Clinical Faculty

Shlomit Schaal, M.D., Ph.D.

Director, Diabetic
Retinopathy Service

Vitreo-Retinal Specialist

Assistant Professor
of Ophthalmology
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

CLINICAL EXPERTISE:

Surgical and medical treatment of complex vitreo-retinal diseases, including Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Retinal Detachment, Diabetic Retinopathy, Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy, Macular Holes and Hereditary Retinal Degenerations

CONTACT INFORMATION:

301 E. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville KY 40202
Telephone: 502-852-5466 Fax: 502-852-3811
E-mail: S.Schaal@louisville.edu

EDUCATION:

CERTIFICATION:

Israel Board of Ophthalmology, 2004

LICENSURE:

Kentucky, Indiana, Israel

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND AFFILIATIONS

American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Society of Retina Specialists
Kentucky Association of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Research to Prevent Blindness
The Macula Society
American Uveitis Society

CLINICAL INTERESTS:

I am a clinician and a scientist involved significantly in clinical research as well as in basic science bench research. I have been selected as a Top Ophthalmologist In Louisville, KY in 2011 by the International Association of Healthcare Professionals.

My main clinical attention is surgical and medical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases. Retinal diseases vary widely; some are common and easily solved, while others are rare, more difficult to diagnose and require more complex treatment. I am skilled in differentiating these diseases, and then designing a treatment plan that slows or stops the disease and preserves as much vision as possible.

I specialize in the treatment of the following conditions:

• Retinal detachment - a significant eye disease that requires urgent treatment
• Diabetic retinopathy - one of the ocular complications of diabetes mellitus
• Epiretinal membrane - a scar tissue that grows on the retina and impairs vision
• Macular hole - a hole at the area of the retina that is responsible for central vision
• Age-related macular degeneration - the major cause of decreased central or reading vision in people over the age of 60.
• Vascular occlusive disorders - interruption in the blood flow to the retina
  Treatment of these disorders.

I teach medical students, ophthalmology residents, and vitreo-retinal fellows, many of whom have taken an active part in my clinical research.

PUBLICATIONS:

1. Schaal S, Kaplan HJ, Tezel TH. Is there tachyphylaxis to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor pharmacotheraphy in age-related macular degeneration? Ophthalmology.115(12):2199-2205, 2008. PMID: 18930553
2. Schaal S, Tezel TH, Kaplan HJ. Surgical Intervention in Refractory CME – Role of Posterior Hyaloid Separation and Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 16(5):209-10, 2008. PMID: 19065414
3. Schaal S, Barr CC. Management of Macular Holes: A comparison of 1 Year Outcomes of Three Surgical Techniques. Retina, 2009. PMID: 19357554
4. Schaal S, Barr CC. Management of Retained Lens Fragments after Cataract Surgery with and without Pars Plana Vitrectomy. J Cat Ref Surg. 35(5):863-7, 2009. PMID: 19393885
5. Schaal S, Schiff WM, Kaplan HJ, Tezel TH. Simultaneous appearance of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome and multifocal choroiditis indicate a common causal relationship. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 17(5):325-7, 2009. PMID: 19831564
6. Barak Y, Sherman MP, Schaal S. Mathematical analysis of specific anatomic foveal configurations predisposing to the formation of macular holes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Oct 21;52(11):8266-70. PMID: 21911580
7. Schaal S, Sherman MP, Barr CC, Kaplan HJ. Primary retinal detachment repair: comparison of 1-year outcomes of four surgical techniques. Retina. 2011 Sep;31(8):1500-4. PMID: 21606887

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS:

1. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Henry J Kaplan MD. Uveitis Diagnosis and Management. Pocket Medicine 2006. (Publisher – Lewis Reines)
2. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Henry J Kaplan MD. Syphilitic Uveitis – A Possible Manifestation of Tertiary Syphilis. In: Uveitis Handbook 2007. (Publisher – Gunes Tip Kitabevleri)
3. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Henry J Kaplan MD. Anterior Uveitis. In: Ocular Therapeutics Handbook 2007. (Publisher - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)
4. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Henry J Kaplan MD. Clinical Immunology: Hypersensitivity Reactions. In: Duane Ophthalmology 2008. (Publisher - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)
5. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Henry J Kaplan MD. Intermediate Uveitis. In: Intraocular Inflammation 2008. (Publisher – Springer)
6. Shlomit Schaal MD, PhD and Motasem Al-Latayfeh MD. Retained Lens Fragments – Clinical Presentation and Management 2011. (Publisher – InTech)