April 2013 - New York Eye and Ear Infirmary

Seen & Heard
the Official Publication of the Alumni Association of NYEE
April 2013
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF
THE NEW YORK EYE AND
EAR INFIRMARY
2013 Officers:
RICHARD DEluCA, MD
President
JOHN AlJIAN, MD
SHARON GIESE, MD
MICHAEl PITMAN, MD
Executive Board
MElISSA SIMEON
Alumni Affairs Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE NEW YORK EYE AND EAR
INFIRMARY
Chairman of the Board
SORRELL MATHES
JOSEPH M. COHEN
PETER J. CROWLEY
PETER FRELINGHUYSEN
JOHN M. GILLEN
JEROME R. GOLDSTEIN
SHELDON S. GORDON
STEVEN HOCHBERG
LAWRENCE S. HUNTINGTON
MORTON P. HYMAN
PLINY JEWELL IV
JAMES L. KEMPNER
BARRY A. KONIG
LEIGH LACHMAN, MD
NAVIN C. MEHTA, MD
WILLIAM P. MILLER
EDWARD J. NOWAK
DOTTIE PAYSON
HOPE B. PREMINGER
JOHN SEEDOR, MD
PAUL SIDOTI, MD
JOSEPH R. BURKART, CHAIRMAN
EMERITUS
JUDY ZESIGER,
HONORARY DIRECTOR
President and
Chief Executive Officer
D. MCWILLIAMS KESSLER
In this issue:
■ 2013 Alumni Association
Dinner & Award Presentation
■ Physician News
■ Renovation of NYEE Pediatric unit
■ Zimba Eye Clinic
AluMNI ASSOCIATION OF
THE NEWYORk EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
Officers
Richard L. DeLuca, MD
John Aljian, MD and Michael J. Pitman, MD
Cordially request the pleasure of your company at
THE 2013 NEW YORk EYE AND EAR AluMNI ASSOCIATION
ANNuAl DINNER & AWARD PRESENTATION
As we join in celebratory tribute to this year’s honorees:
J. Robert Rosenthal, MD and Salvatore M. Caruana, MD
(Class of 1960)
(Class of 1995)
and Michael Strauss, MD,
who will receive a Special Recognition Award
Friday, June 7, 2013
6:00-7:30 Cocktail Reception
7:30-10:00 Dinner & Award Presentation
The Yale Club of New York City
50 Vanderbilt Avenue, opposite Grand Central Terminal
Business Attire
Individuals tickets are $295; couple tickets are $550. Please RSVP by May 24 to:
Melissa Simeon, 212-979-4019; msimeon@nyee.edu

NYEE Alumni and Staff In the Spotlight
President’s Reception
Highlights NYEE Centers
of Excellence
On March 21, NYEE hosted a President’s Reception at the
invitation of President and Chief Executive Officer D.
McWilliams kessler to highlight innovative advances in microsurgical
training and enhanced treatments for children
with ear, nose and throat disorders. While enjoying a tasting
of artisanal Italian wines and food at Italian Wine Merchants,
more than 70 guests, including NYEE trustees and donors,
heard presentations by Douglas F. Buxton, MD, President,
Dr. Douglas Buxton (left) and Dr. Joseph Bernstein (right) with President’s Reception
awards presented by D. McWilliams Kessler (center)
The Jorge N. Buxton, MD Microsurgical Education Foundation
and Joseph Bernstein, MD, Director, Pediatric
Otolaryngology, Continuum Otolaryngology Service Line.
Honors and Awards
In July, Richard Rosen, MD, Chief of Service, Vice
Chairman, Director of Research and Surgeon Director,
Department of Ophthalmology, will be awarded with an
Honorary Degree, Doctor of Science by the University of
Kent at Canterbury Cathedral. This degree is being conferred
“In Recognition of Contributions to Medical Physics.” Dr.
Rosen has been a long-time collaborator with the University,
where, since 2006, he has served as Visiting Professor of
Optics…In January, Christopher linstrom, MD
Surgeon Director, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,
received a President’s Citation Award from the American
Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society…
Donald Wood-Smith, MD, NYEE’s Chairman of Plastics
& Reconstructive Surgery, has been welcomed as the
newest member of the Haute MD Network, an exclusive
invitation-only group. Dr. Wood-Smith was selected for his
exceptional talent in primary and secondary rhinoplasty.
Haute Living Magazine will feature Dr. Wood-Smith as the
exclusive Haute MD specialist in the Nose category for
New York. The Haute MD blog is frequently updated with
groundbreaking news, trends and events in medicine, and
is a good source for finding outstanding physicians.
Dr. Robert Ritch Engages
in Global Education
Robert Ritch, MD, the Shelley and Steven Einhorn
Distinguished Chair; Chief, Glaucoma Service; and NYEE
Surgeon Director, served as Convener for the Glaucoma
Scientific Program and Subspecialty Day at the Asia-Pacific
Academy of Ophthalmology held in Hyderabad,
India in February. He co-chaired the Subspecialty
Day Symposium on Hot Topics; the Symposium:
“Management of Difficult Glaucomas;” and the Von
Graefe Symposium: “Glaucoma and the Brain.” Dr.
Ritch also presented lectures on “Glaucoma in the
Phakomatoses,” “The Use of Ologen in Filtration
Surgery,” “Mechanisms of Angle-Closure,” and
“What Can I Do for Normal-Tension Glaucoma
Beside Lowering IOP?”… Dr. Ritch also served as
keynote speaker at the Glaucoma Society of Nigeria,
organized by the Africa Ophthalmology Forum
held in Lagos in February, focusing on “Exfoliation
Syndrome” and “Normal-Tension Glaucoma–A
Nocturnal Disease.”… Dr. Ritch also organized
the International Ophthalmology Teaching Mission
and Conference, "International Update on Eye
Disease: Current Clinical and Research Aspects,”
held at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology,
Kathmandu, Nepal, in March, where he was joined by 100
of the 150 ophthalmologists in Nepal, and also
ophthalmologists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Bhutan, India,
and Bangladesh.
Physician News
Anita Gupta, MD, Assistant Director, Comprehensive
Ophthalmology Service, has been appointed Director of Medical
Student Education for the Department of Ophthalmology,
effective March 1, 2013…
…In March, Christopher Teng, MD, a NYEE glaucoma
expert, lectured and performed surgical demonstrations in
Romania. The trip was sponsored by The International Council
of Ophthalmology (ICO), on behalf of Alina Neacsu, MD, a
2012 ICO fellow at NYEE, who takes part in a unique ICO
international exchange program, known as the “Sandwich
Fellowship.” Fellows from foreign countries come to the U.S.
for two periods of study at NYEE, while a NYEE guest professor
travels to their homeland hospital to teach. There are approximately
60 ICO fellowships around the world each year, with NYEE
training one of the largest number of such fellows.

