodie community there and things to do.

Thank you to OPS Member Denice Barsness for providing this blog.

The long and winding road…

The road to becoming an ophthalmic imager is varied, and the roads leading off of that path are numerous.

Personally, when I left the military, I was working in a civilian operating room as a technician. After finishing an on call retinal detachment, the ophthalmologist asked me if I was interested in working in his office. Always up for an adventure, I agreed, and was trained as a technician. A few weeks in, I discovered an old fundus camera (Zeiss FF4) that was covered with a sheet. I found the manual, figured out how it worked and took my first fundus photograph. I was hooked. In 1999, I noticed the lack of proper training in many aspects of our field, so I started a consulting company, training private practices, biotech, pharma, reading centers and academia in every state and 14 countries. 

32 years after I took that first fundus photograph, I still enjoy the field, as it is continually changing and challenging. 

I reached out to a few colleagues to get their stories.

Heather Carmello

I went to RIT for biomedical imaging and entered the field of ophthalmology in 2003. I have worked for a retina specialist and private practice, then I came back to Rochester NY. I am now teaching the ophthalmic imaging class at RIT and pursuing a master's in education while working at Flaum Eye Institute. The ability to teach how clinic goes is helpful to the field!

Jennifer Turano

I was very fortunate to be introduced to ophthalmic photography during my time as a student at Rochester Institute of Technology.  The director of our program Michael Peres always stressed the importance of researching and truly understanding your subject which resonated with me.  As I started my career in ophthalmic imaging, I was inspired by the depth of clinical knowledge in my mentors Joe Territo, William Fischer, Tim Bennet, and Ellen Stewart.  I guess you can say at some point my interest in pathology outgrew my interest in imaging.  Optometry is the bucolic marriage of optics and medicine and it was a natural path to me. The countless discussions I had with patients waiting to shoot the late phase photographs of their angiogram were what drove me to become an effective communicator and patient advocate as an optometrist.  Although my role in eye care has changed, I still sit behind a slit lamp camera, fundus camera, and oct regularly.  Imaging is an invaluable tool for communication, education and documentation and I am grateful for my foundation as an ophthalmic photographer.  

Ellen Dennehy

While in high school, I had a passion for photography and pursued a part time job at a professional photography lab. Instead of inspiring me further, this opened my eyes to the challenges of fine art photographers, specifically the financial risks of the profession.  With science coming easy to me, I pursued a degree in Biomedical Photographic Communications from RIT.  As internships rolled out, specializing in ophthalmic photography seemed to be the right fit for this degree.  

Over the years of being in ophthalmic photography, I appreciated the patient care and skills needed to perform this job succinctly.  

With a drive to be more hands on with patients, I had decided to pursue a further degree with the support of my employer.  A less than successful lasik surgery, and the concern for becoming uninterested in one area of study, I applied for a Physician Assistant program. 

Being a physician assistant for the past 15+ years has given me the opportunity to help numerous patients with their medical needs, guiding them through health care in rural settings.  I am currently progressing through a doctorate program, hoping to assist colleagues in being successful in our changing field.   

Greg Hoffmeyer

I got into ophthalmic photography the hard way; old school, answered an ad in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for a "fundus photographer and fluorescein angiographer", whatever that meant.  Unbeknownst to me, the job had already been filled but they gave me a shot anyway, and I fell into one of the oldest and most prestigious retina practices in the world, the vaunted Retina Consultants, Ltd, St. Louis, Missouri.   Loved it from day one, had a great boss in the late, great Ron Kacizak, learned quickly and eventually got involved in the OPS.   7 years later, Duke came calling, and I ended up there a year or two before this new "ivory tower" technology called OCT arrived.   I was afraid of it at first, so had one of my best photographers learn it, Ellen Young.   She then taught the rest of us and my lab took it over and we latched onto it as the next big thing.   At the same time Drs. Jaffe, Toth, Ellen and I started the OCT Reading Center at Duke.  All the while, I was working closely with Zeiss helping get the tech accepted into the mainstream, which eventually turned into a 12-year run there.   Now, four years and counting at Topcon, the OCT journey keeps going.  It's been a very good run, I have been very lucky and am very fortunate.

Darrin Landry, CRA, OCT-C
Chairman, Board of Education

I start my day fending off cat paws to the face; 5 am is entirely too early for breakfast! After some coffee and tending to everything the furry princess requires, it’s off to the day job! Sometimes when I meet people I just say I’m a medical assistant or a photographer for simplicity’s sake. “A what photographer?” is often the response I get when I claim my job as ophthalmic photographer. Ophthalmic Photography is a profession most of us are deeply passionate about, but our daily activities can be a mystery.

Maintaining equipment and keeping dye stocked, submitting research images and reviewing schedules, ordering supplies and cleaning lenses, these are just a few of the everyday mundane tasks of the ophthalmic photographer.

“These are clean!”

Marin Woronets, COA

“Mr. Clean also works for fundus cameras”

Some photographers serve as their office phlebotomist as well. I like to joke that sticking people with needles is my favorite part of the job. If only I could get an FA done without a mess. It wouldn’t be a normal day if I wasn’t cleaning fluorescein off the table, the wall, the patient, or me! 

“We have to wear 'many hats' in our daily lives.  I've changed hats so many times, it took my hair off!”

Jim Soque, CRA, OCT-C, COA, FOPS

“Yellow is NOT my favorite color!”

Sarah Gardner, CRA, COA

The passion for the job comes from caring for and connecting with our patients. The heartfelt thank you’s from scared parents, the appreciative well dones from busy physicians, the inquisitive “Is that my eye?!?”s from happy patients - these are the reasons we come to work everyday.

What do you say when people inquire about your job?

I always thought the phrase “Glaucoma is the thief of vision.” was contrived, but it is accurate. Glaucoma is the 2nd leading cause of blindness globally. In the United States it’s estimated that half of the 3 million people with glaucoma are unaware of their disease. Glaucoma typically presents with no symptoms to the patient, so it truly can rob people of sight before they even knew they had a disease. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and it's gotten me thinking about how imagers play a role in preventing blindness.  

Imaging plays a very large part in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. Diagnostically we’ve come a long way since glaucoma was first linked to high intraocular pressure in the mid 19th century. The later part of the 1800s saw the invention of arc perimetry, fundus photography, and tonometry. The next big thing came with the development of digital imaging such as scanning laser technology and OCT.

What’s next for glaucoma imaging? OCT-A and Adaptive Optics-OCT are the current new kids on the block. OCTA has been integrated into clinical practice over the past several years, but AO-OCT is still primarily in the research sphere. What clinical applications will AO-OCT have and how will it change diagnosis and management in glaucoma and other retinal and optic nerve diseases? I'm looking forward to finding out.

Enjoy some articles on the future of glaucoma imaging and adaptive optics:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319453411001032

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5777232/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5350038/

Ophthalmic photography is an evolving and interesting profession. Some of us started as photographers and learned the medical aspects of the job, while others started as ophthalmic assistants and learned the photographic aspects. Many ophthalmic photographers also flex their photography muscles out in the real world. Focus, framing, flash settings and other aspects of artistic photography translate into skills in ophthalmic photography. The virtual annual program includes a great talk on color management from Christye Sisson MS, CRA. Check out some real world images from OPS members:

Mark Croswell, CRA, OCT-C, FOPS

Marin Woronets, COA

Holly Cheshier, CRA, OCT-C, COT

Sarah Gardner, CRA, COA

Jim Soque, CRA, OCT-C, COA, FOPS

One of the best things about the OPS is the opportunity for professional education and camaraderie. Our 52nd annual education program is just around the corner! Ophthalmic Photography is a tight knit community of eyeball nerds. The opportunity to learn from “old timers,” aka the experienced photographers who created our profession, is priceless. I like to think I’m an old timer because I did the practical exam for my CRA. (I was in the last cohort to do so.)

Gass lectures are a staple of the Annual Program, named for J. Donald Gass, M.D. Dr. Gass was an accomplished and revered retinal specialist often called “The Father of Macula Diseases” and one of the founders of the Macula Society. “No other physician embraced the new technology of fluorescein angiography, established it as a valuable tool for evaluating the pathophysiology of the retina and choroid, and taught 100's of retinologists in person, and 1,000s of physicians and imagers how to interpret angiographic studies. He LOVED ophthalmic imagers and imaging and the OPS loved him back.  Dr. Gass helped Johnny Justice establish ophthalmic photography as a profession. Without the tutelage and support of Dr. Gass, more than any other physician, there would be no OPS.” - Paula Morris, CRA, FOPS. This year’s Gass lecturer is Dr. Harry Flynn. 

Dr. Gass

We also have “sci sessions,” the first of which was held at the annual program in 1974. Academic papers are presented and the author of the best paper is awarded the Don Wong Award. Don Wong was one of the first presidents of the OPS. Previous papers have included innovative new imaging techniques and interesting cases, like one paper about Ebola in the retina.

Visit https://opsvap.vfairs.com to register for this year’s Virtual Annual Program.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to pivot to virtual meetings for the past 2 years. What is the future of annual programs in the digital world? Technology enabled us to quickly pivot away from live events, but will this Zoom world become the new normal? The chance to interact with other professionals and share knowledge in person, especially with the hands-on workshops, is a large part of the reason people attend the annual program. It's difficult to experience the camaraderie that comes with this profession during a digital meeting. “Before I was introduced to the OPS in 1984, I was like "a voice in the wilderness"... all alone, trying to learn the craft by reading articles in physicians' publications.  Meeting other photographers, exchanging ideas, and physically observing them in workshops saved my sanity, my self esteem, and my career. I hope the OPS can figure out a way to still have some kind of in-person educational programs in the future.  Having a diversity of educational opportunities is the best formula for good education.” - Paula Morris. I hope so too, Paula. Please comment and tell us what you’d like to see from the OPS in the future to help foster this amazing community!

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley” Robert Burns penned these immortal words in 1785. A full six decades after French ophthalmologist Charles Saint-Yves first anatomically described amotio sive sublatio retinae, the condition we now call detached retina, in 1722.

I had big plans for this month's blog. I was going to write about RDs and their many causes and treatments, but then my plans went askew. I was sifting through a box of books a retiring physician had donated to our educational library and happened upon a medical textbook from 1938. What a find! At least for a nerd like me, so I went to find what it had to say about retinal detachments.

In 1938, ophthalmologists already knew that surgery was the best treatment for retinal detachments. Jules Gonin, a Swiss ophthalmologist recognized that breaks in the retina needed to be closed in order to reattach a retina. He began using cauterization through the sclera to treat RDs in 1902, a procedure he called ignipuncture, and perfected his techniques through the 1920s. He was considered for, but did not receive, a Nobel Prize. The scleral buckle was invented in the middle of the 20th century, as were new techniques using cryotherapy and photocoagulation. The first vitrectomy was described in 1969, and the modern three port pars plana vitrectomy was developed in 1974.

