Dr. Paolo Vinciguerra, M.d.

After obtaining his high school diploma in science, Dr. Paolo Vinciguerra, M.d. enrolled at the University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano) where he graduated in Medicine and Surgery in March 1982. He obtained his qualification to practice in May 1982 and completed his specialisation in Ophthalmology at the same University in June 1986.

Training History
After serving as a Junior Houseman in the University of Milan Ophthalmology centre from 1982, he went on to take a Post-Graduate traineeship from 1983 in the Ophthalmology Department, chaired by Prof. Vito De Molfetta, at the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza.
He then worked as a resident in the same department in Monza hospital from 1984 to 1990. In the same year he was appointed hospital registrar in the Ophthalmology Department, again in Monza hospital, and then Level 1 Manager – Registrar, a post which he held up to 1999. He was in charge of the Refractive Surgery Unit of the same department from 1991 to 1999.
In 1999 he was appointed Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the Bollate and Garbagnate Hospital and at the same time he was appointed head of the Ophthalmology Department at Rho Hospital (1999).
Since November 1999 he has been in charge of the Ophthalmology Department of the Istituto Clinico Humanitas - Rozzano, in Milan.

During his scientific training, he has spent various periods abroad updating his scientific and surgical knowledge at Lausanne Hospital – Ophthalmology Division (1984), as well as periods at the Lübeck Hospital (1985), Munich University (1987), Hamburg University (1989), Kiel University (1989), Nidek Co. Ltd. Research Centre (1992-1994-1998) Gamagori, Japan, Taiwan University (1994), Emory University, Atlanta, USA (1999), Seattle University (2000).
He also took the Hippocrates Course in Management and Organisation for Heads of Hospital Departments at the “Bocconi” University. Milan in 1994.

Special Appointments
In 2003 he was appointed as “expert” consultant to the Higher Health Council.
He is a member of the Ministry of Health CME commission.
He is also a technical consultant to the Milan Court of Law.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Dr. Paolo Vinciguerra, M.d. has taught since the beginning of his scientific career. In particular, he taught part of the Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milan from 1986 to 1990. Furthermore, he lectured in Ophthalmology as part of the Course on Eye Ailments run by Prof. Vito de Molfetta (University of Milan) from 1991 to 1998. In addition to giving a number of lectures at the University of Aquila (2nd Level Masters Degree), he was appointed as Tutor at the University of Milan (Eye Ailments) for the academic year 1995-1996.
He was appointed Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – Eye Ailments, University of Insubria (VA) for the academic year 2002-2003.
He is currently Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – Eye Ailments, University of Milan for the academic year 2005-2006.
He has also taught abroad and in particular, after a number of lectures given at Stanford University (California, USA) and at Ohio State University Department of Ophthalmology, Columbus, Ohio, USA, he was subsequently appointed Visiting Professor in the Ophthalmology Department, Ohio State University, USA(academic years 2002-2003; 2005-2006).

Conferences and courses
Each year, Dr. Paolo Vinciguerra, M.d. takes part in many Italian and international conferences as a speaker/surgeon (for further information, consult the section dedicated to Dr. Vinciguerra, M.d.’s curriculum on the www.refractiveonline.it website using the direct link).
For several years and in particular since 2000, Dr Vinciguerra has organised an international conference (Refractive on-line) at which many of the worlds most important ophthalmology surgeons and scientists participate. The conference has now become an annual event for Italian and international ophthalmologists alike to gain updated information. Dr. Vinciguerra, M.d. thus deemed it appropriate to establish the www.refractiveonline.it website, giving professionals in this field all over the world the opportunity to “attend” the recorded conference sessions. Indeed, each year the website has thousands of visitors, mainly from abroad. For consultation, go to the refractive on-line link where you will find recordings of all the papers presented at the various conference sessions.

