What are the means of diagnosis and treating diseases of the retina and vitreous?
A complete eye examination with dilating drops is absolutely necessary. Bright sources of light must be used to see the back of your eye.

Other procedures for diagnosis and treatment include:
Fluorescein & ICG Angiography, Fundus Photography: Methods used to study the integrity of the blood vessels, to discover leaks, and to photograph the back of the eye for documentation and diagnosis.

Ultrasonography: Involves the use of soundwaves to study the interior of the eye. This is similar to using "sonar" to detect objects under the water.

Optical Coherence Tomography: Involves the use of reflected light waves to produce an optical cross-section of the retina.

Laser: Involves the use of highly focused light to seal leaking blood vessels in diabetes, macular degeneration and other retinal blood vessel problems. Laser can also be used to repair torn retinas.

Photodynamic (Visudyne) Therapy: Utilizes a medication (Visudyne) injected intravenously along with a low-power (cold) laser to treat wet macular degeneration.

Lucentis/Avastin: A medication injected inside the eye which inactivates the stimulus for wet macular degeneration.

Cryo-Surgery: Involves the use of a small freezing probe to repair areas of the retina or retinal tears.

Retinal Detachment Surgery: Involves an operation to reattach the retina to its normal position.

Vitrectomy: An operation used to remove cloudy or bloody vitreous gel or to release vitreous pulling on the retina. The cloudy vitreous is replaced with clear fluid.

Our physicians keep up with the latest developments in the care of vitreo-retinal problems and teach at the medical schools of Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco.

The best doctor patient relations are based on mutual understanding and communication. We make a special effort to explain everything to you regarding your condition, treatment, medications, etc. If you ever have questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Supplemental education material is available in a variety of formats. There are booklets and handouts available for certain retinal disorders. Please inquire at the front desk about educational materials.

Clinical trials: Northern California Retina Vitreous Associates is also actively involved in clinical trials investigating cutting-edge medical treatments for diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, and retinovascular occlusive diseases.

Genentech-SHORE

2011-present. Multicenter randomized study evaluating dosing regimens for treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab injections in subjects with macular edema following retinal vein occlusion.

Allergan-OZURDEX

2010-present. Ozurdex for combined pseudophakic cystoid macular edema and diabetic macular edema after cataract surgery.

Lux Biosciences-UVEITIS

2010-present. Multicenter, double masked, parallel group, placebo controlled study to asses the efficacy and safety of voclosporin as therapy in subjects with active noninfectious uveitis involving the intermediate and/or posterior segments of the eye.

Carl Zeiss OCT

2006-present. Prototype optical coherence tomography for retinal imaging of various pathologies.

Neovista Cabernet

2007-present. Choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD treated with Beta Radiation Epiretinal Therapy (CABERNET). Evaluate the safety and efficacy of focal delivery of radiation for the treatment of CNV associated with wet AMD.

Regeneron CLEAR

2007-present. Phase III study comparing VEGF trap to Lucentis.

FibroGen & Kaiser Permanente

2007-present. Phase II study of safety and efficacy of FG-2216 in subjects with renal anemia not receiving recombinant human erythropoeitin.

Genentech DME

2007-present. Phase III multicenter, double-masked study comparing Lucentis to focal laser photocoagulation in patients with clinically significant macular edema.

Genentech BRVO

2007-present. Phase III multicenter, double-masked study comparing Lucentis to focal laser photocoagulation in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.

Genentech CRVO

2007-present. Phase III multicenter, double-masked study comparing Lucentis to sham injection in patients with macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion.

Genentech HORIZON

2004-present. A six month extension of ANCHOR and MARINA studies evaluating lucentis in the treatment of exudative age related macular degeneration.

Genentech SAILOR

2004-2007. A comparative study evaluating lucentis 0.3 mg versus 0.5 mg in patients with exudative age related macular degeneration.

Novartis VERITAS

2004-present. A comparative study investigating verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy with intravitreal triamcinolone versus verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy with Macugen in patients with exudative age related macular degeneration.

POSURDEX RVO

2004-2007. A six month, Phase III, multicenter, masked, randomized, sham-controlled trial (with six-month open-label extension) to assess the safety and efficacy of 700mg and 350 mg dexamethasone posterior segment drug delivery system (DEX PS DDS) applicator system in the treatment of patients with macular edema following central retinal vein occlusion or branch retinal vein occlusion.

POSURDEX DME

2004-present A six month, Phase III, multicenter, masked, randomized, sham-controlled trial (with six-month open-label extension) to assess the safety and efficacy of 700mg and 350 mg dexamethasone posterior segment drug delivery system (DEX PS DDS) applicator system in the treatment of patients with diabetes and clinically significant macular edema

Genentech ANCHOR

2003-present A Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, active treatment-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of rhuFab V2 (Ranibizumab) compared with verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy in subjects with predominantly classic subfoveal neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Funded by Genentech, Inc.

Genetech MARINA

2003-2007 A Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, active treatment-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of rhuFab V2 (Ranibizumab) in subjects with predominantly nonclassic subfoveal neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Funded by Genentech, Inc.