Retinal Detachment with Giant Retinal Tear

Courtesy of Jim Soque, CRA, OCT-C, COA, FOPS

Horseshoe Tear

Courtesy of Darrin Landry, CRA, OCT-C

Retinal Detachment with Peripheral Hole

Courtesy of Jim Soque, CRA, OCT-C, COA, FOPS

We’ve come a long way. Scleral Buckles and PPvs have been the usual suspects as long as I have been around. Recently a landmark study on surgical outcomes was published in Review of Ophthalmology. https://www.reviewofophthalmology.com/article/updates-from-the-pro-study-group

The PRO study is the largest RD study completed to date and compares several surgical techniques and patient populations. Many other additional studies have followed  from this landmark research. It is amazing how fast modern medicine has developed to treat a potentially blinding condition with such high rates of success. 

If medical history tickles your fancy, I’d highly recommend reading one or several of the numerous papers about the history of retinal detachments and their surgical repair. And of course, here are a few more fantastic RD images. 

Scleral rejection of buckle causing choroidal detachment

Courtesy of Jamie Benz, COT

Retinal Detachment

Courtesy of Sheena Xomvilaysack

Sickle Cell Retinopathy Tractional Retinal Detachment

Courtesy of Holly Cheshier, CRA, OCT-C

We know that dogs can get cataracts and that the mantis shrimp has the most complicated eyes in the animal kingdom, but what other fun stuff is there to know? I chatted with Diana Wood, COA about animal eyes to see what other fun facts are out there. She spent 20 years in veterinary medicine, 10 of which she specialized in veterinary ophthalmology, before making the switch to people.

Q: Are animal eyes like human eyes? 

A: In some ways yes, but in other ways no. For example, the macula is unique to primates, so Macular Degeneration is a condition that only we experience. Color vision varies widely across species. Eyes and vision have evolved differently in mammals, fish, birds, etc. In mammals, predatory and prey animals have different orbital positions and pupil shapes to facilitate chasing, or being chased. And in fish, Zebra Fish can regenerate their retinas!

Q: Is that why goats have horizontal pupils?

A: Goats (and horses) have horizontal pupils so their vision can stay on the horizon - looking for predators - when their heads are lowered to graze. The concentration of rods and cones in the back of an animal’s eyes also coordinate with their pupil shape, so the goat would have a concentration of rods and cones in a horizontal shape that corresponded to their pupil shape.

Q: So is my cat winking to focus on her prey better?

A: Haha, probably not. Your squinty kitty may have a corneal problem. After a stressful week of managing their “kingdom”, you may come home to a winky-eyed cat. Just like in people, herpes loves dendritic nerves and kitties are no exception. Feline Herpes Virus (FHV) is present in more than 90% of the feline population and transmitted through the Queen (momma cat) when giving birth. 

Q: Is “Queens” really a technical term?

A: Yes. (Dogs really got the short end of the stick there…)

Q: What’s going on with Gemstone's eye? Our BOE Secretary Jim sent me this photo of his friend’s horse, sadly he’d forgotten his portable slit lamp.

A: To my knowledge, Gemstone was diagnosed with uveitis. Horses can get uveitis just like people. But in equine patients, Equine Recurrent Uveitis (aka “moon blindness”), can be quite devastating if not diagnosed and treated early. ERU is the leading cause of blindness in horses worldwide.

Q: Why is it called moon blindness?

A: Moon Blindness was first “named” in the 1600s or 1700s. Because the condition recurred on a frequent schedule, they thought it had something to do with the moon cycle.

Q: Final question, do you prefer talking to your patients or treating their furry friends?

A: Both human medicine and veterinary medicine are incredibly rewarding in different ways, and I’m grateful I’ve been able to experience both. I love sharing fun stories with human patients, but will admit that no one is ever as excited to see me as wiggly 9 week old puppies. 

Ophthalmic Photography is as much an art as it is a science. Many ophthalmic photographers have artistic backgrounds and degrees in traditional photography. Retinas provide us with amazing shapes and patterns, which sometimes create images of their own. In psychology, the Rorschach Inkblot Test is used to examine personality characteristics. I wonder what these interpretations say about us photographers? 

“Ghostitis” 

Submitted by Holly Chesier

“Mickey Mouse” 

Submitted by Hannah Shepard

“Bull's Head” 

Submitted by Olivia Rainey

“Puppy”

Submitted by Sam Dada and Kelli Nyenhuis.

“Snowflake” 

Submitted by Holly Cheshier

“These Boots were made for Walking” 

Submitted by Holly Cheshier

“Cat Eye”

Submitted by Sarah Gardner

“Conquistador”

Submitted by Paul Crown

“T-Rexina” 

Submitted by Stefanie Palmer

Share what you see and submit your Rorschach Retina to ops.fb.challenge@gmail.com

During my first years as a fundus photographer (back then we used film, so I wasn’t going to see what I saw again until we got the film developed, often 3-4 weeks later) when I saw something I thought was abnormal I went running to the physician to describe exactly what was happening. Back then I was working with Dr. Carla Siegfried at Washington University in Saint Louis, and let me tell you, this lady has the patience of a saint. I remember describing retinal sheen as “this stuff, it’s just all over the retina.” It was my first time photographing a child, if memory serves me right the patient was only 8 years old. I was melting down over the normal eye. I once informed her a patient might have a stroke any minute - it was venous pulsations at the optic disc, a very normal finding. 

The senior photographers worked at the main office, and I was at a satellite office. If I couldn’t get one of them on the phone to answer a question I was on my own. The OPS was a vital resource for me. The website had so many useful articles about devices and techniques. My mentor wrote the article on goniophotography; I referred to it often, especially after she retired. I had only been a photographer for 5 years. Which may seem like a long time, but in the world of ophthalmic imaging, I was still quite green.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to attend the Annual Program a few times over the years and learn from experienced photographers. The hands-on workshops were especially useful. Did you know that the objective lens of the fundus camera is actually the patient’s eye? Such that if you focus on the retina and then move the camera back to the external position the retina will still be in focus; there will be a heck of an artifact, but I was amazed! I’ve learned many little tips, tricks, and pearls of wisdom over the years, and I’m still learning from my amazing colleagues on the BOE. The knowledge, support, and confidence I’ve gained from being a part of the OPS has been instrumental in my career. 

The educational offerings from the OPS are even better now. We have Webinar Wednesdays, Webinars on Demand, Regional Programs, and of course the Annual Program with the classics like the Imaging Crash Course. Share your story in the comments or tell us what kind of educational resources or topics you’re interested in.

Blog Post May 7, 2021  - Hyping Up Hypertenision

May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month. Much like diabetes, hypertension is a common systemic disease that can wreak havoc on the small blood vessels of the eye. According to the American Heart Association nearly half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and only 1 in 4 have their disease under control.1  Just last week I took a BP reading of 188/102 in a patient with a CRVO. 

Hypertensive Retinopathy and Retinal Vascular Occlusions are commonly seen ocular effects of hypertension, but glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathy and microvascular cranial nerve palsies can all be complications of hypertension. Serious systemic complications can also arise from hypertension including strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease. High blood pressure can be present without the patient noticing symptoms. Sometimes patients may even be diagnosed with hypertension due to the retinal changes seen during an eye exam. A 2004 paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that retinal signs can be predictive of stroke and death from stroke.2

Hypertensive Retinopathy

Exudates, cotton wool spots, microanuerysms and hemorrhages seen on color fundus and red free photos. Red Free photos help us view the inner retinal pathology and allow microaneurysms and dot blot hemorrhages to be visualized easier.

Images courtesy of 

Sarah Gardner, CRA, COA

Retinal Vein Occlusion

Vein occlusions just might be one of the most commonly photographed pathologies, which makes sense considering that, behind diabetes, retinal vein occlusions are the second most common vascular disorder of the retina.3  An average retina clinic probably sees hundreds a year. Central and Branch retinal occlusions can sometimes cause our patients devastating vision loss. Fluorescein Angiography allows us to see areas of leakage and ischemia that occur with RVOs.

Images courtesy of

Michael P. Kelly, FOPS

Director, Duke Eye Imaging

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hypertension Cascade: Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment and Control Estimates Among US Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Applying the Criteria From the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2017 Hypertension Guideline—NHANES 2013–2016external icon. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2019.

2. Wong TY, Mitchell P. 2004 Hypertensive Retinopathy. New England Journal of Medicine https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra032865

3. Shahid H, Hossain P, Amoaku WM. The management of retinal vein occlusion: is interventional ophthalmology the way forward? British Journal of Ophthalmology https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857058/

Ophthalmologists can be faced with tricky cases from time to time. Imaging can sometimes be the key to a case trying to “fool” our doctors. Presented below are a few tricky cases and the images that helped solve the case. It should be noted in all the cases below that the diagnosis provided was established by a physician and not the submitting photographer. As photographers we should be able to recognize abnormal anatomy and imaging findings, but the diagnostic responsibility exclusively rests with the physician.

Case 1 - After being seen for flashes and floaters a patient was observed to have a retinal detachment and the physician treated by performing a vitrectomy and placed SF6 (Sulfur Hexafluoride) with focal laser around peripheral retinal breaks. 

When seen at a 1 day post operative appointment, SD-OCT was performed and through clear posterior media the focus was able to be shifted to enable an OCT of the retina showing the macula was still in good shape, had a foveal depression, and the optic nerve appeared "normal" for having gas over it.  

At  5 day post op, the SF6 had not cleared the macula yet but sub retinal fluid was observed just below the optic nerve. An OCT was again performed and the macula was spared of any fluid, but the fluid inferior to the optic nerve also had no observable channel to the superior detachment which had been treated.  The patient was seen again several times with scans repeated where the physician observed a continuing decrease in subretinal fluid, and no observable pathway where the fluid could have come from aside from the Optic Nerve Head itself, no RPE breaks were noted either, patient was observed to have normal vision and remaining SRF receded over the course of several weeks from when it was first observed. This one just might remain a mystery. Unfortunately the OCT images described are not available.

Case submitted by Paul D. Crown, MA, CRA, OCT-C

Case 2 - This patient was referred to our office for a melanoma from another ophthalmologist. The referring had already done an ultrasound and reported a mass. The patient had experienced a sudden loss of vision and eye pain.  The patient denied any history of trauma.

When the patient was sent to me for ultrasound, there were a few things that piqued my interest, she had experienced sudden vision loss and eye pain, which are atypical in melanoma. I suspected that this wasn’t a melanoma. The ultrasound appearance was scleral infolding which indicates that the patient had an open globe injury. This would be more consistent with her complaints of eye pain and sudden vision loss.  I talked to the doctor treating her and said that things didn’t add up with the working diagnosis from the referring doctor and sure enough as soon as he lifted up her eyelid he was able to find a large laceration.  They took her to the operating room to repair the rupture.  As it turned out, the patient had fallen but wasn’t able to recall the event and none of the family members had witnessed it.  This was definitely a good example as to why you never take the referring diagnosis for granted!

