Ophthalmology Times announces 2015 Resident Writer’s Award winner

Las Vegas-Ophthalmology Times is pleased to announce the winner of the 2015 Resident Writers Award Program, sponsored by Allergan.

This year’s winner is Amy Patel, MD, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, UC Irvine Health, Irvine, CA, with her entry titled “There’s Something in the Water.”

Dr. Patel’s submission features the case of a 41-year-old male with no significant past medical history who initially presented to the eye clinic with a complaint of rapid onset of foreign body sensation, irritation and eye redness of the right eye for ten days prior to presentation. He reported that he was traveling to Laos and Bangkok when the symptoms began. He was initially evaluated by an ophthalmologist in Bangkok and diagnosed with exacerbation of dry eye syndrome and started on artificial tears and topical steroids. When the patient presented to the UC Irvine ophthalmology clinic, he noted that he was having worsening symptomatology despite the previous treatments.

In addition, the second- and third-place finalists were announced:

• Second place: Seanna Grob, MD, MAS; Massachusettts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, "Management of drug-induced cicatricial conjunctivitis and dry eye”
• Third place: Amelia Fong, MD, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, “Lifeless Limbus”

All three finalists were recognized in a ceremony Sunday afternoon at the 2015 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. They were honored by Peter J. McDonnell, MD, chief medical editor of Ophthalmology Times and director of the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore; Mark L. Dlugoss, group content director, Ophthalmology Times, and Todd Wood, vice president, U.S. Eye Care Sales, North America Pharma, Allergan.

The Ophthalmology Times Resident Writer’s Award Program is a unique recognition opportunity designed to promote excellence in Ocular Surface Disease education. It was created to acknowledge outstanding case identification and written presentation skills in ophthalmology residents. Ophthalmology Times thanks Allergan as the corporate sponsor for the 2015 Resident Writer’s Award Program.

The case submissions for all three finalists will be featured in an upcoming issue of Ophthalmology Times.