Gifts Help Restore Sight to Patients with Corneal Damage

close-up of Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis

New site for sight: The Baylor Eye Clinic is now one of only two centers outside of Boston to offer patients the Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis. Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D., and Therapeutic Optometrist Anisa Gire, D.O., help patients with the lens, which is larger than a typical contact lens.

Thanks to the generosity of donors throughout the Houston area, Baylor College of Medicine is now one of the few institutions in the country to offer a life-altering device for improving the vision of people who cannot rely on contacts or in some cases even glasses.

In November, the College opened the Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis Clinic at the Baylor Eye Clinic, making it one of only two institutions outside of the Boston area capable of offering this treatment option. The prosthesis provided by the Clinic is ideal for individuals who suffer from conditions that affect the cornea, such as severe dry eye, irregularly shaped corneas or corneal damage due to injury.

The device has already made a huge difference in the lives of BCM patients, said Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D., the James and Margaret Elkins Chair in BCM's Department of Ophthalmology.

"One of our patients has only one eye and suffered from severe dry eye and cornea disease, making her functionally blind. After getting this device, she achieved 20/20 vision," said Pflugfelder. "My technician told me she saw the patient crying in our waiting room because she was simply overwhelmed by her improved vision. I think we will be experiencing lots of these miracles in the future."

photo of equipment used to make the prosthetic lenses

One of a kind vision: Each prosthetic lens is custom made by this lathe based on precise measurements of the patient's eye and on his or her unique vision challenges.

Each prosthetic is custom made based on precise measurements of the patient's eye and on his or her unique vision challenges. Though they are similar to contact lenses, they do not sit on the cornea as contacts do. Instead, the prosthetics are filled with saline and rest on the sclera, the white portion of the eye that surrounds the cornea.

This treatment would not be available at BCM were it not for donors who provided the funding that enabled the College to establish this Clinic, said Dan B. Jones, M.D., Chairman of the Ophthalmology Department and Margarett Root Brown Chair. Among these donors are The Gary and Lee Rosenthal Foundation, Arthur Rutenberg, Strake Foundation and Sterling-Turner Foundation.

"Having compromised vision makes life extremely challenging, to say the least," said Jones, who also is the Sid W. Richardson Professor and the Distinguished Service Professor for the Department of Ophthalmology. "By giving to this Clinic, our donors have provided us with the capability to improve or restore the eyesight of people who otherwise might not be helped. That is a great thing."

My technician told me she saw the patient crying in our waiting room because she was simply overwhelmed by her improved vision. I think we will be experiencing lots of these miracles in the future."
Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D.
James and Margaret Elkins Chair, Department of Ophthalmology

Features

News

Spotlight

Briefs

Development/Alumni

Development Briefs

Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008


	Gifts Help Restore Sight to Patients with Corneal Damage by Toby Weber New site for sight: The Baylor Eye Clinic is now one of only two centers outside of Boston to offer patients the Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis. Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D., and Therapeutic Optometrist Anisa Gire, D.O., help patients with the lens, which is larger than a typical contact lens. Thanks to the generosity of donors throughout the Houston area, Baylor College of Medicine is now one of the few institutions in the country to offer a life-altering device for improving the vision of people who cannot rely on contacts or in some cases even glasses. In November, the College opened the Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis Clinic at the Baylor Eye Clinic, making it one of only two institutions outside of the Boston area capable of offering this treatment option. The prosthesis provided by the Clinic is ideal for individuals who suffer from conditions that affect the cornea, such as severe dry eye, irregularly shaped corneas or corneal damage due to injury. The device has already made a huge difference in the lives of BCM patients, said Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D., the James and Margaret Elkins Chair in BCM's Department of Ophthalmology. "One of our patients has only one eye and suffered from severe dry eye and cornea disease, making her functionally blind. After getting this device, she achieved 20/20 vision," said Pflugfelder. "My technician told me she saw the patient crying in our waiting room because she was simply overwhelmed by her improved vision. I think we will be experiencing lots of these miracles in the future." One of a kind vision: Each prosthetic lens is custom made by this lathe based on precise measurements of the patient's eye and on his or her unique vision challenges. Each prosthetic is custom made based on precise measurements of the patient's eye and on his or her unique vision challenges. Though they are similar to contact lenses, they do not sit on the cornea as contacts do. Instead, the prosthetics are filled with saline and rest on the sclera, the white portion of the eye that surrounds the cornea. This treatment would not be available at BCM were it not for donors who provided the funding that enabled the College to establish this Clinic, said Dan B. Jones, M.D., Chairman of the Ophthalmology Department and Margarett Root Brown Chair. Among these donors are The Gary and Lee Rosenthal Foundation, Arthur Rutenberg, Strake Foundation and Sterling-Turner Foundation. "Having compromised vision makes life extremely challenging, to say the least," said Jones, who also is the Sid W. Richardson Professor and the Distinguished Service Professor for the Department of Ophthalmology. "By giving to this Clinic, our donors have provided us with the capability to improve or restore the eyesight of people who otherwise might not be helped. That is a great thing." My technician told me she saw the patient crying in our waiting room because she was simply overwhelmed by her improved vision. I think we will be experiencing lots of these miracles in the future." Stephen Pflugfelder, M.D. James and Margaret Elkins Chair, Department of Ophthalmology		Search all issues: Features Baylor College of Medicine in Houston: 65 years of Excellence BCM Looks to the Future on the McNair Campus Legacy of Leadership: BCM Icons Set Foundation for the Future 1,000 Genomes Project: Looking for the Differences News O'Malley Receives National Medal of Science Robert Todd Named to Lead BCM's Department of Medicine Roy Huffington Remembered as Bold and Generous Spotlight Following his Passion—One Physician's Journey The Search for Answers When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H. Thomas Street—The Road to Health Perceiving—A new Look at Brain and Behavior Briefs Mind Games Wang Wins NIH Award Genetics Used to Personalize Heart Disease Treatment First Drug for Huntington's Disease Eye Problems from Pain Free Migraines Obesity also Causes Cirrhosis Genetic Insights into Deadly Brain Tumor Made-to-Order Weapon in the Fight Against Childhood Cancer BCM Joins Largest Children's Study Development/Alumni Minds & Medicine Campaign Update: McNair Campus gets First Tenants -- Ophthalmology Philanthropy Provided Key Assistance Gifts Help Restore Sight to Patients with Corneal Damage Alums Start Careers, Life Together at BCM Development Briefs Campaign Reaches Milestone Charitable Gifts Lead to National Recognition Trustee Chuck Watson Makes Unique Gift The Legacy and the Future

	Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008



	BCM Home \| BCM Intranet \| Privacy Notices \| Contact BCM \| BCM Site Map © 2005-9 Baylor College of Medicine® Office of Public Affairs One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030 Mail: One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop 106, Houston, Texas 77030 Phone: 713-798-4710 \| Fax: 713-798-3692 E-mail: solutions@bcm.edu