Clinical Focus


  • Ophthalmology

Academic Appointments


  • Clinical Instructor, Ophthalmology

Professional Education


  • Residency: Geisinger Health Systems (2023) PA
  • Internship: NorthShore University Health System Transitional Year Internship (2016) IL
  • Medical Education: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Registrar (2015) TX

All Publications


  • Importance of Baseline Fluorescein Angiography for Patients Presenting to Tertiary Uveitis Clinic. American journal of ophthalmology Karaca, I., Bromeo, A., Ghoraba, H., Lyu, X., Thng, Z. X., Yasar, C., Akhavanrezayat, A., Yavari, N., Kirimli, G. U., Than, N. T., Shin, Y., Gupta, A. S., Khatri, A., Mohammadi, S. S., Hung, J. H., Or, C., Do, D. V., Nguyen, Q. D. 2024

    Abstract

    To ascertain whether the use of ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFFA) at baseline visit alters the assessment of disease activity and localization, as well as the management of patients presenting to a tertiary uveitis clinic.Retrospective comparison of diagnostic approaches.Baseline visits of 158 patients who presented to the Uveitis Clinic at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford between 2017 and 2022 were evaluated by three uveitis-trained ophthalmologists (I.K., A.B., and H.G.). Each eye had undergone clinical examination along with ultra-wide-field fundus photography (UWFFP) (Optos Plc, Dunfermline, Scotland, UK), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Spectralis Heidelberg, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) and UWFFA (Optos Plc, Dunfermline, Scotland, UK) at the baseline visit. Investigators were asked to successively determine disease activity, localization of disease (anterior, posterior or both), and management decisions based on clinical examination and UWFFP and SD-OCT (Set 1) and Set 1 plus UWFFA (Set 2). The primary outcome was the percentage of eyes whose management changed based on the availability of UWFFA, compared with Set 1.The mean age of the patients was 46.9±22.4 (range, 7-96) and 91 (57.6%) were female. With Set 1 alone, 138 (55.2%) eyes were found to have active disease; localization was anterior in 58 (42.0%) eyes, posterior in 53 (38.4%) eyes and anterior + posterior in 27 (19.6%) eyes. With Set 2, 169 eyes of 107 patients had active anterior, posterior or pan-uveitis. In comparison with Set 1, assessment with Set 2 identified additional 31 (18.3%) eyes with active disease (p=0.006), and additional 31 (18.3%) eyes having disease in both anterior + posterior segments (p<0.001). Regarding the primary outcome, management was changed in 68 (27.4%) eyes in Set 2, compared to Set 1.Baseline UWFFA may alter assessment of disease activity, localization, and management decisions compared to clinical examination with only UWFFP and SD-OCT for eyes with uveitis. Thus, UWFFA may be considered as an essential tool in the evaluation of uveitis patients at the baseline visit.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.04.016

    View details for PubMedID 38701875

  • Structural and Functional Changes in Non-Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Retinopathy. Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Akhavanrezayat, A., Khatri, A., Onghanseng, N. G., Halim, M. S., Or, C., Sredar, N., Razeen, M., Hasanreisoglu, M., Regenold, J., Thng, Z. X., Mohammadi, S. S., Jain, T., Yavari, N., Bazojoo, V., Gupta, A. S., Mobasserian, A., Yasar, C., Than, N. T., Uludag Kirimli, G., Karaca, I., Shin, Y., Yoo, W., Ghoraba, H., Do, D. V., Dubra, A., Nguyen, Q. D. 2023; 13 (21)

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND: To describe longitudinal changes in patients with non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy (npAIR) by utilizing different diagnostic modalities/tests.METHODS: The index study is a retrospective longitudinal review of sixteen eyes of eight patients from a tertiary care eye hospital diagnosed with npAIR. Multiple diagnostic modalities such as wide-angle fundus photography (WAFP), WA fundus autofluorescence (WAFAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), Goldmann visual field (GVF) perimetry, microperimetry (MP), electrophysiologic testing, and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) were reviewed and analyzed.RESULTS: At the baseline visits, anomalies were detected by multimodal diagnostic tests on all patients. Subjects were followed up for a median duration of 11.5 [3.0-18.7] months. Structural changes at the baseline were detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%) eyes on WAFP and WAFAF and 13 of 16 (81.2%) eyes on SD-OCT. Eight of the ten (80%) eyes that underwent AOSLO imaging depicted structural changes. Functional changes were detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%) eyes on GVF, 15 of 16 (93.7%) eyes on MP, and 11 of 16 (68.7%) eyes on full-field electroretinogram (ff-ERG). Multifocal electroretinogram (mf-ERG) and visual evoked potential (VEP) tests were performed in 14 eyes, of which 12 (85.7%) and 14 (100%) of the eyes demonstrated functional abnormalities, respectively, at baseline. Compared to all the other structural diagnostic tools, AOSLO had a better ability to demonstrate deterioration in retinal microstructures occurring at follow-ups. Functional deterioration at follow-up was detected on GVF in 8 of 10 (80%) eyes, mf-ERG in 4 of 8 (50%) eyes, and MP in 7 of 16 (43.7%) eyes. The ff-ERG and VEP were stable in the majority of cases at follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of multimodal imaging/tests in the diagnosing and monitoring of npAIR patients can aid in identifying anomalous changes over time. Analysis of both the anatomical and functional aspects by these devices can be supportive of detecting the changes early in such patients. AOSLO shows promise as it enables the capture of high-resolution images demonstrating quantifiable changes to retinal microstructure.

    View details for DOI 10.3390/diagnostics13213376

    View details for PubMedID 37958272

  • Human Adipose Derived Stromal Cells Heal Critical Size Mouse Calvarial Defects PLOS ONE Levi, B., James, A. W., Nelson, E. R., Vistnes, D., Wu, B., Lee, M., Gupta, A., Longaker, M. T. 2010; 5 (6)

    Abstract

    Human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) represent a multipotent cell stromal cell type with proven capacity to differentiate along an osteogenic lineage. This suggests that they may be used to heal defects of the craniofacial or appendicular skeleton. We sought to substantiate the use of undifferentiated hASCs in the regeneration of a non-healing mouse skeletal defect.Human ASCs were harvested from female lipoaspirate. Critical-sized (4 mm) calvarial defects were created in the parietal bone of adult male nude mice. Defects were either left empty, treated with an apatite coated PLGA scaffold alone, or a scaffold with human ASCs. MicroCT scans were obtained at stratified time points post-injury. Histology, in situ hybridization, and histomorphometry were performed. Near complete healing was observed among hASC engrafted calvarial defects. This was in comparison to control groups that showed little healing (*P<0.01). Human ASCs once engrafted differentiate down an osteogenic lineage, determined by qRT-PCR and histological co-expression assays using GFP labeled cells. ASCs were shown to persist within a defect site for two weeks (shown by sex chromosome analysis and quantified using Luciferase+ ASCs). Finally, rBMP-2 was observed to increase hASC osteogenesis in vitro and osseous healing in vivo.Human ASCs ossify critical sized mouse calvarial defects without the need for pre-differentiation. Recombinant differentiation factors such as BMP-2 may be used to supplement hASC mediated repair. Interestingly, ASC presence gradually dissipates from the calvarial defect site. This study supports the potential translation for ASC use in the treatment of human skeletal defects.

    View details for DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0011177

    View details for Web of Science ID 000278886300019

    View details for PubMedID 20567510

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC2887361