At the University of Michigan W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, faculty, staff, students and trainees collaborate to improve patients' lives and innovate for the future of vision care.
It is always a joy to highlight the people, programs and progress of the Kellogg Eye Center in our annual report. As we organized this year’s articles—which represent a sampling of our work throughout the year—several themes emerged:
At Kellogg, there’s no tunnel vision in visual science
Every day, our clinicians and scientists advance the field of ophthalmology. At the same time, we’re discovering pathways to improve patient health on a broader scale. This year’s report highlights several examples: repurposing a diabetic retinopathy treatment into a potentially life-saving stroke rescue drug; using an unsuccessful cancer drug to dramatically improve the treatment of thyroid eye disease; applying insights from prostate cancer imaging and diagnostics to future ophthalmic uses; and identifying a link between visual impairment and lower rates of mammography screening.
At Kellogg, we celebrate crossing one finish line by starting another race
Kellogg brought together a consortium of ophthalmology departments to compile a database of comprehensive medical (in addition to eye care) information from hundreds of thousands of eye patients. This complements the tens of millions of patients whose eye care information has been collected by the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s IRIS Registry. Researchers are already mining these big-data powerhouses, using machine learning and other algorithms, to identify new diagnostic markers and treatment targets.
Our colleagues at Emory University and the VA developed a telemedicine intervention to improve access to eye care for veterans. Kellogg investigators are now bringing the program to veterans in Michigan and applying the model to glaucoma screening for high-risk individuals in underserved communities in the region.
At Kellogg, we go all in
Our patient’s story in this year’s report demonstrates what’s possible when many ophthalmic subspecialties work together to see one patient through a lifetime of complex vision challenges. Other stories highlight our teams working to improve vision health in community settings, including in schools and underserved areas of Michigan and in countries as far off as Ethiopia and India.
The accomplishments highlighted in these pages illustrate the ultimate team effort. They showcase the ingenuity and drive of our faculty, staff, trainees and alumni, the dedication and generosity of our donor partners, and the engagement and perseverance of the patients we are so honored to serve. Thank you for reading our annual report. We are grateful to every member of the Kellogg family for another year of remarkable progress.
Paul P. Lee, MD, JD
F. Bruce Fralick Professor and
Chair, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Director, W.K. Kellogg Eye Center