Foundation Fighting Blindness to host webinar offering best practices for managing patients diagnosed with inherited retinal diseases

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The Foundation Fighting Blindness will host a webinar for eye care professionals on the best practices for managing their patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), including retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and Leber congenital amaurosis.

According to a news release,¹ the webinar will be a part of the March Envisioning a Path to Hope initiative, designed to increase awareness among eye care professionals for the resources the foundation offers to IRD patients and caregivers.

"With nearly 50 clinical trials underway for emerging IRD therapies and no-cost genetic testing available for patients, eye care professionals can do so much to help IRD patients on their challenging journeys," Michelle Glaze, director of professional outreach, Foundation Fighting Blindness, said in the news release. "We are delighted to host this informative webinar to empower eye doctors to communicate hope and a path forward for their IRD patients and families."

The online webinar is free and will review several topics related to the care and management of IRD patients, including:

• Recommended functional and structural tests;
• Potential manageable complications;
• Genetic testing and why it is a critical element in IRD care;
• Clinical trials for emerging therapies; and
• IRD patient registries, low vision clinics, and additional resources.

The webinar is set for 7 to 8 pm ET March 20, 2024.

According to the news release, leading the session will be Rachel Huckfeldt, MD, PhD and Rachelle Lin, OD, MS, FAAO.

Huckfeldt is an assistant professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and is a clinician-scientist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. She completed her MD and PhD training at Washington University in St Louis with PhD research focused on retinal development. After completing her ophthalmology residency at Mass Eye and Ear, Huckfeldt conducted postdoctoral research focused on novel therapeutics in the lab of Jean Bennett, MD, PhD, at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by clinical fellowships in medical retina (University of Iowa) and inherited retinal disorders (Mass Eye and Ear).¹

Lin is an assistant professor at the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) at Marshall B. Ketchum University, where she teaches low vision rehabilitation and genetics. She treats patients in the clinical departments of Acquired Brain Injury and Low Vision Rehabilitation, where she also conducts genetic testing for inherited eye conditions. Lin received her doctor of optometry and master of science in vision science degrees from SCCO and completed her residency at VA Long Beach.¹

Reference

1. Foundation Fighting Blindness Hosting Webinar for Eye Care Professionals: Best Clinical Practices for Patients with Inherited Retinal Diseases. www.prnewswire.com. Accessed February 13, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/foundation-fighting-blindness-hosting-webinar-for-eye-care-professionals-best-clinical-practices-for-patients-with-inherited-retinal-diseases-302059690.html