Case submitted by Hannah Sheppard, CRA, OCT-C, CDOS 

Case 3 - 

A 53 y/o male presents with a complaint of central blurred vision. He has a history of treated retinal holes in both eyes, approximately 1 year ago. Macular OCT showed no retinal holes.

Can you spot the hole in the next image?

Upon further testing a new retinal hole was found nasal, and slightly inferior to the optic disc.

Case submitted by Jim Soque, CRA, OCT-C, COA, FOPS

Sunday, February 28th was Rare Disease Day. All week we have been sharing images of rare diseases on our social media platforms. Here are a few of those cases:

Retinitis Pigmentosa - for a rare disease, RP is well known as it is the leading cause of inherited blindness. RP broadly covers a range of genetic mutations that cause progressive degeneration of the photoreceptors in the retina.  It’s often used as the eye disease of choice in Hollywood to give characters visual impairments. It usually presents with symptoms like difficulty seeing in low light and decreased peripheral vision. Unfortunately, some patients lose vision completely. Bone spicules and RPE atrophy are common findings in fundus photography. 

Fundus Autofluorescence Image courtesy of

Hannah Sheppard, CRA, OCT-C, CDOS 

Coordinator of Ophthalmic Imaging

Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin

Eye Institute

Susac’s Syndrome - First reported in 1979, Susac’s syndrome is a rare disease that causes hearing loss, encephalopathy, and retinal vascular occulsions. Fluorescein angiography typically shows multiple peripheral BRAOs. There is no known cause of Susac’s syndrome. Currently immunosuppressive agents or corticosteroids are used to treat Susac’s syndrome to prevent permanent hearing and vision loss.

Fluorescein Angiography Montage Image courtesy of

Paul D. Crown, MA, CRA, OCT-C

Ocular Albinism - Unlike oculocutaneous albinism, patients with ocular albinism have pigmented skin and hair. Ocular albinism typically affects males but may rarely affect females as an autosomal recessive trait instead of being X-linked. Patients with ocular albinism may present with nystagmus, photophobia, and decreased visual acuity.

Optos UWF Image courtesy of

Jessica Norkus, COA, OSC

Technician Supervisor

Retina Specialists of Michigan

Stargardt Disease - The most common juvenile macular dystrophy, Stargardt disease causes macular atrophy and vision loss. The severity can vary with most patients having slow disease progression and fair visual acuity. The case shared by Hannah is “one of the most dramatic cases I’ve ever seen.”

Fundus Autofluorescence Image courtesy of

Hannah Sheppard, CRA, OCT-C, CDOS 

Coordinator of Ophthalmic Imaging

Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin

Eye Institute

In what’s become a bit of a tradition at OPS Mid-Year Educational Programs, I been invited to present Ophthalmic Jeopardy again in 2017. The mid-year is a great environment for this presentation, as the attendees are all together in the same lecture hall for the entire program. In short, I have a captive audience!

If you’ve never seen it, Jeopardy is an irreverent but truly educational event, loaded with audio clips, videos, and spectacular clinical images. Although it’s been presented several times at OPS meetings, it’s just a little different each time. I try to customize the content for each specific meeting and location, often pulling inspiration from topics that will be covered by other presenters earlier in the educational program. At every OPS lecture I attend, I often take notes looking for new categories and questions. I also get some great material from other OPS members who forward ideas and images to me after seeing Jeopardy in action.

Looking over the great lineup of speakers and topics scheduled for Pittsburgh, I’ve been able to choose some cool categories and begin writing questions. New or recent categories will include: Creepy Crawlies, Oma Gosh, and The ‘Burgh. Of course I’ll include some of the classics such as: Animal Kingdom, Celestial Bodies, Ex Girlfriends, Video Acuity, and OCT Rorschach Test.

Hopefully I’ll see you in Pittsburgh. I’ll be channeling my inner Alex Trebek as host of Ophthalmic Jeopardy - although it’s probably closer to the Will Ferrell’s SNL impersonation of Trebek! Ophthalmic Jeopardy is a fun, informative, and challenging way to learn. If you do attend the meeting, be sure to pay attention to all the great speakers/lectures in the Mid-Year program lineup. I’ve been known to sneak in questions at the last minute and see if everyone has been paying attention!

For more on the origins and evolution of Ophthalmic Jeopardy, check out my personal blog at: http://eye-pix.com/what-is-edutainment/

Pittsburgh is featured on Google Transit. This partnership with the Port Authority of Allegheny County allows visitors to search for public transportation routes using interactive Google Maps technology.

Port Authority of Allegheny County is the public transit agency for the Greater Pittsburgh area, providing bus, and light rail, incline and paratransit service to thousands of riders daily.

Flying? You're going to love Pittsburgh International Airport. PIT, in airport parlance, is a growing world-class facility that serves more than 8 million passengers annually and offers flights to more than 50 nonstop destinations on multiple carriers.   PIT Airport has Public Train Transportation from the Lower Level, Door 6, that leaves every 30 minutes, but one can also use ‘Uber’ ™ or ‘Lyft’™, if you are traveling with 6 passengers or more.   The ride times vary, but either one is just less than 22 miles.

Distances + Travel Times to Pittsburgh

Welcome to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania! We will be having an indoor/outdoor reception to welcome you as attendees Friday evening following the meeting. This is a great opportunity to network, make new friends and see old friends. There will be a cash bar and light hors’doeuvres served in the restaurant and wonderful outdoor patio!

Image courtesy of wyndhampittsburgh.com  

Pittsburgh has many outdoor adventures and events to think about! There's kayaking on the northshore through Pittsburgh's venture outdoors (https://www.ventureoutdoors.org/kayak-pittsburgh-north-shore/). The Pirates may be out of town that weekend but you can walk along the north shore and see PNC park and Heinz Field home of the Steelers.

Image courtesy of Melanie Maxwell google search  

The free shuttle from the Wyndham will take you 3 miles around the hotel and let me tell you that will take you far. If you ask to go to Penn Ave in the strip you have food, shopping and a unique historical area to tour.

Image courtesy of madeinpgh.co  

Lastly if you just want to walk around the hotel vicinity there's Schenley park and plenty of unique food choices including Peace Love and Little Donuts!

Image courtesy of fineartamerica.com google search  

We look forward to seeing you there!

Heather Carmello,CRA,OCT-C,COA

General Chair, 2017

Mid Year meeting Pittsburgh,PA  

Don Kuitula, CRA,OCT-C

Education Chair, 2017

Mid year meeting Pittsburgh,PA

https://www.facebook.com/apiary.sg/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/botanist.sg/?fref=ts

This is only the smallest sample of what Singapore has to offer visitors and I think you will enjoy your visit!

Google Maps is an amazing program - I was able to create a custom map of the different locations mentioned above. This map includes extra places to visit in addition to the places mentioned in the article. Look forward to seeing you all at ICOP!!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Efo4VspCZ5n0A3HKZDFNplIkML4&usp=sharing

Alan Wee runs around for his work most of the time visiting hospitals and clinics in his role as a service and applications engineer with an ophthalmic equipment company. He manages to find time to explore the many eateries and interesting spots around Singapore.

In prepping for the conference, I found the OPS Lending Library as well as the OPS Website to be wonderful resources that allowed me to learn the basics of eye anatomy and ophthalmic photography as I eagerly anticipated getting to the conference to learn more. Sarah Moyer Armstrong was extremely helpful, thorough and informative in her responses to my inquiries on course selection. With Sarah's advice I took the Crash Course, as well as intro courses and workshops on Fundus Photography, Fluorescein Angiography and OCT-A as well as the stunning course "Best of the Best". Upon meeting Sarah at the conference, her warmth, encouragement, and introductions were invaluable. I cannot thank her enough.

Myself with Sarah Moyer Armstrong, CRA, OCT-C, FOPS at the OPS Business Meeting (Photo by Alan Frohlichstein, CRA, FOPS )

Crash Course Class of 2016. It was a lot of fun! (Photo by Alan Frohlichstein, CRA, FOPS)

As a "newbie" I was amazed at the generous amount of hands-on and small group training, not to mention the one-on-one interactions I was able to have with experts in the field; a special thank you to Bob Cavicchi, Sarah Moyer Armstrong, Houston Sharpe III, Hoang Nguyen, Jim Soque and many others.

I also especially appreciated the combination of lecture courses with associated workshops as it satisfied my curiosity on the science/context/history and how it related to the "how to".

 Great Hands-on Training with Instructor Adeline M Stone, COT, CRA, CDOS (Photo by Alan Frohlichstein, CRA, FOPS)

There were also the fascinating special events such as the Scientific Paper Session and the reception where I was warmly welcomed by my instructors, fellow students, and committee members. I felt excited by the potential to join this community of highly engaged photographers.

And for a fun break and mixer, there was the photo scavenger hunt! Here is my team, literally embodying the OPS!

My Scavenger Hunt Team.  (Photo by Chuck Hamm, CRA, OCT-C)

Lastly, one particular highlight I will always remember… the incoming President Michael Kelly took the time to give a lecture in the Crash Course. He spoke of the fascinating detective work that goes into imaging difficult cases. I was intrigued by the iterative methodology of combining techniques and subtly altering standard methodologies to get to the bottom of unusual cases. He was speaking my language, and of my dreams to use my photographic knowledge to make a contribution to medicine/science and to helping patients.

Thank you Michael Kelly, FOPS (Photo by Alan Frohlichstein, CRA, FOPS)

I take my hat off to the incredible all-volunteer effort that produced a conference that was well organized, educational, welcoming, and inspiring. Thank you!

I also have some exciting news since returning home from the conference. I will be beginning my first Ophthalmic Photographer position at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in January, 2017! I can’t wait!

Bio: John Hensel has a BA in visual arts from Oberlin College. Currently he is a professional photographer, business owner, and artist living in Boston, MA. He is very excited to begin a career in ophthalmic photography!

Spectacular waterfront of modern Singapore

The Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)  started operations in 1990. Today, the SNEC has almost 250,000 outpatient visits, 14,000 major eye surgeries and 13,000 laser procedures per year. The SNEC is a major centre in Asia for ophthalmic practice, research and teaching.

The entrance to SNEC (circa 1980).

The International Conference on Ophthalmic Photography has a long and distinguished heritage. Originally the idea came from Don Wong (one of our illustrious OPS founders) and in 1996 the first ICOP took place in Rome. Every four years since, there has been an ICOP. The year 2000 in Singapore, then Adelaide Australia, Oxford (UK), San Francisco (X2) and Toronto (X2).

What should we expect at ICOP?

