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XIII.  ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE PAST HALF CENTURY

The following are examples of the notable innovations of the Schepens Retina Associates in the past half century.

1.  In 1950, they developed the binocular ophthalmoscope, which is now used the world over.

2.  In the early 1960's, they invented a new operation to repair retinal detachment, called scleral buckling.  It improved the success rate from 40% to 90%.

3.  In the late 1960's, they participated in developing the first operation to repair the eye damage caused by severe diabetic retinopathy. 

4.  In the 1970's, they demonstrated that the blue laser was dangerous when used for treating the retina.  Upon their recommendation, the Federal government abandoned the blue laser for the green laser.

5.  In 1977, they did the experimental work with the proton beam and demonstrated it could be used to treat cancer of the eye.

6.  In the 1980's, they invented the open sky operation to treat premature babies blinded by very severe retinal detachment.  As a result, the percentage of babies saved from total blindness increased from about 6% of babies operated upon to 40%.

7.  In the same decade, they invented the Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) which uses 1% of the light needed for a regular ophthalmoscope and does not require dilation of the pupil.  It is the best instrument with which to diagnose and treat macular degeneration.

8.  In the 1990's, they invented the Laser Doppler Flowmeter (LDF) which is the only instrument measuring accurately and non-invasively the flow of blood in the retina.

9.  For many years the surgeons at the SRA Foundation have recommended little or no photocoagulation in an eye that has a closed retinal vein (vein occlusion).  Statistics now demonstrate that this recommendation should be followed.

10.  In many cases suffering either from macular degeneration or from closed retinal vein, eye specialists at the SRA Foundation have obtained remarkable results by treating blood infection that may considerably aggravate the case.

11.  When a retinal or optic nerve disease is not diagnosed by regular means, specialists at the SRA Foundation often use special diagnostic procedures such as the Topographic Electroretinogram (Topographic ERG) or the Pattern Visual Evoked Response (PVER), the Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) or the Laser Doppler Flowmeter (LDF), to unlock the mystery.

12.  In 1999, in recognition of the accomplishments of the team, about 32,000 ophthalmologists worldwide elected the senior man of their clinical research group (Charles Schepens) as one of the ten most influential ophthalmologists of the twentieth century.  In 2003, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which has over 25,000 members worldwide, named Charles Schepens one of only three laureates.  The Laureate Recognition Award is the Academy’s highest honor.