Every day I am honored to have the privilege and responsibility of caring for a patients vision. We are fortunate as retina specialists that we can make such a positive difference in our patients lives.
Having already co-authored an important retinal disease handbook and contributed to numerous notable articles published in the fields top journals, Dr. Fein has clearly made her mark in the early years of her professional medical career. Its an appropriate outcome in view of her outstanding educational and training background. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania, she earned her medical degree from New York University before going on to complete her Residency and Fellowship at the Tufts University School of Medicine/New England Eye Center, where she was appointed an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology. She earned a myriad of honors during those formative years, including the Maurice Frieman Memorial Award for Exemplary Clinical Performance and the Charles Preefer Award for Outstanding Resident Research in Ophthalmology.
Dr. Fein has compiled an impressive resume writing and presenting on a variety of retinal-related topics. She was one of the authors of Handbook of Retinal Disease: A Case-Based Approach and has co-written many articles published in peer-reviewed publications such as theAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology,Ophthalmic Surgery Lasers ImagingandRetinal Cases & Brief Reports. She has presented for several of the industrys most prestigious groups, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Society of Retinal Specialists (ASRS) and the Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology (ARVO).
An active member of many professional societies, Dr. Fein co-founded and currently serves as president of the International Society for the Advancement of Medical Retina. She belongs to the Virginia Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons and the Northern Virginia Academy of Ophthalmology. She is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is licensed to practice in the states of Maryland and Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
July-August Issue of Viva Tysons Features an Article Detailing Dr. Jordana Feins participation in a Medical Mission to Honduras Where She Performed Life-Altering Surgery on Blind Patients The July-August issue of Viva Tysons features an article detailing Dr. Jordana Feins participation in a medical mission to Honduras where she performed life-altering cataract surgery on blind patients. It was part of the Virginia Hospital Centers Annual Medical Brigade trip to improve living and medical conditions in developing countries. Dr. Fein was the first-ever cataract surgeon to be part of the effort, and she has already made plans to return for next years mission.
Dr. Jordana Feins recent trip to Honduras as part of the Virginia Hospital Center Medical Brigade (VHCMB) was the subject of a recent cover story in the Connection (Va.) Newspapers. The article chronicled her work in the town of Comayagua, screening dozens of patients and performing surgeries on villagers, all of whom had been blinded by cataracts. It was Dr. Feins first-ever participation with the VHCMB, a USAID PVO-registered organization that supports sustainable community development interventions designed to reduce the impact of preventable diseases on vulnerable populations. More details and information on volunteering for or donating to the organization can be found at www.vhcmedicalbrigade.org.
To Dr. Jordana Fein, it was simply a matter of using her skills as an eye surgeon to help people in need. For the people in the town of Comayagua in Honduras, it was a miracle that allowed more than two dozen villagersall of whom were blinded from cataracts/some at an early ageto finally see their family members and friends for the first time in their lives.
The week-long trip was in conjunction with the Virginia Hospital Centers Medical Brigades annual effort to improve the health of communities in Honduras by providing services that are currently unavailable there and in many other third world countries. In participating in the VHCMB for the first time, Dr. Fein joined a pediatric ophthalmologist, an OBGYN and a urologist in using four operating rooms in a hospital that is only open when visiting medical personnel come to offer treatment to members of the community. She estimates screening more than 50 patients and performing close to 30 surgeries on men and women of all ages, including a six-year-old boy who at age two was discovered in a rural area and diagnosed with bilateral cataracts.
According to Dr. Fein, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the developing world. She described the medical mission as one of the hardest, but clearly one of the best thing Ive ever done in my life. She takes great pride in having traveled so far to give the gift of sight back to these people who had lived all or most of their lives in darkness.
The Virginia Hospital Centres Medical Brigade is a 501(c)(3) and USAID PVO registered organization founded in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch destroyed much of Central America, especially Honduras. The groups initial efforts were to provide disaster relief with subsequent endeavors focused on offering curative services. In more recent years, the Brigade has added programs that support sustainable community development interventions and reduce the impact of preventable diseases on vulnerable populations. More details and information on volunteering for or donating to the organization can be found at www.vhcmedicalbrigade.org.
The following ratings and comments are based on verified patient experiences collected by an independent third-party survey vendor after each patient visit and reflect each patient's own views and opinions.
I am proud to be part of such an incredibly well trained and experienced group of retinal specialists and surgeons. All of us take pride in providing the highest standard of careand in being driven and dedicated to delivering the most precise diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment.
The state of Pennsylvania provided the backdrop for Dr. Desais early educational experiences; he received his Bachelor of Science degree (with high distinction) from Pennsylvania State University and went on to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. His training continued with a residency in Ophthalmology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a fellowship in Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.