Firstly, it is a totally different format with only one lecture timeline. Therefore we are all in the same room, share breaks and mingle continuously. The format is engineered for making friends, having fun and being exposed to different knowledgeable and experienced speakers from across the globe. It is often surprising how other photographers solve problems and find answers to those things that just drive you crazy! Plenty of time is left open to sample the delights that Singapore has to offer. There will be a photographic competition for delegates, see the details on the OPS website (opsweb.site-ym.com/page/PhotoContest). ICOP is a jointly organized conference by the OPS, British, Dutch and Australian ophthalmic photographers. It will be held in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) which attracts high profile speakers worldwide including the latest in ophthalmic research.

Singapore 2000 was my first ICOP, what did it offer?

For a start, Singapore is a fabulous place, melding Asian/European and far Eastern cultures with a huge range of food, peoples and experiences: a true "melting pot” of  traditions from around the world tempered by an Asian/Oriental outlook.  It is easy to get around in Singapore, most people have English as a first language. There is an excellent transport system with English signage. Most good airlines go to Singapore and for the more adventurous Asia is only a short plane ride away (Ankor Wat is one hour away!). Power voltage is 220 (So you will need a transformer if you use 110V), the plugs are UK style three pin, so a converter is necessary. Singapore has a friendly and helpful population with an extremely low crime rate. It is a high energy and hectic lifestyle whilst you feel safe at all the local tourist spots.

ICOP remains a highlight of learning and interacting with like-minded ophthalmic photographers. Many of the people that I met at the previous Singapore have remained good friends and I look forward to seeing many of them again and to making new friends 16 years later.

Stay tuned for more information as we roll out this truly wonderful opportunity. There will be updates on Social Media, the OPS website and any other way we can send you details.

Singapore is safe, central to all of Asia, English speaking, westernized yet with the flavour of an exotic and exciting experience. Don’t miss out, start your planning now this could be the experience of a lifetime!

The first is the Chicago Architectural Open House. This is an annual event which showcases architecture in the Chicago area and gives access to many building and clubs which are not open to the public. Many of the buildings are a short walk from the Inter Continental Hotel. Details of this event which runs Saturday October 15 and Sunday October 16, 2016 may be found at the Chicago Architecture web site:

openhousechicago.org

The second special event is the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, running from October 13 through October 27th. Many of the films are within walking distance of the Inter Continental.The full schedule may be found at:

Chicagofilmfestival.com

Another event is the Chicago Museum Week, offering discounts to many of Chicago's museums. Details and locations may be found at:

chicagomuseumweek.com

Whatever you choose to do, I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy some of the culture and dining Chicago has to offer!

blog.ticketmaster.co.uk 

"Sweet Home Chicago” is a blues standard originally recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936 which has been popularized by many musicians including Junior Parker, Eric Clapton, Keb’ Mo’ and perhaps most famously, the Blues Brothers. The song has become an anthem of the city and its vibrant blues history.  

soul-source.co.uk

Chicago Blues is a type of blues music dating back to the 1920’s and is identified by its usage of the electric guitar and amplified harmonica. The pioneers of this style were Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy. Many of these artists recorded their sound at the iconic Chess Records on Chicago’s south side, whose recordings became a heavy influence on bands such as The Rolling Stones, Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.    

 www.10best.com

The blues scene is still alive and well in the city with many places open seven days a week. Here are a few clubs to look into if you are interested in catching an old veteran or some of the newer bands keeping the Chicago Blues flame burning.

       postandcourier.com

Kingston Mines is the oldest continually operating blues club in the city and hosts two bands on two stages 365 days a year. It has been ranked Chicago’s best blues club by many and offers a full menu of southern cooking. www.kingstonmines.com     

Buddy Guy’s Legends has truly lived up to the Legends name by featuring many top acts including Gregg Allman, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan who stop in to play a set. Buddy Guy, himself, is a regular when he is in town and can often be seen sitting at the bar enjoying the bands that are playing. The menu specializes in Louisiana style Cajun and soul food and it is the only place where you can find Buddy’s own craft beer called "Buddy Brew”. www.buddyguy.com     

Rosa’s Lounge is a no frills blues club offering the widest range of blues styles to appease music enthusiasts of all genres. It has been voted "Chicago’s Friendliest Blues Lounge” and has a low cover charge. The club is family owned and operated by an Italian immigrant who came to Chicago after meeting Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells in Milan. He named the place after his mother who also came to the city to help run the business. The authentic Italian menu brings a bit of home to the bar for the family. www.rosaslounge.com

Blue Chicago is the closest venue to the Intercontinental and is known for showcasing female blues singers. They are open seven days a week and have a full bar but no food menu. The walls are beautifully decorated by the work of famed artist John Carrol-Doyle. www.bluechicago.com     

B.L.U.E.S. is considered a blues dive bar with an intimate, if not cramped, feel. With cheap cover and a small room, primarily booking local musicians, things can heat up very quickly on stage. As an added bonus, Sunday nights cover also gets you into Kingston Mines which is located across the street. www.chicagobluesbar.com

pinterest.com

If you have managed to not attend the annual program in Chicago 2012 or 2014, you should strongly consider doing so this year. Besides the fantastic educational experience and valuable networking with coworkers and friends, the meeting hotel, the InterContinental is well worth a visit. If you have any interest in history, you can satisfy your curiosity in the photo gallery on the Upper Fifth Floor, take a swim in the original pool and visit many of the restored ballrooms. The hotel offers all the modern facilities within an elegant old-world frame work. Please take a few minutes to review the interesting history provided by the hotel.  

We hope to see you there.

History of the InterContinental Chicago

The InterContinental Chicago was built in 1929 by the Shriners Organization as the Medinah Athletic Club. The exotic gold dome originated as part of a decorative docking port for dirigibles before the Hindenburg disaster changed the country’s mind about the future of travel by blimp and the docking structure was never used. Years later, the building would lose several feet with the dismantling of an ornamental canopy on the small turret north of the dome. This chimney-like structure was originally intended to assist in the docking of these air ships, but was never used. Inside the dome a glass cupola and spiral iron staircase resembling the top of a lighthouse led down to the hotel’s upper elevator landing.                              

In the heart of the tower beneath, the club featured a twenty third floor miniature golf course, complete with water hazards and a wandering brook, a shooting range, a billiards hall, a running track, a gymnasium, an archery range, a bowling alley, a two story boxing arena, and a junior Olympic size swimming pool. All of this in addition to the ballrooms, corporate meeting rooms, and 440 guest rooms which were available for the exclusive use of the club’s 3,500 members and their guests.

The pool, with its blue Spanish majolica tiles and terra-cotta fountain of Neptune on its east wall, is one of the hotel’s few features which to this day remains virtually untouched. At the time of its unveiling, it was one of the highest indoor pools in the world, and its fourteenth floor location was heralded as a feat of engineering. Today it is commonly referred to as the Johnny Weismuller pool, a testament to the famous Olympic athlete and actor who trained in its waters. The rows of seats which remain on its western wall recall the days when swimming was a popular spectator sport.   

The elegant Grand Ballroom, a two story, one hundred foot long elliptical space, was decorated with Egyptian, Assyrian, and Greek ornamentation and surrounded by a horseshoe shaped mezzanine. In its center hung a 12,000 pound Baccarat crystal chandelier, the largest in North America.   The King Arthur Court, a far more masculine room built to function as the men’s smoking lounge, featured heavy timbering, stained glass, and a mural depicting the stories of King Arthur and Parsifal.

Because the club was originally built as a men’s club, there were only designated areas in which women were allowed. They were given a separate entrance and elevator to visit the Grand Ballroom for social gatherings or to access the Women’s Plunge, Lounge and Tea Room. At that time, the women also had access to an outdoor loggia overlooking Michigan Avenue and decorated to evoke the feeling of a Venetian terrace, perched high above the Adriatic Sea.  

When the club finally opened, it was criticized by many for its "wasteful extravagance,” although in time its eclectic mix of multicultural styles would become widely recognized as a genuine historical treasure. With only 32 percent occupancy upon its opening, many saw this elaborate fortress of excess as overly decadent, but it never failed to keep the architectural community talking.  

Although October 29th of 1929 would become known as the "Blackest Day in Stock Market History,” it would be another four years before the effects of this financial disaster would force the Shriners to file for bankruptcy. In 1934 they lost their beloved clubhouse, and in the decade that followed the building went through various incarnations, including a brief stint as residential apartments. In 1944 it began its life as a hotel, debuting as the Continental Hotel and Town Club, where Esther Williams would swim in the now famous pool. Subsequently it would operate under both the Sheraton and Radisson hotel chains. In 1961 the Sheraton expanded, adding a second tower just north of the existing building and bringing the northern boundary of the hotel all the way to Grand Avenue. During this era, the hotel featured an outlet of the popular Polynesian themed Kon Tiki Ports restaurant chain. A facade of lava rock adorned the northern wall along Grand Avenue, where today only a small section remains visible, tucked at the end of the balcony of Zest’s outdoor café. When the Radisson’s contract ended in 1983, the hotel’s name was changed back once again to the Continental. It would remain open for only three more years before finally closing its doors in anticipation of major remodeling and restoration.

In 1989, Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts purchased the property and it went through extensive renovations prior the grand re-opening in 1990. During that time, a former Medinah Club member heard of the renovation and donated a 1930 anniversary yearbook entitled "The Scimitar,” filled with photographs which would serve as reference for much of the work.  

In addition to the guestroom modifications, the balcony of the Grand Ballroom, which had long since been removed, was rebuilt to match its original design. The murals and gold leaf detailing on the room’s ceiling were restored by Lido Lippi, the same man who consulted on the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. On the ninth floor, which had at one time housed the shooting range and billiards hall, renovations included raising the floor two and a half feet to accommodate plumbing for additional guestrooms. In the public areas, designers paid painstaking attention to detail. Photographs of the original carpeting were enlarged and used to recreate its exact pattern, even making sure not to incorporate more colors than were originally available from the manufacturer. Initially, workers utilized a process called cornhusk blasting to strip away the many layers of paint from the marble walls in the Hall of Lions, as traditional sandblasting would have destroyed the intricate details of any etchings beneath. When it was determined that a single marble column would require close to a ton of ground corn cobs, restorers decided to scrub away the paint by hand. The two carvings of lions which were discovered underneath have become an emblem used throughout the hotel.  

When the Hotel Intercontinental Chicago opened its doors to the public in March of 1990, every step had been taken to return this classic beauty to its original splendor. The north tower, which had opened the previous year as the Forum Hotel, now operated as a separate property, although the two shared back-of-the-house facilities. While the Forum catered mostly to business travelers, the Intercontinental continued its tradition of elegance and attention to detail. A decade later, a second phase of renovations would unite the two once again. Remaining open this time during construction, a new entrance and a four story lobby were built, combining elements of both architectural styles. Its grand staircase, which ascends to the banquet space above, is lined with banisters bearing intricate cast bronze ornamentation. An illuminated rotunda is capable of changing colors and creating the illusion of twinkling stars against a night sky.  