2012 Zimba Eye Clinic Project,
an Annual “labor of love”
In November 2012, Dr. Douglas Buxton travelled to
Zambia for the 2012 Zimba Eye Clinic Project. Many of
the people served there are the poorest of the poor and
they live with heartache and loss everyday of their lives. Dr.
Buxton and his team are there for only a short time, but in
that time they are able to brighten the lives of those in the
community struggling with eye disease and injury who cannot
afford proper care and treatment on their own. Following
are excerpts from Dr. Buxton’s journal about this “labor
of love,” along with photos of his work.
1st Entry: Long and trying travel day...spent all afternoon organizing
the clinic for tomorrow. It's so rewarding to be with such
a wonderful team creating something out of nothing!
2nd Entry: The team and I performed seven cataract surgeries,
one corneal transplant, one IOL exchange, one lid reconstruction,
one repair of a complicated ruptured globe and saw about 50

patients in clinic. We are rocking and rolling out here in Tongaland
but the need is endless and the suffering is astounding.......and
the kiddies, the poor kids, that is what I can't face. Nothing to do
for most of their conditions: no finances, no technology, no long
term support, etc.
3rd Entry: They call it the "real Africa" with all the positives
and negatives that it implies, Zambia is a potentially rich and
prosperous nation with vast natural resources, including a wealth
of mineral deposits, rich soil and abundant fresh water supplies
and yet, per capita, is one of the poorest nations on earth with an
elevated infant mortality rate, high prevalence of AIDS, poor
infrastructural development and a poor educational system. However,
the people work hard and smile all the time!
"It is magic you are performing here and we are grateful," a
patient remarked. The magic is in the love and dedication of this
wonderful group of nurses and doctors. Drs. Kayshap and Jeanniton
from New York have enthusiastically adopted the spirit of our mission
and are now routinely performing sight-saving lid procedures that
will be of benefit to their patients for years to come. Anne and
Cathy, our OR nursing angels, assure that everyone receives excellent,
efficient and safe peri-operative care, avoiding any errors of identity
or surgical site. Dr. Bill, our intrepid team leader, and his
enthusiastic and charming assistant Angie, are screening dozens
of patients a day and dispensing spectacles, probably our most
important function while here in Zimba. Finally, our newest team
couple, Barb and Bud, have added wisdom and peace to our work.
Barb has extensive nursing and anesthesia experience and has
afforded us the flexibility of extending our services to the pediatric
and adolescent population. Bud, an engineer by inclination, if not
trade, has managed to keep us running by performing technological
repair miracles as well as maintaining our generator during our
all too frequent brown and black outs. He has easily doubled our
screening capacity by reconstituting another full examination lane.
4th Entry: Time running out for us and our patients. We have
been fully booked on our surgical board since last Wednesday
afternoon and tragically anyone else we see now can only be
brought back for the "next team" in February '13. Today we really
have some complicated cases on the docket. The first two are eye-saving
procedures from a traumatic injury and a hyperacute conjunctivitis.
5th Entry: We performed an eye saving surgery this morning on
a 9-year-old boy. The equipment and technique, while not optimal,
did offer him an excellent chance of retaining useful vision as an
adult. Yesterday we performed six cataract surgeries, four corneal
transplants and two complicated lid procedures along with some
eye tumors and other miscellaneous minor procedures. Truly an
inspirational session! This is why we are here.

