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Today we’re diving into what it really takes to start your own retina practice.  We will discuss the upside of autonomy and ownership, and the very real financial, operational, and lifestyle challenges that come with it. Our guest is Dr. Nadeem Vaidya, who will share his journey and playbook for anyone considering going out on their own.

Today I’m joined by Dr. Daniel Agarwal, a vitreoretinal surgeon at San Luis Obispo Eye Associates on California’s Central Coast. In this episode, Daniel shares hard-earned pearls from his first job search in retina, what he wishes he had focused on, and how those lessons helped him pivot to a second position that was a much better fit both professionally and personally. Whether you’re a fellow sending out your first CVs or an attending rethinking your current role, this is a candid, practical conversation you won’t want to miss.

Today we’re joined by anterior segment expert and guest surgeon of the week, Dr. Steven Safran, who walks us through practical principles for managing complex lens cases that every retina specialist needs to understand.

Retina Rounds is excited to welcome a true leader in ophthalmology and a giant in retina: Dr. Jay Duker. Dr. Duker is one of the most accomplished figures in our field, having served as Chair of Ophthalmology at Tufts Medical Center, where he helped shape both clinical care and research for over two decades.  He’s now President and CEO of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals and, in today’s episode, we discuss his remarkable career journey, his transition from academia to biotech, and a fascinating deep dive into tyrosine kinase inhibitors, clinical trial development, and what it really takes to bring a new therapy from concept to regulatory approval. * Retina Rounds has no financial or conflicts of interest in the content presented

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Alex Yuan, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Vitreoretinal Fellowship Program Director at the Cole Eye Institute. In this episode, Dr. Yuan shares his insights on building a successful career in academic medicine, essential strategies for securing grant funding, and his philosophy on medical education. In addition, we discuss the keys to balancing the pursuit of professional excellence with a rewarding personal life.

Today we’re diving into one of the most transformative forces in modern medicine: Artificial Intelligence (AI).  How will AI change the way ophthalmic care is delivered? What new possibilities, and challenges, will it bring to the clinic and beyond? To unpack these questions, Retina Rounds is honored to welcome Dr. Theodore Leng, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Clinical and Translational Research, and Medical Informatics Director for Ambulatory Specialties at Stanford University. Dr. Leng is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence Summit.  In this episode, Dr. Leng gives us a peak into how Artificial Intelligence is redefining the future of vision care.

This week, we are honored to welcome a very special guest to Retina Rounds: Dr. Rishi Singh, the incoming Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Singh has been a giant in medical education, retina research, and healthcare leadership, having served as Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Martin Health System, as well as Founder and President of the Retina World Congress. In this episode, Dr. Singh discusses the evolving demands on leaders in ophthalmology and the importance of pursuing one’s passions to achieve professional success.

What is the role of scleral buckling in modern vitreoretinal surgery?  In today’s podcast we are going to do something a bit different: we are thrilled to feature an interview performed by our friend and Retina Rounds contributor, Dr. David Perez Gonzalez.  Dr. Gonzalez is a rising star in vitreoretinal surgery and the founder of Eyesite Academy, an ophthalmic surgery education channel.  In the podcast, Dr. Perez Gonzalez and I discuss scleral buckling.  Why is scleral buckling falling out of favor despite outstanding surgical outcomes?  Which patients are the ideal candidates for a scleral buckle?  How can surgeons learn how to perform scleral buckles if they weren’t exposed to this technique during fellowship training?  We hope you find the discussion a useful adjunct to our ongoing series on scleral buckling.  If you haven’t already, make sure to check out and subscribe to Eyesite Academy (see links below).  Thank you Dr. Perez Gonzalez for sharing this interview with us!   https://www.youtube.com/@EyesiteAcademyhttps://www.eyesiteacademy.org

Posterior segment manifestations of ocular trauma are some of the most challenging cases for vitreoretinal specialists to manage.  Today we are absolutely thrilled to welcome an ocular trauma and vitreoretinal specialist to Retina Rounds, Dr. David Lozano Giral.  Dr. Lozano Giral is Director of the Ocular Trauma Service at the Stein Eye Institute at UCLA where he is also an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in the Retina Division.  Dr. Lozano shares his path to ophthalmology and pearls for ocular trauma management.

Career trajectories rarely follow a linear path.  As new opportunities arise, pivoting professionally or adding on new responsibilities takes courage and requires careful consideration.  In today’s podcast, Retina Rounds is thrilled to welcome an academic and industry leader in our field, Dr. Caroline Baumal.  Dr. Baumal is Professor of Ophthalmology at New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer at Apellis Pharmaceuticals.  She is a prolific researcher, renowned educator, compassionate clinician and is now shaping the future of pharmacologic innovation.  Dr. Baumal talks about how she has navigated these professional roles and the values that have kept her motivated to continue to innovate and break barriers.

Retina Rounds is excited to welcome Dr. Devinder Chauhan, an Australian vitreoretinal specialist, innovator, and Founder & CEO of Macuject. Dr. Chauhan is pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence to support clinical decision making in retinal disease. We’ll explore how these tools can be integrated into clinic workflows to help tailor treatment intervals, refine diagnoses, and hopefully improve patient outcomes.  * Financial Disclosure:  Dr. Steven Schwartz is a member of the Board of Directors for Macuject

Leadership in retina can take many forms including scientific research, education, involvement in professional societies and advocacy efforts.  If you want to be a leader, how can you set yourself up for success?  In today’s podcast, Retina Rounds is thrilled to welcome Dr. Michael Klufas, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Jefferson Medical College and a vitreoretinal faculty member at the world-renowned Wills Eye Hospital.  Dr. Klufas talks about how he transitioned into a role as a junior faculty member and how he was able to take advantage of opportunities to grow into a rising leader.  He provides valuable pearls for any ophthalmologist wanting to contribute to the advancement of our field.

As part of our "Giants in Retina" series, Retina Rounds is honored to welcome Dr. Donald D’Amico, Professor and Chairman of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College.  Throughout his storied career, Dr. D’Amico has shaped the careers of countless ophthalmologists and vitreoretinal specialists.  He is an internationally recognized leader in our field having served as President of the Retina Society and Club Jules Gonin.  For his many surgical and educational contributions to our field Dr. D'Amico received the Life Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  In this podcast Dr. D’Amico talks about the people who shaped his career and the sources of inspiration that sometimes come from the most unexpected places.

In today’s episode, Retina Rounds is excited to welcome Dr. Ehsan Rahimy.  Dr. Rahimy is the Chief of Retina at Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University.  He is known as an outstanding surgeon, a perceptive clinician, a prolific researcher and a highly sought after industry collaborator.  In today’s episode, Dr. Rahimy shares his secrets for success and provides numerous pearls for ophthalmic surgeons in training and beyond!

As part of our “Giants in Retina” Series, Retina Rounds is honored to welcome a true giant in biomedical innovation, Dr. Mark Humayun.  Dr. Humayun is Professor of Ophthalmology, Co-Director of the University of Southern California Roski Eye Institute and Director of the USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsberg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics.  Dr. Humayun is an ophthalmologist, engineer, scientist and inventor and has the distinction of being the only ophthalmologist ever to be elected a member of both the US National Academies of Medicine and Engineering.  Dr. Humayun co-invented the Argus Series retina implants and has more than 125 patents.  In 2015, for all his contributions to biomedical innovation, President Barack Obama named Dr. Humayun a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.  In today’s podcast Dr. Humayun talks about his journey to ophthalmology and biomedical innovation and provides pearls on how to bring an innovative idea to reality.