Pitt Ophthalmology/UPMCVisionInstitute

12/17/2025

👁️ The ocular microbiome: more than meets the eye

Did you know that bacteria, viruses, and fungi live right on the surface of our eyes—and play an important role in eye health? Researchers are uncovering how these tiny organisms influence immunity and disease, often through moments of unexpected discovery.

At the University of Pittsburgh, ocular immunologist Anthony St. Leger and his research team experienced just such a breakthrough while studying microorganisms on the eye’s surface—proving once again that science is sometimes driven by serendipity.

🔬 Curious how a forgotten lab plate helped reveal new insights into eye health?
👉 Read more here:

Bacteria, viruses and fungi that colonize the body — including some that live directly on eye surfaces — can have an important role in eye health.

12/16/2025

🌍Knowledge should be shared.
As an open-access platform, Webvision brings the science of vision to everyone — from students and clinicians to global researchers driving the field forward.

We’re proud to continue this legacy of accessibility and innovation at the University of Pittsburgh.

Explore and share Webvision: www.webvision.pitt.edu

12/11/2025

UPMC’s innovation and venture division released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting UPMC Enterprises’ progress, milestones, and new initiatives supporting UPMC’s mission and vision. This year, José-Alain Sahel, MD, officially joined UPMC Enterprises' executive team as an executive vice president. His diverse background, experience, and leadership as a clinician, researcher, and entrepreneur support UPMC Enterprises' mission of shaping the future of health care through innovation. Download for more: https://go.upmc.com/upp-yir25
Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh

As we close on a successful year and look ahead to 2026, UPMC Enterprises is proud to share a report of accomplishments and milestones.

12/08/2025

✨ What an incredible day at the UPMC Vision Institute!

This weekend marked first-ever Community Vision Day, which had people coming from across Pittsburgh and surrounding communities to receive free eye exams, new glasses, screenings, and vital vision care services — no cost, no barriers. 👓💜

None of this would have been possible without our remarkable volunteers — clinicians, staff, students, and community partners who dedicated their time and expertise to help others regain, protect, and maintain their sight. Your compassion is what makes events like this truly life-changing. 👁️✨
UPMC Pitt School of Medicine Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh

12/03/2025

Behind Webvision is a dedicated team of editors whose leadership continues to shape vision science:
👩‍🔬 Helga Kolb
🧠 Ralph Nelson
🔬 Eduardo Fernandez
💡 Bryan Jones

Their collective expertise ensures that Webvision remains an open-access, peer-reviewed cornerstone of visual neuroscience education.

We’re proud to host this incredible resource at the University of Pittsburgh — supporting global access to knowledge.

Explore Webvision: www.webvision.pitt.edu

Book Part I: Foundations Introduction by Helga Kolb Gross Anatomy of the Eye by Helga Kolb Simple Anatomy of the Retina by Helga Kolb How the Retina Works (pdf) by Helga Kolb Part II: Anatomy and Physiology of the retina The retinal pigment epithelium by Olaf Strauss Photoreceptors by Helga Kolb Out...

11/26/2025

Follow the EyeVan on Instagram and Facebook to see how this mobile clinic is making an impact across Pittsburgh—bringing essential vision care, community outreach, and health education directly to the neighborhoods that need it most. Stay connected and catch every stop, story, and service along the way!
EyeVan

11/21/2025

If your vision is less than perfect, you may wear glasses or contact lenses to help you see more clearly. But for many people, vision correction (refractive) surgery is an option, too. Refractive surgery adjusts where light focuses in the back of your eye, so it more precisely hits your retina.

Learn about the types of Refractive Surgery at the UPMC Vision Institute: https://www.ophthalmology.pitt.edu/patient-care/refractive-surgery-vision-correction-surgery

11/19/2025

Our eyes are extraordinary. They allow us to take in the beauty of the world around us, learn through reading and observation, and share our thoughts, emotions, and creativity through visual expression and art.

We’re excited to announce that Webvision -- The Organization of the Retina and Visual System, a renowned online book and reference for scientists, clinicians, and students -- has officially migrated from the University of Utah’s Moran Eye Center to the University of Pittsburgh.

Webvision serves as a comprehensive, open-access resource that brings together foundational and cutting-edge knowledge about how the retina and visual pathways function. It continues to be guided by its distinguished editors Helga Kolb, PhD, Ralph Nelson, PhD, Eduardo Fernandez, MD, PhD, and Bryan Jones, PhD, whose commitment to vision science education have made Webvision a cornerstone for the field.

Explore this invaluable resource and learn more about the intricate systems that make sight possible: https://www.webvision.pitt.edu/

11/14/2025

👁️ A Global Mission to Restore Vision 🌍
Watch it now — the short documentary “A Global Mission to Restore Vision” follows the groundbreaking work of Dr. José-Alain Sahel and the team behind the PRIMA retinal implant, a wireless device that’s helping restore central vision in people with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

This landmark clinical trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, marks a major step forward in the fight against geographic atrophy (GA) — the leading cause of irreversible blindness in older adults worldwide.
www.ophthalmology.pitt.edu

🎥 Don’t miss this incredible story of innovation, hope, and the power of science to restore sight.

11/13/2025

🧬💙 Happy Genetic Counselors Appreciation Day!

Today we’re celebrating the incredible genetic counseling team at the UPMC Vision Institute — a dream team who not only support patients every day but also help advance the field through education and research.

As adjunct faculty with Pitt Public Health’s Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program, they recently organized the GC BRIDGED 2025 Conference, bringing together ophthalmic genetic counselors from across the country at the UPMC Mercy Pavilion.

Their impact reaches far beyond the clinic. Last year, sisters Tammy Krents and Kimberley Bell became Pittsburgh’s first recipients of Luxturna, a groundbreaking gene therapy for inherited retinal disease — thanks to the work of our ocular genetics team including Michelle Alabek, Morgan Brzozowski, Hannah Scanga, and Kelly Tripi.

💡 From connecting patients with life-changing treatments to shaping the next generation of genetic counselors — this team truly embodies the power of genetics in vision care.
Read here: https://www.health.pitt.edu/news/how-pitt-s-genetic-counseling-program-faculty-makes-vision-restoration-possible

Participants in the GC BRIDGED 2025 Conference for ophthalmic genetic counselors gathered on the steps of the UPMC Mercy Pavilion, home of the UPMC Vision Institute, in October. Photo credit: Will Smith Sisters Tammy Krents and Kimberley Bell both inherited a genetic disorder that causes progressive...

11/11/2025

🏅 Pitt School of Medicine ranks #12 in the world!
CEOWORLD Magazine’s 2025 global rankings highlight the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s unwavering commitment to excellence in education, research, and clinical innovation.

At the UPMC Vision Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, that commitment shines through in how we train the next generation of leaders in eye care and vision science — from medical and technical education to advanced clinical research.
www.ophthalmology.pitt.edu/education
✨ Proud to be part of a community that’s shaping the future of medicine and vision health.

11/06/2025

✨ Full-circle moment for Dr. Ellen Butts, OD!
Dr. Butts has dreamed of working at UPMC since she was 12 years old — and today, she’s living that dream as Division Chief of the Optometry Service. 👏
Her journey began after receiving care at UPMC Children’s Hospital in 2001, which first sparked her interest in health care. Later, a Reader’s Digest article featuring a retinal photo inspired her to pursue eye care, showing how much our eyes can reveal about overall health. 👁️💙
Read more about Dr. Butts’ inspiring story here: https://eyeandear.org/2025/10/ellen-butts-is-living-her-childhood-dream/

Ellen Butts, OD, has wanted to work at UPMC since she was 12 years old. Now she is Division Chief of the Optometry Service, living out her dream. The care [...]Read More... from Ellen Butts is Living Her Childhood Dream