Today, the Hotel Intercontinental Chicago is a world renowned destination hotel which embraces the contemporary traveler’s tastes while proudly acknowledging its own rich past. Occupying a prominent place in Chicago’s Michigan-Wacker Historic District, the hotel is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It features 807 guest rooms, over 40,000 feet of meeting and banquet space, and the largest fitness facility of all the downtown hotels.

The building’s creators, in a ceremony which took place on November 5th of 1928, placed within its cornerstone a copper box to commemorate its place in history. Filled with records of their organization, photographs of its members, a copy of the Chicago Tribune announcing the proposal of the building, coins, and other historic data, this time capsule remains sealed within the hotel’s limestone exterior. If given the opportunity to add to its contents, there would be no shortage of memorabilia, gathered over the near century which has passed since that day, to document the impressive evolution of this grand hotel.  

With the Medinah Athletic Club in the distance, an airship crosses over the Chicago Skyline circa 1929.

History and Images were graciously provided to us by the hotel for this purpose

 Patient care is vital to ophthalmology, a field with a high amount of geriatric patients. After imaging over 200 patients in just 5 weeks, I’ve realized that the top three essentials to providing a positive experience are patience, clarity, and comfort. An ophthalmic imager must be calm and patient, which puts the patient at ease. This allows the patient to ask you questions so they are not in the dark about their own medical care. Clarity is a skill I’ve honed over time- when I first began speaking to patients, I would quickly speak in detail about the test. As I’ve continued working, I’ve learned what the patients want to know most, and whittled down my pre-imaging "spiel” to the essentials, speaking slowly and clearly. This ensures they aren’t overwhelmed by the information I’ve just given them. My final realization is that a comfortable patient is a happy one. If the patient is struggling physically or emotionally, it will affect their cooperation with the imaging.

In college, I learned about and practiced with mydriatic fundus cameras and one spectral domain OCT machine. When I got to the Kittner Eye Center, I was trained on two OCT machines, in addition to a non-mydriatic, a mydriatic, and a widefield fundus camera that I now use on a daily basis. I was also exposed to anterior segment OCT, corneal topography, specular microscopy, full-field and multi-focal ERG, slit-lamp imaging, external photography, visual fields and even animal imaging. My biggest struggle on the mydriatic fundus camera was adjusting my working distance to avoid artifacts in my images. As for the widefield camera, learning to hold patients’ eyelids and achieve the largest field of view was something I had never done before, and proved to be challenging. There are so many instruments being utilized every day by the rest of the imaging staff, and through careful training, I have been able to expand my technical skills and knowledge. While learning these new processes can sometimes be frustrating, I have learned to take mistakes in stride and continue to ask questions. No one starts off perfectly, and remembering that has been both humbling and encouraging.

As I wrap up a very hot but wonderful summer here at UNC, I’d like to thank Sarah Moyer, Houston Sharpe III, Rona Esquejo-Leon, Debra Cantrell, and the rest of the Kittner Eye Center staff, faculty, residents, fellows, and patients for being so welcoming and supportive. I am sincerely appreciative and grateful for everyone who has helped me get here, and cannot wait to take the next step into the world of ophthalmic imaging.

About the Author: Joyce Kasab is a recent graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology Class of 2016, majoring in Biomedical Photographic Communications. Originally from Long Island, New York, she is interning at the UNC Kittner Eye Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina until August 2016.

But this intrepid group understood that if wonderful new things were being developed and were happening in North America, even more could be learned from photographers across the globe! 

So they set out to establish a meeting that would bring together international practitioners in this new profession of ophthalmic photography to exchange ideas, learn alternatives, and expand their collective knowledge.  This dedicated team, which included OPS members Don Wong, Marlene Fishman, Larry Merin, Albert Aandekirk, and Sadao Kanagami, produced what was called the first International Meeting and Technical Workshop in Rome, in 1986. It was a tremendous success as a common meeting place for imagers from North America, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

And thus the international meeting that was soon to become known as the International Conference on Ophthalmic Photography, ICOP, was born.  It was decided that such a large undertaking was could not be accomplished often, so the tradition of holding ICOP meetings every four years was started.  And it was also determined that the meeting needed to move around the globe in order to give better access to photographers from different hemispheres.  The result has been a delightful collection of exciting meeting venues:

And now, dear reader, ICOP consists of collaboration between four imaging societies:  the Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society, the Ophthalmic Imaging Association of the UK, the Australian Institute of Medical and Biological Illustrators, and the Ooghelkundige Fotografie Nederland – Ophthalmic Photography Netherlands.  Each group brings their expertise, knowledge, and enthusiasm for ophthalmic imaging and it has been a very successful partnership!  Yes!  Some venues have been visited twice, and happily, ICOP will return to Singapore next March, 2017!  The tradition continues!

The Singapore National Eye Centre has graciously agreed to host the next ICOP at their wonderful facility.  A three day meeting of lectures, scientific papers, exchange of ideas, and comradery with old and new friends and colleagues is planned – a wonderful educational experience in a beautiful setting.  What more could one want?  There is no better way to start globetrotting than to build your journey around an outstanding educational program!

OPS members have already received a "Save the Date” notice via email, and the ICOP website link is coming soon with information about the meeting schedule, the excellent venue, accommodation, registration, and the delightful city of Singapore!  Start planning now!

West 7th is one of Fort Worth’s "Restaurant Rows”.  I highly recommend getting together with friends and doing a gastro-tour in this easily walkable area of fun, refreshing and new urban development. Here’s how it works: Pick one restaurant for appetizers, another for your second course or appetizers part II, your third location for the entrée and a fourth for desserts.   

When my husband and I restaurant hop, we always share the food on small plates and enjoy a cocktail.  Most of our servers want to skip their shift and join us as we venture to a handful of places and explore the menu of 3-4 area restaurants. This was our most recent Gastro-Tour:  

First Stop: Times Ten Cellars – they source grapes from Napa Valley and ferment on-site in huge steel tanks, visible from the "tank room”. We sat in causal oversized upholstered chairs with and oversized coffee table and enjoyed the Cabernet Franc with a selection of cured meats and cheeses.  

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Second Stop:  Waters Restaurant.  This is a fine dining establishment with an incredible seafood menu, but we just go straight to the bar! No reservation or tie needed.  We grabbed two chairs and small pub table near the big windows facing Crockett Street while we indulged on the ridiculously decadent lobster stuffed avocado and a glass of pinot grigio.   

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Fred’s Texas Café (Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) –  We shared a cheeseburger with our choice of fixins’ made to order, skipped the fries, and washed it down with a small soda or draft beer.  

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Tillman’s Road House– Table side S’mores and decaf coffee – Yes, we saved the best for last! The chocolate bars, graham crackers and flavored marshmallows (orange, maple and coffee flavored) are all made in house. Served with skewers and a small table top flame, you toast them and assemble your classic campfire treat.  

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Other great places for the adventurous foodie:  Mash’D, Kona Grill, FW Market + Table, Velvet Taco, Rodeo Goat, Salsa Limon, Thirteen Pies, and Terra Mediterranean.  

If you’ve got time for a brunch, make sure you pick Max’s Wine Dive, a short walk from the hotel.  

This small, bistro style pub is a go-to place for Brunch. It has a great wine and champagne list and even better food, as it is famous for its low and slow fried chicken, with (brace yourselves) a glass of champagne.  The two actually pair amazing well together.  Max’s slogan of "Brunch without champagne is just a sad breakfast” has never been so true.  Definitely order the fried chicken but get the Tiramisu French toast as an appetizer to share while you await for the fresh made fried chicken, and it’s also available gluten free. I suggest making a reservation via Open Table or call ahead!   

   
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Enjoy your trip to Fort Worth and leave with a happy and full belly. See you at the Mid-Year!

The Mid-Year meeting for example, what value and purchasing power. In my experience Mid-Year meetings have tended toward easily accessible.  Yet!  fewer days on my calendar expended. The somewhat longer annual programs can be …turbulent.. in comparison.  The Mid-Year offers a stellar line of global speakers, on facets wide ranging, in one room.  Someway I find the condensed nature provides a more relaxed environment.       

Some brilliant OPS volunteer or board recently came up with the idea to create a vendor forum– allowing me unconstrained access to vendor reps, instruments, all while providing CECs for the face time!  If you aren’t familiar with this new vendor forum, not familiar with these industry leading reps., shake hands with some fountains of support!      

At the Mid-Year meetings you need to be prepared...  These vendor colleagues are leaders in the industry competition, or Clinical Application Specialists, they know clinically how we implement our devices.  Therefore they share techniques with us we may not be aware of.  How can this service exist in our otherwise fettered consumer interactions:  because the majority of them has years of service in clinic roles precisely like ours, and serve as vibrant OPS members.      

My Institute administration will thankfully ask me to weigh in on new instruments and modalities; now back to being a ‘big’ consumer.  Vender Form is the place to bring that exact administration inquiry from your practice. Get business cards and pass requests for demos. You are now in the driving seat for major financial investment at the backing of your physicians.  You consume, but, in fact support your reps careers and that vital industry.      

It can be said I’m a consumer of these vendors and their talented and generous personnel.  Name another ‘product’ where year after year the ‘seller’ supports your learning at an OPS level?  ZEISS Meditec and Greg, Gary and Kevin Langton. Then Dale Brodsky at Fundus Photo, LLC, S4OPTIK, Heidelberg Engineering, Optos, Topcon, Optovue, Regeneron, Sonomed Escalon Nidek ​and the list goes on.    

In Ann Arbor 2015 –and as planned in Ft. Worth 2016 - the Vendor Forum provides a small group of 5 random attendees a rotation through all the visiting vendors one table at a time: Heidelberg Engineering , Zeiss… are all currently slotted to bring their newest technologies and teams.   We in effect purchase these structured and accredited times to pick their brains while they pick ours.    

These orchestrated meeting are just the first royalty check.  During the meeting’s breaks, all of lunch, after hours at the watering hole, these rock star representatives become friends.      

Our profession and society are unique in many ways.  The reps and CASs we enjoy allow us ongoing support, encouragement and training with not much effort from ourselves.  Why is that?     

To describe vendors as valuable assets in an understatement.  Like we innovate in our clinics, they innovate at their HQ, much of it based on our feedback to them.  A vital, valued and –obviously- symbiotic relationship.

"Restoring Vision by Replacing and Engineering Cells: The Promise of Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine” by Alan Kimura, MD, MPH.

Date:  Saturday, May 14, 2016 11:15 – 12:15pm
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
Dorothea Leonhardt Lecture Hall

Dr. Kimura is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and serves as one of a handful of oral board examiners in the Western United States. He is also a member of ISCEV, ARVO, AAO and other professional organizations and continues an enthusiastic involvement with research pursuits as a co-investigator in many studies, as Medical Chair in Denver for the Foundation for Fighting Blindness and his numerous publishing and authoring endeavors.   

A wonderful contributor to previous OPS Educational programs, Dr. Kimura is a gem that we are beyond excited to welcome back for what we know will be a fantastic lecture in terms of dynamic and new content, infused with Dr. Kimura’s unique and enthusiastic style of public speaking.  He’s an entertainer, folks!

Dr. Kimura attended the World Stem Cell Summit in Atlanta, Georgia in December of 2015 and has designed his talk to comprehensively cover the latest and greatest pearls of wisdom and discoveries from the recent Summit.  The course will review of the science behind stem cells research in the field of ophthalmology.  A review of the translational research into restoring vision will also be presented as well as a discussion on society’s role in regulating stem cell research.

Stem cell advancements are a key component of advancing medicine for the treatment of visual loss.   With Dr. Kimura’s Keynote address we know all attendees will have a better understanding of the science behind stem cell research and the advancement efforts to use stem cell technology to begin to restore vision loss.  

The OPS Board of Education is proud to offer this exciting program that was designed to cover the "Future of Medicine” with 16 OPS Credits and 13 JCAHPO-A Continuing Education Credits during this two day Educational Program.    

Don’t miss out on this event -> Register Today!

"Retina Surgical Videos” by Calvin Mein, MD

Date:  Friday, May 13, 2016 @ 11:15 – 12:15pm
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
Dorothea Leonhardt Lecture Hall

Dr. Mein is a Fellow with the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a Board Certified Ophthalmologist and Surgeon with over 40 years experience.    He has received many clinical awards including Top MD, Super Doctor, and Top Doctors of South East Texas, Castle Connolly of 2013.

Dr. Mein has been a wonderful asset to the OPS Educational Programs with well attended and well received lectures at numerous OPS meetings.   An OPS Lecturer for us since 2011, Dr. Mein will present videos of Vitreo-Retinal Surgery.  These will include techniques for Pars Plana Vitrectomy, EpiRetinal Membrane Peeling, Retinal Detachment Repair, The McCannel suture technique for repair of a posteriorly dislocated IOL, and many other interesting surgical cases.

The content is ideal to educate both photographers and technicians who are often asked to image patients prior to or post-operative to retinal surgery, but who rarely accompany the physician to assist with surgery. Attendees will observe through video demonstrations the complex microsurgical manipulations used in posterior segment eye surgery.  

Ophthalmic surgical videos are therefore a key component to provide a complete understanding of many forms of eye diseases and their management.  

At the end of this course, students will be able to list several retinal surgical procedures and describe in general terms how they are performed and appreciate the complexity of imaging an ophthalmic surgical procedure.  

Please join us for Dr. Mein’s one hour lecture at the OPS Mid-Year Educational Program in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, May 13th, 2016.  

The OPS Mid-Year Curriculum is proud to offer 16 OPS Credits and 13 JCAHPO-A Continuing Education Credits during this two day Educational Program.  

Don’t miss out on this event!!! It’s a fantastic way to network with other colleagues in your field, meet new people, and visit a really great city with a thriving cultural district and music scene.  

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!     

See you in Fort Worth!

What exactly is OCT Angiography? This new technology has the capability to show blood flow in just a quick scan, no injection and no bright lights needed. The OCT-A technology takes the original OCT scan software and builds onto it creating an information image based on the movement of red blood cells. The upcoming classes held during the OPS mid-year conference in Fort Worth, TX will give detailed outline of this new software. The course will review possible scanning artifacts to be aware of, new patient management protocols and software specs.

With the new OCT-A software, it seems we have an answer to a question we have yet to ask; how does OCT-A compare or differ from the standard fluorescein angiogram? Is one better than the other or do they complement each other? These questions will also be addressed at the 2016 mid-year conference. The courses will go over different diseases and pathology. Images will be show in order to compare OCT-A to different imaging modalities such as: color fundus photos, fundus auto- fluorescence and fluorescein angiography. As stated earlier, it seems (with OCT-A) that we have an answer to a question that we have yet to ask. These courses are meant to give the viewer as much information as possible for them to come to their own informed conclusions about the software. We currently do not have all of the answers as the technology is still in the infant stages. We look forward to seeing you in Texas!!!

P.S. - If you are interested in learning more about the OCT-A technology, check out our OCT-A themed webinars in December of 2016!

 *Images provided by the diagnostics team of the Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester

While you lament the passing of bright fall colors for the dull, cold gray of winter consider checking out some of the new webinars offered by the OPS Board of Education.

There are two more webinars coming up this month (Dec 10th and Dec 15th). Don't miss them!!

Each course only costs $25 for OPS members and $30 for non-OPS members. You will also have the opportunity to collect OPS or JCAHPO credits at the end of each course by completing a short quiz. Registration is super easy all all information can be found HERE.

Below you will find the dates and times for each course along with a link to their descriptions:

UPCOMING

• Thursday December 10th at 8:00pm EST: Tim Bennett, CRA, FOPS. On Different Wavelengths: The Spectrum of Retinal Imaging

• Tuesday December 15th at 8:00pm EST: Michael DellaVecchia, MD, PhD. Ocular Emergencies
  

PAST

•  Wednesday December 2nd at 8:00pm EST: Christye Sisson, CRA, MS. Color Consistency Analysis in Fundus Photography
  

• Tuesday December 8th at 8:00pm EST: Douglas B. Critser, CRA. Basic Fundus Photography

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There is so much to see here in Las Vegas! You could work your way through the Vegas Strip, by foot after classes every day, and you still wouldn't make it through the whole area.

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Check out the fountain at the Bellagio, it’s free! I love free!

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There are also an abundance of shows to see such as O at the Bellagio, Mystere at Treasure Island, Ka at New York New York.

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Do you want to have some fun with celebrities, wax celebrities that is? Check out Madame Tussauds Wax Museum located in the Venetian Shoppes.

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Maybe you want to check out a gourmet candy store located in the Mirage and see some wild animals at Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden.

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Whatever suits your fancy when you visit Vegas, there’s something for everyone. Can’t wait to see you there!!!!

Recently, I had a difficult view during a FA on a traditional fundus camera due to a severe cataract in the transit eye.  After finishing the mid-phase photographs I felt less than thrilled with my performance.  I thought about a trick that I remember hearing during a lecture at an OPS meeting, "If you have a difficult view through a cataract for a FA, use the Heidelberg”.  Wow, what a difference!  That severe cataract was causing very little distortion to the averaged image I was able to quickly obtain.  After showing my fellow photographers and the attending, I told them the trouble that I had and how I circumvented it.  I felt even more joy from passing on the technique to those around me, hoping that one day it will make a difference in someone else’s treatment. 

I hope to see y’all in Las Vegas for this year’s annual meeting where we can all learn from each other!

 Houston P. Sharpe, III, COA, OCT-C (top); Debra Cantrell, COA (bottom).

With the annual meeting being held at the fabulous Flamingo on The Vegas Strip, we will begin with those places nearby. Next door to the hotel, at The Linq, you will find the Polaroid Fotobar (3545 Las Vegas Blvd South, Suite L-7) where you can instantly turn any image from Facebook, Instagram or your phone into a classic looking Polaroid print. In addition to the store, which stocks all things Polaroid, there is a free museum upstairs featuring permanent and traveling exhibits from world renowned artists.

The National Atomic Testing Museum (755 E. Flamingo Dr.) is a museum dedicated to the history, development and testing of the nuclear bomb. There are over 12,000 unique artifacts, historical videos and interactive displays including an exhibit which delves deep into the highly secretive Area 51.

KISS: By Monster Mini Golf (4501 Paradise Rd.) is a rockin' 18 hole tribute to the band Kiss. The indoor course features glow-in-the-dark mini golf with a live dj spinning Kiss music along with Kiss trivia, contests and prizes. It is also home to the largest Kiss gift shop in the world as well as the "Hotter Than Hell” Wedding Chapel and the "Rock n' Roll All Night” Cafe. If mini golf wasn't enough to quench your competitive spirit, head on over to The Pinball Hall of Fame (1610 E. Tropicana) which features a collection of over 200 working pinball machines spanning all eras from the 1950's to present day machines. You can play to your hearts content so bring a pocket full of quarters and unleash your inner pinball wizard! It isn't about winning or losing here because as a registered non-profit company, most of the proceeds from the machines go directly to the owners favorite charity The Salvation Army.

Neon Boneyard (770 N. Las Vegas Blvd) which is home to more than 150 historic neon signs from the golden days of Las Vegas. Guided tours of this outdoor museum bring you up close to fantastic and ornate casino signs, some of which date back to the 1930's. There is also a night tour showcasing some of the beautifully lit restored signs.

The ever expanding city of Las Vegas has much to offer beyond gaming and nightlife. Taking time away from familiar hot spots will allow you to discover some hidden gems and help you to recharge for another night on the town.

As a life-long photographer, I’ve taken my share of selfies over the years. I’ve even attempted a few with the equipment I use for diagnostic ophthalmic photography. Part 1 of this blog explored the fun side of taking selfies with ophthalmic instruments.This post explores the more serious side of eye selfies. 

Surprisingly, the ability to take eye "selfies” has helped me identify and track pathology in my own eyes. Two years ago I suffered an idiopathic retinal tear with avulsed bridging vessel and persistent vitreous hemorrhage. This was successfully treated with vitrectomy. Like many patients, I developed a cataract after the vitrectomy. I also began to notice some distortion that corresponded to progression of an epiretinal membrane (ERM) in the same eye.

Any time I noticed a change in vision I would repeat an OCT on myself. Over the course of six months I tracked an increase in thickness of about 100 microns. The cataract also progressed and I was scheduled for cataract surgery. Two weeks prior to surgery I noticed a very subtle change in vision and sat down at the OCT like I’d done several times in the past. The OCT detected some cystoid macular edema (CME) from the ERM. Picking up the CME prior to cataract surgery was very beneficial. Preexisting CME can be exacerbated by cataract surgery, so my surgeon began a course of treatment that reduced the edema. My OCT selfies likely helped us avoid more severe or persistent edema by catching it in advance.

Cataract surgery went as planned, but within a few hours of my procedure I began to notice a new visual abnormality: a paracentral gray scotoma. Upon arriving at the clinic the next day for my post-operative check, I immediately did an SLO/OCT selfie and identified an unusual finding that corresponded directly to the scotoma.

SD-OCT demonstrated an area of hyper-reflectivity in the middle retinal layers just temporal to the fovea (green arrows) and the IR reflectance image showed a distinct dark gray lesion. Fortunately, the scotoma began to fade within a few days and so did the lesion. The jury is still out on the exact cause of the lesion but the selfies have enabled us to track improvement of my condition and possibly publish a case report. We believe it may be a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM), a recently described variant of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN). It's rare enough, that I was able to present it at the OPS Rare Case Symposium in Ann Arbor.

As you can see, image quality can be quite good with a little practice. So good in fact that I’ve received a bill from my institution for OCT images that I’ve performed on myself! Here is a double selfie video of a Spectralis IR fundus image showing how easy it is to capture my own epiretinal membrane.

