TOP The Oculoplastic and Orbital Surgery Service has a long tradition of service at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. It began under the leadership of Dr. Maynard Wheeler and continued with Dr. Wendall Hughes, Dr. J. Gordon Cole, Dr. John Simonton and through its present leadership with the mission to provide outstanding speciality patient care and resident education and training. National and international fellowships have continued, with over 75 trained fellows in the past 20 years.
The Oculoplastic and Orbital Clinic meets weekly for a four hour session. Patients are evaluated and presented to attendings for discussion of appropriate management. Thirty to thirty-five patients are examined during each clinic session.
Systemic illnesses that may affect the orbit including thyroid disease and lymphoproliferative disorders are commonly seen. The service cooperates closely with Otolaryngology services when surgery is required for orbital cellulitis related to sinusitis or for neoplastic processes that affect the orbit and sinuses such as a frontoethmoidal mucocele.
The didactic program of the Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary includes 14 formal lectures covering various topics in this subspecialty. The lectures are given during the first six months of each academic year. They are followed up with a comprehensive written examination which is graded and reviewed with the residents. The examination is keyed to the lecture topics and is updated yearly.
One resident from each year spends approximately eight weeks on rotation with the Oculoplastic Service. The patients are evaluated with the assistance of the fellow and then are presented to the attendings for discussion of appropriate management.
Clinic organization allows for continuity of care and an effective academic and surgical experience for the residents. Residents block surgical time every week to do cases with assigned members of the Oculoplastic Service.
Residents evaluate additional patients who present to the Emergency Room with orbital trauma and other urgent oculoplastic problems. A rotating schedule of oculoplastic trauma attendings assures that senior staff members are available to assist the residents in all cases that require immediate surgery.
During the second year the residents rotate through the Beth Israel Medical Center and are often called to evaluate and treat patients with orbital and oculoplastic problems.
During the clinic sessions, certain cases are chosen for more detailed discussion. On a regular basis the residents are exposed to lacrimal malpositions, periorbital and eyelid neoplasms, blow-out and tripod fractures and a significant number of anophthalmic socket problems. Systemic illnesses that may affect the orbit including thyroid disease and lymphoproliferative disorders are commonly seen.
By the completion of the rotation, the residents become proficient in nasolacrimal duct probing and intubation, dacryocystorhinostomy, entropion and ectropion repair, eyelid laceration repair, enucleation, evisceration and ptosis repair. CT and MRI studies that are requested through the Oculoplastic Service are reviewed weekly. The residents also have the opportunity to examine the histopathology from all surgical cases and may participate in clinical research with attendings.
A tumor board, including radiotherapy, radiology, pathology, ocular oncology attendings on the Oculoplastic Service meets bi-monthly. The participants are from The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Beth Israel Medical Center, and St. Luke's Hospital.
A number of physicians on the Oculoplastic Service participate in a medical mission program annually.
Read more about the Resident Training Program in Ophthalmology and Fellowship Opportunities in Oculoplastic & Orbital Surgery.
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