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VA Eye Care Retreat

Sep 23 2019

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20/20 Blog

Monterey, CA - The Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Eye Clinic staff met with other Northern California VA eye clinics for the Annual Eye Care Retreat at the Major General Gourley VA - DoD Outpatient Clinic. 

Led by Suzann Pershing, M.D., M.A, director of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System eye clinic and assistant professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University, the retreat brought together administrators, clinic technicians, and physicians to discuss the mission, operational updates, new medical photography platforms, and faculty research in ophthalmology.

Vinit Mahajan M.D., Ph.D., staff physician at the Palo Alto VA and associate professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University, presented new data on treatment for retinal disease. In “Metabolic Therapy for Retinal Disease,” Mahajan showed how human and mouse proteomics were used to identify aberrant metabolic pathways in retinal degeneration. After testing metabolite supplementation in mice with retinal degeneration, Mahajan’s team was able to delay retinal degeneration and rescue photoreceptors.

“Metabolite therapy was delivered through the diet and may be a therapy that is independent of the underlying genetic cause of retinal degeneration,” Mahajan said. “If we can make retinal cells healthy, we can delay disease and save vision."

New faculty member, Jonathan Lin M.D., Ph.D., recently joined the Palo Alto VA and Stanford University. He explained eye pathology services and educational programs he is establishing.

The twenty-seven attendees participated in team building activities and shared lunch at Cannery Row.