Publications by authors named "Emily K Tam"

Background/aims: Handheld swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) was previously used to measure foveal maturity through semiautomated methods in awake premature infants. This study assesses the relationship between foveal maturity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) severity.

Methods: This is a prospective, observational study using handheld SS-OCT imaging of premature infants undergoing ROP screening.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates dome-shaped macula (DSM) in preterm and full-term infants using advanced optical imaging technology, highlighting increased occurrence in preterm infants.
  • Out of 217 imaging sessions, DSM was found in 40% of preterm infants compared to 14% of full-term infants, showing a significant difference in diagnosis timing and dome characteristics.
  • The results suggest that while DSM is common in infants and typically round in shape, it isn't linked to macular fluid presence, indicating unique differences from DSM in older children and adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * The effectiveness of the removal procedure depends on the type of eye structure affected and the specific attributes of the hook.
  • * A new surgical technique called the clamp and retract technique was successfully used for the first time to remove a fishhook from the eyelid of an eight-year-old boy, due to challenges faced with traditional methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To develop a semi-automated method of measuring foveal maturity using investigational handheld swept source-optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, full-term newborns and preterm infants undergoing routine retinopathy of prematurity screening were imaged. Semi-automated analysis measured foveal angle and chorioretinal thicknesses at the central fovea and average two-sided parafovea by three-grader consensus, correlating with OCT features and demographics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, demographics, and visual outcomes of patients with ocular syphilis at an urban hospital to increase awareness and assist in earlier diagnosis and treatment of the resurgent disease.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients with ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes correlating with syphilis or syphilis-related ocular diseases between 2010 and 2019. Variables evaluated included age, gender, race, vision, ocular findings, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and men who have sex with men status, recreational drug and alcohol use.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A 75-year-old man experienced worsening left eye pain, swelling, and difficulty moving his eye, with a medical history of diabetes and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
  • Imaging showed significant swelling and changes around his optic nerve, leading to a diagnosis of orbital cellulitis initially.
  • Further tests revealed he had cryptococcal meningitis causing optic nerve inflammation, but after a month of antifungal treatment, his symptoms improved despite challenges from immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To describe the etiology, clinical features, and outcomes for a large contemporary cohort of children presenting with glaucoma at a tertiary referral center.

Methods: The medical records of patients presenting to Boston Children's Hospital from January 2014 to July 2019 with a diagnosis of childhood glaucoma were retrospectively reviewed. Data regarding etiology, treatment, and visual and anatomic outcomes were collected; visual acuity outcomes were analyzed by laterality and diagnosis categories, using the Childhood Glaucoma Research Network (CGRN) classifications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 10 (ARHGEF-10) is a protein involved in the development of neural structures, but its impact on eye health is not well understood.
  • A case study of a 44-year-old man revealed eyelid swelling, hand contractures, high-arched feet, and muscle wasting, leading to the discovery of a mutation in the ARHGEF-10 gene.
  • Neuroimaging showed multiple cystic abnormalities in the eyes and nervous system, and a biopsy indicated lesions consistent with pseudocysts, prompting the need for further research on ARHGEF-10's clinical implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study, we compare the vitreous cytokine profile in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) to that of patients without PDR. The identification of novel cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of PDR provides candidate therapeutic targets that may stand alone or work synergistically with current therapies in the management of diabetic retinopathy. Undiluted vitreous humor specimens were collected from 74 patients undergoing vitrectomy for various vitreoretinal disorders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Medical students enter the medicine field with fresh ideas that may make them great entrepreneurs. However, medical students are uncertain about how the program directors of their desired residency would view them if they pursued business opportunities. We surveyed residency directors to obtain their views on medical students' entrepreneurship experiences.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) are patient-centered care tools designed to administer patient counseling and education, typically delivered individually, in a group setting. SMAs are effective in facilitating peer-learning, resulting in improvement in knowledge and health behavior. This study aimed to implement what we know of as the first ophthalmology SMA done in the United States.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Using the screening data collected through the University of California, Los Angeles Preschool Vision Program (UPVP) that provides free vision screening to children 2.5 to 6 years of age attending public preschools in five Supervisory Districts in Los Angeles County, this paper explores whether geographic location of where children attended preschool affects the vision screening results.