Major Renovation of Pediatrics
unit Planned at NYEE
By Allan Fine, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer
In an earlier issue of this newsletter, I reported on an array
of renovation and modernization projects that have been
undertaken at NYEE. We are pleased to announce in our
continued commitment to both modernize and expand our
clinical and diagnostic areas, that an extensive renovation and
modernization plan is scheduled for the Pediatrics Unit on the
9th Floor of the North Building. Renovation will start in the
third quarter of 2013 and the phased completion is expected
to be completed by Spring of 2014. The goal of this initiative
is to maximize the Unit’s clinical and aesthetic appeal by:
■ Providing additional bed capacity and patient waiting
capacity
■ Creating a private consult office
■ Reconfiguring support spaces such as nourishment
room, medication room and nursing station to more
efficiently accommodate new technology and patient care
practices such as electronic medical record keeping and
medication management systems
■ Providing additional patient and visitor amenities
such as secured lockers, new restrooms, stroller storage
and patient waiting area
Enhancing patient and staff safety and security
■ Modernizing all finishes to enhance the entire patient
experience and work place environment
Elements of the new design will include:
■ Removal of unnecessary walls and obstructions to
provide faster, easier access to patients and work areas
■ Replacement of select walls with glass to create a more
open and appealing space and greater visibility for
monitoring activity on the floor
■ Installation of new elevator lobby doors and emergency
egress door control to enhance the safety of pediatric
patients and their families
■ Expansion of pediatric patient waiting area with the
addition of a separate waiting room for older patients
■ Adding new entertainment devices including TVs and
computer devices to improve the patient experience
■ Construction of a new treatment room within the unit
for exclusive use for pediatric patients
■ Construction of a new staff lounge on the floor
This much needed renovation is recognition of our significant
pediatric volume and the commitment NYEE has to treating this
patient population. We are confident that it will be well received
by our patients, families, physicians and staff. If you would like
to learn more about this initiative and how you may be able to
lend support, please contact us. I can be reached at 212-979-4666
or afine@nyee.edu. We also hope that you will find occasion to
visit and see the unit once the renovation is completed.
*Note: At the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology held in Hyderabad,
India in February, Allan Fine chaired the track on hospital management,
entitled, “Assessing the Value of an Academic Mission Relevant to Demands
of Cost-Effective Patient Care Delivery.” He also served as a speaker; the
topic of his presentation was “Effective Strategic Planning Designed to
Achieve Results.”

Seen & Heard
the Official Publication of the Alumni Association of NYEE
The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary
310 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003
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upcoming Events Calendar
■ European Society of Ophthalmology June 8-11, 2013 – Copenhagen, Denmark
■ Glaucoma Surgery course for 3rd year residents (TENTATIVE) July 13, 2013 – NYEE
■ World Glaucoma Association: 5th World Glaucoma Congress July 17-20, 2013 – Vancouver, BC
■ Retina Society 46th Annual Scientific Meeting September 26-29, 2013 – Beverly Hills, CA
■ American Academy of Otolaryngology - AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO
Sept 29-Oct 2, 2013 – Vancouver, BC
■ NYEE Thanks for Giving Gala October 3, 2013 – NYEE
■ Cataract Surgery in the Stratosphere: Tackling Advanced & Challenging Surgical Problems
October 19-21, 2013 – New Orleans, LA
■ American Academy of Ophthalmology 2013 November 16-19, 2013 – New Orleans, LA
To place any news or announcements in future issues, please contact Melissa Simeon
Alumni Affairs Manager 212-979-4019 msimeon@nyee.edu.
In Memoriam
James C. Newton, MD, age 83, died at his Florida home in February. Dr. Newton graduated from Fordham University
with a PhD in Biology followed by Jefferson Medical College as MD in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
His practice was based in Manhattan where he also served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology
at Columbia-St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital. During his tenure he trained and inspired a significant number of residents
who went on to become successful ophthalmologists, coauthored a number of scientific papers on retina and anterior segments,
served as a Knight of the Order of St. John Hospital in Jerusalem, member of the Certified American Board of
Ophthalmology, member of the Retina Society, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and Fellow of the New York
Academy of Medicine. He was also instrumental in the foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists.