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Our Clinical Research
To maintain their reputation as one of the world leaders in vision care and to expand their knowledge of this quickly growing field, J. Alberto Martinez, MD and Sandra Lora Cremers, MD are continually studying the latest techniques, procedures and technology.
Visionary Eye Doctors’ Clinical Research in Pterygium, was established in 2014 as the EyeWhite Institute. At Visionary Eye Doctors, we see hundreds of pterygium patients per year and perform the most surgeries in the eastern United States. We are proud of our 0.06% recurrence rate since the initiation of our study in August 2014. Our pterygium surgeries are conducted in our state-of-the-art center surgical suite located in our N. Bethesda/Rockville, MD office.
Why are we doing pterygium research?
Pterygium is one of the lesser-studied topics in ophthalmology research. Visionary Eye Doctors has recently initiated a pterygium research protocol that supplements our existing clinical evaluation and post-operative care. With our state-of-the-art technology, we strive to produce research that incorporates technology and the expertise of our doctors, to contribute to the limited medical knowledge of the disease and most importantly achieve the best outcomes for our patients.
Our Clinical Research Team
The research team is led by J. Alberto Martinez, MD, founder of Visionary Eye Doctors and board-certified ophthalmologist with sub-specialty expertise in corneal, refractive and laser surgery.
J. Alberto Martinez, M.D. (Pterygium surgeon) – Dr. Martinez graduated from American University and Georgetown University Medical School. As a cornea specialist, Dr. Martinez performs pterygium surgery on a regular basis. This research was started by Dr. Martinez because he had many questions about this disease. Pterygium not only affects himself, but also his family, making this research not only an academic endeavor, but a personal one as well. Patients from many different backgrounds and geographic locations seek pterygium surgery from Dr. Martinez.
Sandra L. Cremers, M.D., F.A.C.S. (Pterygium surgeon and dry eye specialist) – Dr. Cremers graduated from Columbia University and completed the Brown University and Dartmouth University Joint Program in Medicine. She has research and clinical experience from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University. Dr. Cremers also performs pterygium surgery and is a dry eye specialist.
Accomplishments
Our cataract research has been presented at national, international, and institutional meetings.
- Cremers SL, Ha J, Martinez JA. “Phaco-Smash: 29% Reduction of Experienced Surgeon’s Cumulative Dissipated Energy in Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery.” To be presented at the ASCRS Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 2017.
- Ha J, Cremers SL. “Non–Industry Sponsored Report of Triamcinolone-Moxifloxacin Dropless Cataract Surgery: Initial Observations.” Presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2016.
- Koppinger J, Martinez JA, Ha J, Korchak M, Ullman MA, Hosseini Y, Cremers SL. “Largest Comparison of a Single Surgeon’s Intraoperative and One Day Postoperative Outcomes between Traditional and Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgeries with Two Different Laser Platforms.” Poster abstract submitted to The ARVO Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2016.
- Martinez JA, Ha J, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Cremers J, Cremers SL. “First Report Comparing Intraoperative Epinephrine Use and Cumulative Dissipated Energy between Two Femtosecond Lasers during Cataract Surgery.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Ha J, Cremers SL, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Ullman MA, Martinez JA. “Comparison of Phacoemulsification Techniques Between Traditional Surgery and 2 Systems of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Cremers SL, Ha, J, Ullman MA, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Martinez JA. “Phaco-Smash Approach to Phacoemulsification: New Technique Initially Developed to Help Residents Decrease Total Intraocular Phaco Energy.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Korchak M, Cremers SL, Ha J, Koppinger J, Hosseini Y, Martinez JA. “1300 Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgeries: What CDE Informs Us About Different Platforms”. Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
Accomplishments
Our pterygium research has been published in peer-reviewed journal(s) and presented at national, international, and institutional meetings.
Cataract Research
Accomplishments
Our cataract research has been presented at national, international, and institutional meetings.
- Cremers SL, Ha J, Martinez JA. “Phaco-Smash: 29% Reduction of Experienced Surgeon’s Cumulative Dissipated Energy in Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery.” Presented at the ASCRS Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 2017.
- Ha J, Cremers SL. “Non–Industry Sponsored Report of Triamcinolone-Moxifloxacin Dropless Cataract Surgery: Initial Observations.” Presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2016.
- Koppinger J, Martinez JA, Ha J, Korchak M, Ullman MA, Hosseini Y, Cremers SL. “Largest Comparison of a Single Surgeon’s Intraoperative and One Day Postoperative Outcomes between Traditional and Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgeries with Two Different Laser Platforms.” Poster abstract submitted to The ARVO Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2016.
- Martinez JA, Ha J, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Cremers J, Cremers SL. “First Report Comparing Intraoperative Epinephrine Use and Cumulative Dissipated Energy between Two Femtosecond Lasers during Cataract Surgery.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Ha J, Cremers SL, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Ullman MA, Martinez JA. “Comparison of Phacoemulsification Techniques Between Traditional Surgery and 2 Systems of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Cremers SL, Ha, J, Ullman MA, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Martinez JA. “Phaco-Smash Approach to Phacoemulsification: New Technique Initially Developed to Help Residents Decrease Total Intraocular Phaco Energy.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Korchak M, Cremers SL, Ha J, Koppinger J, Hosseini Y, Martinez JA. “1300 Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgeries: What CDE Informs Us About Different Platforms”. Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
Peer Reviewed Publications
- Ha J, Cremers SL, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Martinez JA. A Novel, Automated Method to Grade Pterygium Severity Using Scheimpflug Imaging. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(11):2345-6. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.06.024.
- Ha J, Martinez JA, Korchak M, Cremers SL. “Intraoperative Fluorescein Staining of Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane Grafts to Improve Visualization During and After Pterygium Surgery: A Novel Technique.” Cornea. 2016;35(3):413-416. doi:10.1097/ICO.0000000000000725.
Presentations
- Ha J, Mekhail J, Cremers SL, Martinez JA. “Reproducibility and Reliability of a New Automated Scheimpflug Imaging Pterygium Severity Measure.” Presented at the Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Conference 2017, Baltimore, MD.
- Martinez JA, Ha J, Cremers SL. “Outcomes of multiple-dose fibrin glue during in-office pterygiectomy.” Presented at the ARVO Annual Conference 2017, Baltimore, MD.
- Martinez JA, Ha J, Cremers SL. “Largest Report of Simultaneous Double-Headed Pterygiectomy: Outcomes of a New Cautery and Suture-Free Technique with Autograft and Amniotic Membrane.” Presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Conference 2017, Los Angeles, CA.
- Ha J, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “Outcomes of in-Office Pterygiectomy: Postoperative Patient Appointment Adherence, Treatment Compliance, Complications, and Costs.” Presented at the ASCRS Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 2017.
- Mekhail J, Ha J, Korchak M, Cremers SL, Martinez JA. “Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Confirmation of New Automated Measure of Pterygium Severity.” Presented at the ASCRS Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 2017.
- Ha J, Martinez JA, Calaro K, Cremers SL. “Largest Report of Simultaneous Double-Headed Pterygiectomy: Cautery and Suture-free with Autograft and Amniotic Membrane.” Presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2016.
- Ha J, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “Pterygiectomy in an Office-Based Surgery Suite is Safe with a Low Complication and Recurrence Rate.” Presented at the AAO Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2016.
- Ha J, Martinez JA, Hosseini Y, Korchak J, Koppinger J, Cremers SL. “First Report of Simultaneous Double-Headed Pterygiectomy with Conjunctival Autograft, Amniotic Membrane and Fibrin Glue.” Presented at The ARVO Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2016.
- Korchak M, Ha J, Koppinger J, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “Tracking Changes in Corneal Tomography After Pterygium Excision to Aid Planning Future Refractive Surgery.” Presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2016 and at Medstar Health Research Symposium, Columbia, MD, March 2016.
- Midgley K, Ha J, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Cremers SL, Martinez JA. “Largest Report of the Effect of Primary Pterygium on Corneal Endothelial Cell Density.” Presented at The ARVO Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, May 2016 and Top 3 Winner of MedStar Washington, DC Hospital Center House Staff Research Day, Washington, DC, DC, June 2016.
- Ullman MA, Ha J, Cremers SL, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Martinez JA. “Pterygium in a VEGF Nightmare: Report of Multiple, Early Recurrences in a Patient with a History of Cancer and External Beam Radiation.” Winner of Highest Scoring Abstract at the 2016 Medstar Health Research Symposium, Columbia, MD, March 2016. Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Korchak M, Ha J, Koppinger J, Cremers SL, Martinez JA. “Wavefront Aberrometry Changes After Pterygium Excision: Support for Earlier Excision.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Koppinger J, Ha J, Korchak M, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “First Report of Posterior Corneal Changes after Pterygium Excision: Considerations for Future Refractive Cataract and Corneal Surgery.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016 and at Medstar Health Research Symposium, Columbia, MD, March 2016.
- Koppinger J, Martinez JA, Ha J, Korchak M, Hosseini Y, Cremers SL. “First Report of Palpebral Fissure Height and Marginal Reflex Distance After Pterygiectomy with Autograft, Amniotic Membrane, and Fibrin Glue.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Ha J, Korchak M, Koppinger J, Hosseini Y, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “A New and Reliable, Automated Measurement to Quantify Corneal Involvement of Pterygium.” Presented at ASCRS Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2016.
- Ha J, Korchak M, Pereira A, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “New Measurement for Pterygium: A Comparison of Two Methods to Analyze Corneal Involvement.” Presented at The ARVO Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, May 2015.
- Korchak M, Ha J, Pereira A, Martinez JA, Cremers SL. “Evaluating Pentacam Corneal Tomography and Tear Osmolarity in Pterygium.” Presented at The ARVO Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, May 2015.
Dry Eye Center of Excellence
In 2017, Dr. Sandra Lora Cremers founded the EyeDry Dry Eye Center of Excellence dedicated to providing relief for mild, moderate and severe dry eye disease in our patients.
Currently, Dr. Cremers recently received approval for two dry eye clinical research studies:
- The impact of screen time with children and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Dry Eye Disease
- Stem Cells in Dry Eye Disease Protocol