Methods: 62,936 children were screened using a handheld device (Nikon Retinomax) between academic years 2012 and 2015.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: 1) To elucidate the role of collector channels in the aqueous humor outflow pathway 2) To suggest anatomic and functional methods of imaging collector channels in-vitro and in-vivo and 3) To discuss the role of such imaging modalities in the surgical management of glaucoma.

Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted on databases for studies published in English regarding the available methods to determine the role of collecting channels in normal and glaucomatous patients and to assess their patency.

Results: Intraocular pressure (IOP) exists as a balance between aqueous humor production and aqueous humor outflow.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose Of Review: To review the most recent literature on the relationship of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and considerations in management of these conditions.

Recent Findings: A link has been proposed between spontaneous CSF leak and IIH based on similar demographics, radiologic, and clinical findings in these patients, and on a plausible mechanism of skull base erosion in the setting of high CSF pressure over time. IIH patients with CSF leak may not present with classic IIH signs and symptoms as the leak can alleviate excess pressure; however, they may develop these after a leak is repaired.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objective: To investigate the effect of age and refractive error on changes in the retinal microvascular network.

Patients And Methods: Subjects were recruited from the Doheny Eye Institute. Refractive error and axial length were measured.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To study a case of right Parry Romberg syndrome associated with contralateral oculomotor nerve palsy using high-resolution cerebral and orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Observations: There were no brain MRI abnormalities. However, there was marked enophthalmos on the right with reduction of orbital fat.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy has improved the prognosis for patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). However, most studies published to date exclude ischemic CRVO. The purpose of this study was to describe the outcome in eyes with ischemic CRVO treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Few studies have explored how patient-physician interactions influence patients' quality of life (QOL). In a prospective cohort study of 1,855 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Care Program from 2006 to 2011, we examined associations between patient-physician interactions during cancer treatment and QOL, overall and by racial/ethnic group. Participants completed the interpersonal processes of care (IPC) survey at approximately 8 months post-diagnosis to assess specific domains of the patient-physician interaction during the months after cancer diagnosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Breast cancer patients have voiced dissatisfaction regarding their education on breast cancer-related lymphedema risk and risk reduction strategies from their clinicians. Informing patients about lymphedema can contribute to decrease their risk of developing the condition, or among those already affected, prevent it from progressing further. In this cross-sectional study, a lymphedema awareness score was calculated based on responses to a brief telephone interview conducted among 389 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 2000 to 2008 and had a previous record of a lymphedema-related diagnosis or procedure in their electronic medical record.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Breast cancer survivors have reported dissatisfaction regarding their education on risk of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) from clinicians. We describe clinician knowledge and treatment referral of patients with BCRL among active oncologists, surgeons, and primary care physicians in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Care Program. A total of 887 oncologists, surgeons, and primary care clinicians completed a 10-minute web survey from May 2, 2010 to December 31, 2010 on BCRL knowledge, education, and referral patterns.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Little is known about the relation of multivitamin use to breast cancer outcomes. 2,236 women diagnosed from 1997 to 2000 with early-stage breast cancer (Stage I ≥ 1 cm, II, or IIIA) were enrolled about 2 years post-diagnosis, primarily from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Cancer Registry (83%). Multivitamin use pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis was assessed via mailed questionnaire.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To examine the association of alcohol consumption after breast cancer diagnosis with recurrence and mortality among early-stage breast cancer survivors.

Patients And Methods: Patients included 1,897 LACE study participants diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between 1997 and 2000 and recruited on average 2 years postdiagnosis, primarily from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Cancer Registry. Alcohol consumption (ie, wine, beer, and liquor) was assessed at cohort entry using a food frequency questionnaire.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF