At the forefront in the fight against DED

Dr. Kramer is constantly at the forefront of the latest developments and findings for treatments of dry eye syndrome.

Dry eye disease (DED) affects approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide and is the most common disorder of the ocular surface. A common cause of DED is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which is typically treated with lid margin hygiene, or the removal of the meibomian gland obstruction.

“Redness, burning, and gritty sensations are all common among patients with DED, as well as sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and the accumulation of water and/or mucus in the eye,” explained Dr. Kramer. She added that these symptoms are often most severe among people who wear contact lenses, and can cause persistent irritation, pain, and decreased quality of life.

She noted that DED doesn’t have to be debilitating for patients who wear contact lenses. However, she added that the condition remains somewhat underdiagnosed, and symptoms range essentially limitless due to patients believing the symptoms they experience are normal and therefore do not need to be discussed with their eye care practitioner.

One of Dr. Kramer’s specializations is designing scleral lenses — largediameter gas-permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest over the sclera. Scleral contact lenses provide a smooth optical surface that works to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus and other irregular cornea problem.

Dr. Kramer also specializes in diagnosing DED and prescribing different treatments for dry eyes. Her focus is on finding ways for anyone to tolerate their contact lenses if they have allergies, dry eyes, or ocular surface conditions.

She aims to identify the underlying cause of her patients' dry eye and treat it based on specific equipment and customized treatment. “DED is chronic,” she said. “It is not a condition that can be cured but needs to be managed properly. Therefore, patient education is one of the most important aspects of my practice,” she enthused.

Mastering the art of comanagement and education

Dr. Kramer works closely with ophthalmologists. She has patients who have had surgeries or are scheduled for surgeries. Cases that involve retinal detachment vitreous issues and cataract surgery are more complex, thus she has many patients that she comanages with ophthalmologists.

What is truly rewarding for Dr. Kramer is patient care. She strives to assist each patient with quality and advanced eye care whether they require a basic eye exam or specialized vision care.

Besides improving her patients’ quality of life, Dr. Kramer’s other passion is education. She enjoys being at the forefront of education and technology to make a difference among other practitioners — to teach them and to raise awareness about different treatment options and available technology.

Her advice to young aspiring optometrists is to specialize in an area of their interest.

“There is so much more to optometry than refraction. And there are many more things we optometrists can do. We can specialize in fields that demand more specialties, and thus help more people,” she added.

This year, Dr. Kramer will be focusing more on her practice at home. At the same time, she is involved in many virtual optometry-related conferences and activities.

Her practice — Miami Contact Lens Institute — was launched in 2013. Five years later she expanded by opening a center in a second location, in Weston, about half an hour’s drive from Miami. These days, she divides her time between the two locations.

Life beyond optometry

One may be surprised to know that this single mother to a seven-year-old boy has so much energy, not just in her career but also in living life to the fullest.

Dr. Kramer can speak several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, and Portuguese.

She is also an avid singer and musician who has released a few singles online under the name Elise Gabrielle (Gabrielle is her middle name). Dr. Kramer has been singing and playing the piano since she was four years old. Playing mostly classical music, Dr. Kramer has participated in various concerts and regional competitions.

“I guess you can say I have lots of passions and energy to spread,” she smiled.

Contributing Doctor

Dr. Elise Kramer is a residencytrained optometrist in Miami, Florida, who specializes in ocular surface disease and specialty contact lens design and fitting. She has a doctorate degree in optometry from the Université de Montréal in 2012. During her fourth year, she completed her internship in ocular disease at the Eye Centers of South Florida and went on to complete her residency at the Miami VA Medical Center. Her time there included training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the nation’s top eye hospital. After her residency, Dr. Kramer became a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS) and now serves as its treasurer. Dr. Kramer is a member of the American Optometric Association and the International Association of Contact Lens Educators, as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and the British Contact Lens Association. She is also the Delegate of International Relations for the Italian Association of Scleral Lenses. Dr. Kramer has published several important articles and reviews and participates in clinical research trials. She enjoys giving lectures all around the world in several different languages about ocular surface diseases and specialty lenses.

elise@miamicontactlens.com