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There is a belief that taking selfies can be a sign of narcissism rather than simple self-expression. There is also some concern it can be addicting and unhealthy. Maybe this is true and I should stop taking selfies of my own eyes. After all I keep finding abnormalities! But there is a growing trend in telemedicine where patients can take and forward selfies to their doctors to help diagnose or triage the urgency of their condition. 

Ophthalmic Photographers taking diagnostic selfies: obsessive, silly, or beneficial?

It was addressed to me, and even though there is no post office on my island, it was passed person to person until it made it to me.  When leaving for the Peace Corps, I had updated my address on the OPS website.  I knew the address I was adding was not viable for mail, but I had totally forgotten about actually receiving correspondence such as the JOP.  I had thought I was just putting it up there so everyone knew I was in the Peace Corps, halfway around the world.  An accidental experiment proved truly valuable!  It worked! Somehow, the postal system in Vanuatu worked, even though the postal service/road technically ends on Ambae, a neighboring island to our West. This spring issue of the JOP went hand to hand until the last hand made it to me.

I tore the plastic (thank you to JOP for packaging the journal so nicely! It wouldn’t have made it in one piece otherwise!) and opened it as four village women crowded around me to look at the pictures of eyeballs.  I tried as best as I could to explain what we were looking at - the inside of the eye - a timely issue as we have one woman who just went blind at the age of 30 secondary to a seizure disorder.  We also have one 22-year-old male who has a traumatic cataract in one eye after a piece of bamboo hit him in the eye when he was helping to build a house.   

Being here in the village, life is hard – our stores are empty as we only have a ship that comes to our island three or four times a year to pick up Copra (a coconut export) and drop off supplies. You learn how to live with what you have at hand and to improvise. But somehow . . . the JOP made it! 

Thank you OPS! 

About the Author: Alexis left the field of ophthalmic photography in late 2013 to fulfill her life long dream of joining the Peace Corps. She is currently serving in the island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific with her husband, Steve.  When she is finished with Peace Corps service, she hopes to pursue a career in telemedicine.  Even though she is not currently in the field of ophthalmology, she maintains her CRA and OCT-C credentials. You can read more about her Peace Corps experience at www.InVanuatu.co

Registration Packages will include attendance for courses as detailed above, a light breakfast and lunch, and special events- Scientific Paper Session, Awards Presentation, Welcome Reception and the J. Donald M. Gass Memorial Lecture.

     Annual Program Registration Package Options

  OPS Members                   Non-OPS Members

Pre-Reg     Onsite                 Pre-Reg     Onsite

Unlimited Lectures      $450              $500                       $550             $600

1-Day Lectures             $265              $315                       $315             $365

Per Workshop (add)    $25                $25                          $35               $35

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The Brown Jug is a U of M landmark which opened its doors back in 1936. The bar is named after the jug that is passed to the winner of the Michigan/Minnesota football game each year. Dating back to 1903, the brown jug is the oldest rivalry trophy in college football. The Brown Jug has been recognized as one of the best campus bars in the U.S. and offers an expansive food menu and equally impressive drink menu with lots of daily specials. This is a place where their motto holds true: "good food, good drinks and good friends”. If you like outdoor dining and house made sangria, look no further than Dominick's in the south university area. They are known for their seafood, Italian fare and pizza. In addition to their top selling sangria, a pink slushy drink called Constant Buzz is also a favorite of Dominick's regulars. It's best to arrive before seven as the place fills up quickly each night.

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Ashley's near the heart of campus on South State Street has been rated as one of the top 100 beer bars in the country. They offer over 50 taps with a mix of local favorites as well as beers from around the world. The dining menu at Ashley's has pub bites as well as burgers, wraps, sandwiches and a large selection of specialty fries. When you are in the mood to lay it all out on the dance floor, Necto has been recently voted as the best nightclub in Michigan. "Transport” Thursday offers Ann Arbor's biggest college party as DJ Knowledge brings high energy with Top 40, House, Throwback and Pop. "Frequency” Saturday Night is reserved for Top 40, Dance and House music with DJ Hardy and host MC Yoda. Their extended weekend happy hour goes from 9-11 Thursday through Sunday to help you bust out your best moves.

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If your goal is to shoot pool, throw darts and have some PBR and popcorn, check out the 8 Ball Saloon. This seedy dive bar is located in the basement of the famous Blind Pig music venue which has hosted everyone from Jimmy Hendrix to the MC5 to Nirvana. It features a great jukebox, cash only bar with cheap drinks and an utter lack of pretension. When there is a big game on that you simply cannot miss, Scorekeepers is the place to be with many large projection screens to appease the most diehard sports fan. Known as a college bar that caters to the younger crowd, this bar also turns into a dance club after 11 pm. This is a great place for big groups and anyone looking to catch their favorite team in action.

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The Rathskeller is located beneath the Heidelberg restaurant. The alpine dining room upstairs serves a variety of traditional German food from marinated Herring and Spaetzle to Schnitzel, Sauerbraten and Knockwurst. Head downstairs to the Rathskeller to enjoy over 14 taps specializing in the many different styles of German beer. If you've ever wanted to drink out of a bierstiefel (glass boot), this is the place! The boots are offered in 1 or 2 liter sizes and you can even purchase one to take home with you. Bill's Beer Garden is a place like no other. It takes over the parking lot of Downtown Home and Garden when the century old retailer closes its doors at 6:30. There is ample outdoor seating along with a large selection of beer and wine. Food can be brought in from the adjacent Mark's Carts food cart courtyard. The courtyard has eight food carts ready to serve Mexican, Indian and Chinese among other types of food. It's a true collaboration of three different businesses coming together to offer a unique outdoor experience.

When the night time is the right time, there is a bar for any mood or occasion. These are just a few of the many places around town to help you unwind after the conference. I encourage you to head out and explore the nightlife in Ann Arbor!

In this age of social media, webinars and computers on your wrist, there is still a profound value in face-to-face collaboration. To this end, the BOC met in Ann Arbor on April 24 and 25 to work together on a series of projects demanding board attention. For those of you who are unsure about the role of the Board of Certification, this board was founded in 1978 with the mission of creating a nationally recognized certification (the CRA) and for the continuous maintenance of all certification programs. Out of collaborative efforts such as these was born the now defunct COPRA, and the majestically current and relevant OCT-C exams. These exams don’t happen in a vacuum. There is no agency to vendor out the continuous evolution that our programs demand. It takes the dedication and hard work of the members of the BOC in partnership with the Board of Directors and the collaborative efforts of many to keep our CRA and OCT-C current, viable, and desirable.

At this meeting the CRA Guide was examined and modified, work was done on the application database, policies and procedures were edited for application of electronic methods to the testing procedure(s). Section chairs met in small groups to brainstorm the streamlining of many facets of the exam process. Discussions were conducted on how to improve the application procedures to include electronic scoring of performance exams to expedite the outcomes. The Election committee met to discuss upcoming elections and means to attract qualified, dedicated and ambitious OPS members to the board. Methods to post CEC approved meetings on the website in a more efficient manner were discussed.

Plans for upcoming CRA examination in Ann Arbor June 26 and possible venues for 2016 were reviewed. The production of the CRA and OCT-C examinations are the prime directive of the BOC. Their "care and feeding” occupies the majority of BOC business throughout the year.

Serving on a board is a lifelong bonding experience. The contributions of all boards to the society are immeasurable, as are the relationships and friendships that spring from giving back to a professional organization. As a member of an OPS board, in some fashion, for the past 33 years I can certainly attest to that! I urge everyone out there in OPS land to consider how you can impact your professional world - and make some mighty fine friends in the process!

Michigan ranks fifth in the nation with 131 craft breweries and is becoming a destination for beer lovers across the country. Brewers from the "Great Beer State” serve fresh beer to locals as well as a growing number of beer tourists who are coming to Michigan to sample creative and award winning beers from well-respected breweries. Ann Arbor has a wide range of brewers crafting many different styles of beer with everything from French Farmhouse Ales to highly hopped IPA's to Mexican Lagers.

Here are some breweries worth trying if you have the time to enjoy some fine Michigan beer. Most are within walking distance from the hotel with a few only a short cab ride away. We'll start with the closest brewery The Blue Tractor (207 E. Washington St) which is a short walk from the hotel and has six solid beers on tap including an American Cream Ale, Porter, Kolsch and IPA. They also offer a world class Smoke & BBQ menu to satisfy your dining needs. Arbor Brewing Co. (114 E. Washington St) is just down the street from The Blue Tractor and is Ann Arbor's oldest brewpub. They have ten beers on tap and a vegetarian friendly menu featuring local and sustainable ingredients. The brewery has expanded to include locations in nearby Ypsilanti and also India's first American craft brewery in Bangalore! Only a few doors down you'll find Grizzly Peak Brewing (120 W. Washington St). They offer twelve taps covering a variety of different beer styles. Their progressive "from-scratch” menu highlights fresh fish, hearth baked pizza, burgers and sandwiches.

The next few are a little further away from the Campus Inn but well worth the journey. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales (311 S. Main St) is a half mile walk from the hotel through eclectic Ann Arbor and worth every step. They specialize in French Farmhouse and Belgian Style Ales using open fermentation and oak aging to create their world recognized beers. Their food menu is just as diverse with many interesting choices to pair with their beer. A short cab ride, or ambitious walk, brings you to Biercamp (1634 S. State St) which is a small batch brewery with five rotating taps that also specializes in artisan meats. Their sausages, jerky and sandwiches are all hand made using farms where their animals are raised naturally and humanely using no hormones or growth promoting drugs. They also feature an outdoor beer garden to enjoy the warm Michigan summer. The furthest away at 2.5 miles is Wolverine State Brewing Co. (2019 W. Stadium St). It is near Michigan Stadium (aka The Big House) so if you are in the area stop by for Michigan's only all Lager brewery. They brew classic lagers as well as a variety of India Pale Lagers (IPL's), higher gravity offerings and seasonals including Mexican, Oktoberfest and Pumpkin Spiced Lagers. They also serve a great BBQ menu with pulled pork, brisket and ribs all with a special house made dry rub.                

Whether you are looking for a crisp summer wheat or a big bodied sipping ale, Ann Arbor has many choices to quench your thirst. I highly recommend visiting a few of these brewpubs to experience some great tasting local beer.

Links:

http://www.bluetractor.net/bta/a2/index

http://www.arborbrewing.com/

http://grizzlypeak.net/

http://www.jollypumpkin.com/annarbor/Default.htm

http://www.bier-camp.com/ http://wolverinebeer.com/

A GREAT coincidence!    The famous Ann Arbor Summer Festival 2015 is taking place from June 12 through July 5 this year.   With the OPS Mid-Year Program taking place June 26 - 27, this is a wonderful opportunity to hit BOTH in one trip. 