Dr. Desai, a recipient of Washingtonians 2019 Top Doctor honor, is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and holds licenses in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. He is a Clinical Instructor of Ophthalmology at Washington National Eye Center (Washington Hospital Center) and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Georgetown University School of Medicines Center for Sight. He is affiliated with Suburban Hospital, Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center, and is a member of numerous professional associations, societies and organizations.
His extensive clinical work, combined with his frequent contributions to medical journals, has brought Dr. Desai considerable recognition within the field. He has been honored by the Alpha Omega Alpha and Hobart Amory Hare Honor Medical Societies. He has acted as co-principal or sub-investigator in a variety of research studies. His resume includes close to 20 publications, abstracts, presentations and textbook chapters.
An iPad For Your Thoughts: Margaret Fay Jones of Germantown received an iPad Mini fromDr. Vinay N. Desaifor being the lucky winner of the RGW Internet Marketing Survey drawing. Ms. Jones underwent surgery for a detached retina earlier in the summer and credits Dr. Desai for working so quickly to save the sight in that eye. The survey was designed to secure valuable insights into patients use of online and social media outlets.
Im proud of our track record for providing top caliber teaching and training to residents and fellows. That helps us attract the best and brightest physicians, which means the practice will be in capable hands for many years to come.
A graduate of Columbia University (Bachelor of Arts degree), Dr. Melamud went on to earn both his Master of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University. His post-graduate education included an internship in Internal Medicine at the New York University Hospital and a residency in Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinics Cole Eye Institute, where he was elected to serve as the chief resident. He then completed a surgical and medical fellowship in Retinal Disease at the Duke University Medical Center.
Dr. Melamud is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retinal Surgeons. He is licensed in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
As a complement to his clinical care, Dr. Melamud is actively involved with research at both the national and regional level, acting as a principal and co-investigator in a number of clinical trials. He has over a dozen peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and abstracts to his credit and presents regularly at national and regional conferences. He is the co-director of the fellowship program administered by The Retina Group of Washington in conjunction with Georgetown University and the Washington Hospital Center, and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgetown. Dr. Melamud has received several grants to pursue training and research, and has secured a U.S. patent for the development of a device for use during retinal surgery. He is highly respected by his professional peers, who selected him one of the areas top ophthalmologists in the annualWashingtonianTop Doctors rankings.
Dr Alex Melamud Authors Chapter on Techniquesfor Pars Plana Lensectomy. RGW doctors Kevin Broderick and Alex Melamud published, Pars Plana Lensectomy: Indications, techniques for dropped and subluxed cataract in The Duke Manual of Vitreoretinal Surgery First Edition 2020.
Dr. Alex Melamud and Dr. Sam Kim Investigate Endophthalmitis Risk Factors, Finding Ways to Significantly Reduce Risk of Post-Surgery Infection Dr. Alex Melamud and Dr. Sam Kim from the Retina Group of Washington investigated the risk factors for a severe infection known as endophthalmitis, which can occur after vitrectomy surgery. The authors found that using a vitreous substitute material such as air, gas or silicone oil, at the time of surgery significantly reduced the risk of infection after surgery. The initial results of this study were also presented in 2016 at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting. The paper was published in the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases in July 2017.
Doctors Alexander Melamud, Sam Kim, and Gayatri S. Reilly Presented Paper on Endophthalmitis After Vitrectomy Surgery Dr. Alexander Melamud, Dr. Sam Kim andDr. Gayatri S. Reillypresented the results of a paper entitledEndophthalmitis After Vitrectomy Surgery: A Case Control Analysisat the annual meeting of the American Society of Retinal Surgeons in San Francisco, CA. Although infections are rare after vitrectomy, it is a potentially serious condition that warrants careful prevention measures both before and after surgery. The current study is the largest analysis of risk factors for infection at the time of vitrectomy surgery conducted to date. The authors evaluated the use of peri-operative antibiotics, the effect of surgical instrumentation and other factors on the likelihood of endophthalmitis. The study found that the usage of endotamponade was protective against post operative infection.
Dr. Alex Melamud publishes paper on lens surgery and patient outcomes in American Journal of Ophthalmology Dr. Alex Melamudhas published a paper evaluating the safety and efficacy of complex secondary intraocular lens surgery in patients who also undergo pars plana vitrectomy surgery. The study is entitledPars Plana Vitrectomy Combined with Either Secondary Scleral Fixated or Anterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantationand reviews outcomes in patients who require surgical visual rehabilitation. The paper reports excellent visual outcomes with two techniques of secondary intraocular lens implantation. It has been published ahead of print on the website of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a prestigious peer-reviewed publication.