4 minute read
Glaucoma Q&A: Catching up with Dr. Ike Ahmed
Surgeon-scientist Iqbal Ike K. Ahmed, MD, FRCSC, directs Moran’s Alan S. Crandall Center for Glaucoma Innovation and is a globally recognized leader in the field.
TELL US ABOUT THE CRANDALL CENTER’S NEW SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD.
We’ve handpicked top glaucoma experts who will serve as a guiding light for the center. This is a diverse group interested in everything from surgical devices and artificial intelligence (AI) to gene therapy and neuroprotection.
The board is chaired by W. Daniel Stamer, PhD, from Duke University, who is studying the conventional fluid outflow pathway of the eye to develop next-generation treatments. Additional board members are:
• Jonathan Crowston, MD, PhD, of the University of Sydney, studying how aging impacts the risk for developing glaucoma;
• C. Ross Ethier, PhD, of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, an expert in ocular biomechanics research who is one of the world’s most-cited researchers in his field;
• Sir Peng T. Khaw, MD, PhD, from the University College of London, studying new surgical and medical techniques for glaucoma, particularly pediatric glaucoma;
• Ingeborg Stalmans, MD, PhD, of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, who is working to use imaging and artificial intelligence to detect and monitor glaucoma; and
• Donald J. Zack, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University, investigating how to save retinal ganglion cells that die in patients with glaucoma.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW?
For me, it’s the work we are doing evaluating potential new surgical therapeutics and devices that we hope can increase surgical precision and provide better outcomes for patients.
A big part of that has been evaluating several new types of lasers designed for use during glaucoma surgery. This past year we completed the first-in-human clinical study of the Myra Vision Calibreye System, which allows surgeons to implant a drainage device in the eye and later adjust it without the need for additional surgery. We are about to begin a pre-clinical study with ViaLase to test the first femtosecond laser, image-guided, high-precision trabeculotomy (FLigHT) for open-angle glaucoma. We also will be involved in a drainage device material evaluation for W.L. Gore & Associates.
Ian F. Pitha, MD, PhD, who has just joined the Crandall Center, has an impressive history of evaluating new surgical devices and will take us into exciting new areas as well.
YOU WERE RECENTLY NAMED THE NO. 1 MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN THE FIELD OF OPHTHALMOLOGY WORLDWIDE. HOW CAN YOU USE THAT LEVEL OF INFLUENCE?
It’s such an honor to be considered in a group of influential ophthalmologists and clinician scientists. To be No. 1 is a bit weird for me because I’m average, I like to be amongst everyone and feel like we are all the same.
Ultimately, I hope this will shine a light on those who have been an important part of my professional journey, whether it’s my scientific collaborators, clinicians on our teams, fellows and residents I have been fortunate to train and mentor, or administrative staff who are so important.
For the Crandall Center, I hope this brings a light to what we’re doing here.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION GLAUCOMA CARE 10 YEARS FROM NOW?
It’s nice to see how far we’ve come in the last decade as we move forward with technology. We’re using micro instruments, new forms of drug delivery, and lasers to provide better control of glaucoma without burdening patients with prescription eye drops that can be difficult to use and impact quality of life.
In the next 10 years I see the field intervening in a way that doesn’t treat this disease with a Band-Aid. We must get to the root source of the problem, which is at the cellular level of the optic nerve, and protect or regenerate these cells that die in glaucoma.
THERE’S A LOT OF BUZZ RIGHT NOW ABOUT AI. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS BEING USED IN GLAUCOMA CARE?
Glaucoma is a very data-heavy specialty since we rely on thousands of data points measured over a patient’s life to help decide treatment. Being able to synthesize all that data to better select the right therapy for the right patient is where AI can help us.
To do that, we need people who can develop high-quality data sets and use them ethically and effectively. At Moran, clinician scientist Brian Stagg, MD, is using informatics to guide care, and we’re very excited to have added ophthalmic AI expert Adam Dubis, PhD, who has international expertise in building and commercializing ophthalmic data sets.
Learn More
Scan to read more about the Alan S. Crandall Center for Glaucoma Innovation.