Ann Arbor Summer Festival    http://a2sf.org/desktop/  

The Festival runs two programs simultaneously - one with inside activities and one with outside activities at various venues throughout the U of M campus and in downtown Ann Arbor.  The inside attractions, called Main-Stage, include performances of music, dance, comedy and theater – you’ll need to purchase tickets for these events.  "Top of the Park” events are admission-free outdoor offerings and feature movies under the stars, open-air performances and concerts, and other family-friendly attractions. There is also a special "Beyond” series in which attendees will enjoy unique pop-up events throughout the city of Ann Arbor.  Festival-goers should not miss the opportunities for fun including Bike Nights, Global Parties such as World Music Night, educational activities,  Kids Rock, Kids Zone, Rock & Recycle, and Retreat.  90% of the more than 100 events are FREE!

…Download the app from iTunes App Store or Android Apps on Google Play, so you can keep current on all the latest festival updates.

 -Purchase tickets online starting April, 2015 at tickets.a2sf.org

-Or call the Ticket Office at (734) 764-2538 or toll-free in Michigan at (800) 221-1229.

If you go, be sure to bring these…

• Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, lawn blankets, strollers, wagons, and folding chairs

• Photo ID for access to the beverage garden

• Dancing shoes

• A sense of adventure

• A costume any time but especially on theme nights

If you have some spare time and you are a nature lover maybe you will want to check out the Arboretum which is 123 acres of nature trail and gardens. There’s also the opportunity to go kayaking down the Huron River. Don’t forget to check out some river tours if you have the chance!

Or you can climb Burton Memorial Tower located on the main campus. Awesome!  There are a lot of things to offer in Ann Arbor especially in June when the weather is wonderful. You can even take a stroll and see Ann Arbor’s historic buildings. There are several churches and famous houses to see such as the Anson Brown Building which is the oldest commercial building. Or check out the Bennett Kempf House which was built by postmaster Henry Bennett in the 1800’s.          

Getting around in Ann Arbor is a breeze – there are several excellent options. Getting into town from the Detroit airport is made easy thanks to AirRide.  

AirRide is a bus service that offers 12 round trips daily to Detroit Metro Airport. They drop-off / pick-up at three Ann Arbor locations.  The Blake Transit Center location is a half mile from the meeting hotel. The cost is $12 one-way or $22 round-trip if you reserve your ticket in advance. Check the AirRide schedule and make reservations at MyAirRide.com.  

For those staying at the Campus Inn, you will be centrally located in downtown Ann Arbor, a very walkable city. For those looking to venture further out of the city, there are other options besides traditional taxi’s or rental cars.

Operated by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, ‘The Ride’ is a top-notch public transit system, offering over 1500 stops. Fare is $1.50. Visit TheRide.org for more information.

Zipcar is a national car-sharing service that allows you to reserve and rent cars by the hour or day. Cars are located all around Ann Arbor. Zipcar members can reserve cars online then swipe their card at the vehicle to unlock doors. Gas and insurance are included. See Zipcar map for locations.  

There’s plenty to do and see in Ann Arbor and you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get out and see and do!!! Can’t wait to see you there!      

Photos courtesy of Google images search of Ann Arbor,MI  

 For more information about this fine city - click the link below:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Michigan/Ann_Arbor-808757/TravelGuide-Ann_Arbor.html      

 Well…. this year that is going to change. I currently serve on the OPS Board of Certification (BOC) as the CRA section chair, and as such will be in Ann Arbor for the CRA performance exam which is to be held on Sunday, June 28^th, 2015. I thought this would be a great time to attend a Mid-Year Program as well.  The program looks great!

And speaking of the CRA performance exam, do you plan on taking the exam in Ann Arbor? Did you know about that opportunity? This will be the second time as the Chair of the CRA section that I will be organizing the CRA performance exam. I am even more excited to be there this time.

I remember taking the performance exam in San Francisco in 2006 when it was offered immediately before the ICOP meeting. I also remember how nervous I was. Even though I had already been imaging patients for 14 years, it was still a little strange to be having to perform those tasks in front of another imager, especially Jonathan Shankle, of all people.

But in all seriousness, this summer would be a great time to visit beautiful Ann Arbor and achieve part of the requirements for certification as a CRA (don’t forget about the written test!). Tim Steffens, the Chair of the BOC, will be hosting the meeting and the exam at Kellogg Eye Center. Achieving my certification was a goal that I had set for myself when I first started imaging all the way back in 1993 and it gave me great personal and professional satisfaction to attain it. I believe that most CRAs feel the same.

If you are planning on coming to Ann Arbor for the exam, make sure you have all the requirements met by the end of April. (http://www.opsweb.org/?page=CRAOCTrequirements)

The deadline for applying for the performance exam is six weeks prior to the date of the exam, May 15^th 2015.

More information about registering for the performance exam in Ann Arbor can be found at: http://www.opsweb.org/?page=takeatest

 If you have any questions, feel free to email CRA.chair@gmail.com

I hope to see you there and best of luck!

"Ultrasonography for Intraocular Tumors" and "Telemedicine for Pediatric Retinal Diseases"

Speaker: Cagri G. Besirli, M.D., Ph.D, University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center

Date: Saturday, June 27, 2015 @ 11:15AM-12:15PM

The Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society is pleased to announce Dr. Cagri Besirli the second of two keynote speakers for the 2015 Mid-Year Program.

Please join us for Dr. Besirli’s 60 minute presentation on two topics in the morning on Saturday, June 27^th: The utilization of ultrasound in documenting intraocular tumors, and Kellogg Eye Center’s telemedicine advances in documenting and treating pediatric retinal diseases will be discussed.

A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, MO, Dr. Besirli is a vitreoretinal specialist with a focus on ocular trauma surgeries and pediatric retinal disorders.

Talk 1

Ultrasonography for Intraocular Tumors

Course Description: The principles of ophthalmic ultrasound and its role in the diagnosis of intraocular tumors will be reviewed using a case study approach.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the attendee should be able to describe different ultrasound techniques used in the evaluation of intraocular tumors, list the steps involved in patient evaluation, and discuss the ultrasonographic findings seen in common tumors.

Talk 2

Telemedicine for Pediatric Retinal Diseases

Course Description: The emerging field of ophthalmic telemedicine for the evaluation and diagnosis of children with retinal disorders will be discussed, with special attention given to the role of photographic screening in Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP).

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the attendee should be able to describe the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine for ROP screening, discuss the findings of major clinical trials evaluating the photographic screening of ROP, list the challenges faced by ophthalmic telemedicine programs.

Elaine Lok, CRA

Education Chair 2015 Mid Year Program

Program Information

Mid-Year Program Information

Mid-Year Program Registration

Although it may seem like a recent phenomenon, the photographic self-portrait has been with us since the dawn of photography. Perhaps the earliest known “selfie” was taken by Hippolyte Bayard (Portrait of a Drowned Man), a Frenchman who claimed to have invented a photographic process prior to the Daguerrotype. The same can be said of William Henry Fox-Talbot (The Reading Establishment).

In recent years, the photographic self-portrait has exploded in popularity into a global phenomenon, fueled by social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and others. It is estimated that over one million “selfies” are taken every day. A recent search of Instagram returned over 211 million photos with the hashtag “#selfie”. The term “selfie” is believed to have originated in Australia and has been elevated from internet slang to our common vernacular and even inclusion in several formal English dictionaries. In fact, selfie was Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2013!

Everybody seems to be getting into the act including celebrities, politicians and even the Pope! Selfies are even popular in space.  Astronauts have shared several  spacewalk selfies online, and last year, NASA promoted a global selfie project to celebrate Earth Day. They solicited over 36,000 selfies from around the world and created an interactive composite image that can be viewed on their website.

The selfie is so ubiquitous in today’s pop culture that cell phones and digital cameras often include built-in selfie-friendly apps and features such as extra wide angle lenses, articulating screens or front facing screens that facilitate the selfie pose.  You can also purchase selfie sticks to extend the camera to a better vantage point.  These popular items go well beyond the simple self-timer found on many cameras of yesteryear. Selfies are often purposely self-deprecating, campy, cheesy, or irreverent. They are meant to be spontaneous and fun and are not usually taken very seriously. The selfie craze has even spawned the infamous “duck face” pose.

Despite the fun and seemingly harmless spirit behind them, there is a belief that taking selfies can be a sign of narcissism rather than simple self-expression. There is also some concern it can be addicting and unhealthy. But there is a growing trend in telemedicine where patients can take and forward selfies to their doctors to help diagnose or triage the urgency of their condition.  So maybe there are some legitimate uses for selfies.

As a life-long photographer, I’ve taken my share of selfies over the years. I’ve even attempted a few with the equipment I use for diagnostic ophthalmic photography. Some are goofy, and in the spirit of social media selfies. Some are more practical.

Most ophthalmic imaging devices are not what you’d normally consider selfie friendly, at least not in terms of taking a photo of one’s own eyes. Because the optics of these devices are designed for photographing curved surfaces found in the interior of the eye, they usually create distortion when backed up an appropriate distance to take a facial portrait. The effect of this distortion eliminates the need for a goofy facial expression if your goal is just to post a unique selfie on the internet!

But what about useful diagnostic or artistic photos of your own eyes, photos that go beyond distorted face selfies? It’s not only possible, but surprisingly good images can be obtained with some devices.  Non-mydriatic instruments with a monitor that can be pivoted toward the patient/photographer lend themselves to self-imaging, while those with an optical viewfinder (fundus camera) or fixed monitor position (Cirrus) do not. I’ve been able to obtain eye selfies with the Zeiss Stratus, Heidelberg HRT, Heidelberg HRA/OCT, Clarity RetCam, Tomey specular microscope and various handheld external cameras. But, you might ask, “So what?” or “Why?”

Well, there have been times when I needed to check a device during maintenance or a software upgrade and it was convenient to use myself as the patient. Sometimes while training staff to use a device, I’ll demonstrate the procedure on myself. Other times, I’ve needed a quick example of a “normal” eye for a lecture like those above.

I took this OCT selfie when we had a visiting scientist from NASA exploring the possibility of putting an OCT on the International Space Station. She wanted to see the Heidelberg Spectralis in clinical use. After demonstrating on several patients, the scientist asked me if I thought it were possible for someone to take an OCT image of themselves. I pivoted the monitor, control panel, and footswitch around and took this selfie of my own retina. I was showing off a little and smugly cautioned the NASA doctor that this was a difficult feat that only an experienced ophthalmic imager could perform. She paused for a moment and then said, “With all due respect, astronauts are some of the smartest and talented people on earth. They shouldn’t have any difficulty doing performing OCTs on themselves after a couple of days training.” Suddenly I didn’t feel so smug. A year or so later, the Spectralis arrived at the International Space Station and it looks like she was right!

Have you ever taken an eye selfie - silly, serious, or otherwise? If so, please share them with your colleagues. You can submit your photos to the OPS Facebook challenge: ops.fb.challenge@gmail.com