Visiting Professors Educate and Enlighten The presence of two Visiting Professors this winter provided a unique opportunity for the Department and the local ophthalmic community to interact with experts in glaucoma and pediatric ophthalmology. Dr. J. Brent Bond, Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Pennsylvania, was an invited speaker on November 11th, 1995. He spoke on "Glaucoma Treatment in the Real World". In addition to discussing patient management with attending ophthalmologists, he commented and advised on complex cases presented by the Department's resident physicians. On December 1, 1995, the Department welcomed Dr. George S. Ellis, Jr. of New Orleans, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at the Tulane and LSU Schools of Medicine. On December 1, Dr. Ellis conducted a board review of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus for the benefit of the residents. This was extremely well-received. "Dr. Ellis is a great speaker and this review was excellent," commented Dr. Edward Curran, third-year resident. On December 2, Dr. Ellis lectured to the staff and to local ophthalmologists and pediatricians on "The Management of Congenital Cataracts." This was followed by the presentation of actual patients of Drs. Kathryn Byrd and Natalie Kerr, for Dr. Ellis' examination and consultation. The Visiting Professor series is an invaluable Department activity, which introduces experts in the various sub-specialty areas of Ophthalmology, and allows them to teach and stimulate discussion on a highly personal level. We look forward to the upcoming invitees in our program: Ralph C. Eagle, Jr., M.D. in February and J. Donald M. Gass, M.D. in May.

R. Christopher Walton, M.D. The recruiting efforts of Chairman Barrett G. Haik, M.D., persuaded an ophthalmologist of already outstanding clinical and academic achievement and great future productivity, Dr. R. Christopher Walton, to join our faculty in July 1995. Appointed Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Dr. Walton is a specialist in the medical and surgical management of uveitis and inflammatory diseases. This challenging and complex clinical specialty encompasses the ocular manifestations of HIV and AIDS, which has afflicted a significant and steadily growing percentage of our population. "Today, with new antiretroviral drugs, patients are living longer and therefore frequent screening of high risk patients, aggressive treatment of opportunistic retinal infections, and meticulous follow-up are the keys to preventing blindness in this patient group," said Dr. Walton. Dr. Walton's views basic immunological research as the key to further discovery into the mechanisms of ocular inflammatory conditions.   He elaborates: "Details of these mechanisms will allow the development of novel immunotherapies which may prove more effective and less toxic than currently available immunosuppressive agents." His research with a experimental autoimmune uveitis model has helped determine optimal therapeutic ranges and dosing levels, toxicity profiles and mechanisms of the immunosuppressive effect. Most recently, his findings have been reported in Ophthalmology, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. His article, "Combined Intravenous Gancilovir and Foscarnet for Children with Recurrent Cytomegalovirus Retinitis" was published in the December, 1995 issue. Dr. Walton also serves as Chief of the Ophthalmology Section at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center. He is no stranger to the Mid-South, having resided in Memphis during his military service.He and his wife, Becky have two children.

The department of ophthalmology is proud to announce the creation of a multimedia development laboratory, which will provide new technology and computing support to the local Department network as well as generate and publish titles in education technology. The development facility provides a wealth of technologies typically available only to professional multimedia production companies. Under the direction of two full-time staff, Ted C. Wei, Jr., M.D. and Darwin J. Liao, M.D. M.P.H., the laboratory provides a framework for successful computing and education technology within the Department. Dr. Liao describes one of the goals of the laboratory: "Customization is important, since physicians want to be able to create their own content, but have little time to learn difficult development tools. We can create templates for easy-to-use and rapid development of high-quality multimedia teaching modules, surgical reports, and research applications." Resources available include the digital imaging of photographs, slides, text and other media; the digital video of eye movement disorders, surgery, lectures, and grand rounds; and internet access and publishing. ¥ Department Web site: http://www.eye.utmem.edu

New Clinical Space Opens As the first phase in a dramatic and ambitious expansion of clinical space and facilities, the department of ophthalmology opened a new facility at 920 Madison Avenue in the Baptist Memorial Hospital Medical Towers on November 6, 1995. The new Clinic, located in Suite 915, is 2,400 square feet with five state-of-the-art examination rooms; a fully equipped minor procedure room; diagnostic areas for conventional and automated visual fields; digital and computerized ultrasonography; and all facets of ophthalmic photography and fluorescein angiography. New technical and support personnel have been recruited to staff the facility. Patient reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with benefits such as ease of access from adjacent states and convenience to diagnostic facilities such as CT and MR, cited as some of the advantages of the new office. The Clinic also improves the ability of our attending ophthalmologists to provide consultation to patients from UT Bowld Hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital. The new Clinic space is but the first step in a continuing expansion of the Department, which will continue in late Spring with additional clinical facilities in our current East Memphis site at 756 Ridgelake Boulevard.

Grand rounds are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, consisting of patient case presentations and discussion under the direction of a faculty member. Coffee and a light breakfast are served at 7:00 am and rounds start promptly at 7:30 am. All meetings are in the North Auditorium of the Coleman Building, 956 Court Avenue.

Annual UT Residents' Day, Mamphis Eye Convention Promises Exciting Program

The 25th Annual UT Residents' Alumni day is May 31, 1996. The Memphis Eye Convention, sponsored by the Memphis Eye Society, Inc. and the University of Tennessee Department of Ophthalmology will be held June 1, 1996.

Highlighting the Annual residents' day will be Dr. J. Donald M. Gass, Professor of Ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as the sixth Kambara Distinguished Visiting Professor .For the Memphis Eye Convention program, Dr. Gass will be joined by two acclaimed clinician/researchers. Dr. Terrence P. O'Brien of the Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore will speak on corneal disease and microbiology, and Dr. John W. Shore of the Harvard Medical School will speak on plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The second annual Update for the Tennessee Ophthalmology Personnel Society (TOPS) will be presented concurrently with the Memphis Eye Convention on Saturday, June 1, 1996. The program includes the following: Gregory S. Carroll, M.D. (Ocular Tumors; Oculoplastic Surgery Update); Stephen V. Scoper, M.D. Refractive Surgery; Corneal Topography); Mary E. Smith, MPH, RDMS (Ultrasonography of Vitreo-Retinal Abnormalities; Ultrasonography of Ocular Tumors); R. Christopher Walton, M.D. (Ocular Manifestations of Rheumatoid Diseases).

"Designating individuals responsible for each geographic region will promote a more productive approach to development"
- CAROL THORTON, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS, UT COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

These individuals are in charge of contacting UT alumni and coordinating development activity in their respective geographic areas. The coordinators will report on activities in their area at the next Advisory Council meeting in early summer.