SCIENTIFIC WORK

Italian and international group research
As a pioneer of numerous ophthalmic surgery procedures, since 1989 Dr. Vinciguerra, M.d. has contributed to countless Italian and international research groups (see his full curriculum on the www.refractiveonline.it website) studying refractive surgery and corneal topography. In particular:

contributing to the design and development (with international patents) of Nidek Co. Ltd. excimer lasers (from 1991 to date);
as a member of the official international team which developed the “Aesculap Medical” laser in Germany (1991-1993)
as a member of the international team which developed the biomechanical component of thermokeratoplasty (Laser Thermal Keratoplastic) (USA) (1993-1996)
as research coordinator for Gruppo Meditec Laser Italia (1993-1998)
developing masking fluid containing hyaluronic acid for refractive surgery and excimer laser photoablation therapy (in collaboration with the Vis Chemedica Laser Group – Switzerland) (1998)
as Coordinator of an “Excimer laser user” working group for the Italian Society of Refractive Ophthalmic Surgery (SIOR-CLR) (1995-1997)
as a member of the Keratomileusis Study Group (KMSG) (since 2000)
conducting research (into LASEK) at Washington State University– Department of Ophthalmology, Seattle, USA (2001)
developing various patents including one for an artificial eye to simulate laser surgery and for the definition of “Custom Ablation” for the Japanese Group Nidek Co. Ltd. (2002)
contributing to the development and invention of the first integrated topographer, aberrometer, autorefractometer and pupillometer (OPD-Nidek Japan) (since 2002)
as a member of the international team conducting research into Epilasek (since 2004
Leica’s Surgical Advisory Board Internationsl Member -Svizzera
Member Subcommittee International Council Steering Committe ISRS/AAO 2007
Membro dell’International Council American Academy Of Ophthalmology dal 2004
Gruppo SIFI Ricerca su “DRY EYE DISEASE ADVISORY BOARD “.dal 2007

SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS WITH SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

As a member of numerous Italian and international scientific societies, throughout his professional career he has been a member of many boards of directors of ophthalmologic societies (see full curriculum*). He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of both the Italian Society for Corneal Transplants and the Italian Cataract and Refractive Surgery Society, Chairman of the Italian Association of Private Hospitals (OPI) and a member of the “Continuous Medical Education Programme” Committee for the Italian Ophthalmology Society.
He has been an Honorary Member of the Italian Ophthalmology Society (since 1995) and an Honorary Member of the Italian Society for Corneal Transplants (SITRAC) since 2004.
In 1993 he was appointed to draft the Official Report for APIMO (Italian Ophthalmologists’ Professional Association) on Corneal Topography: "La Topografia Corneale" published by Fogliazza, 1994.
He has been a member of the International Council of the International Society of Refractive Surgery-American Academy (ISRS-AAO) since 2004.

He received Special Recognition for his outstanding scientific contribution to Refractive Surgery from the International Society of Refractive Surgery-USA in 1988 and the Achievement Award Certificate in 2003 from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
In 2005, he received the “Lans Lecture” award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology -ISRS for his scientific contribution to ophthalmology since the beginning of his career.

Dr. Paolo Vinciguerra, M.d. is a critical reviewer of articles published in such international journals as the “Journal of Refractive Surgery” and the “Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery”. He is also a member of the editorial board of the “Video Journal of Ophthalmology” (since 2003).
Member of the Ophthalmology Times Europe Editorial Advisory Board (2005)

SCIENTIFIC AWARDS

Italiani
1986 Premio Società Oftalmologica Lombarda “Use of benzadac to prevent cataract formation in patients operated for retinal detachment by closet vitrectomy and silicon oil”
1987 Premio Società Oftalmologica Triveneta “La cataratta secondaria nel paziente operato di distacco di retina mediante vitrectomia via pars-plana e inezione di olio di silicone nella camera vitrea associata all’estrazione extracapsulare inversa di cataratta”
1987 Premio Società Oftalmologica Italiana “Uso della ciclosporina A nel trattamento del rigetto corneale”
1989 Premio Società Italiana Laser in Oftalmologia “La endofotocoagulazione laser in rapporto alle altre modalità di retinopessia nel paziente vitrectomizzato”
1992 Premio Società Italiana Laser in Oftalmologia :”Cheratectomia fotorefrattiva con laser ad eccimeri nella miopia elevata”

Internazionali
1993 Best paper in Symposium on Cataract,IOL and Refractive Surgery ASCRS – Seattle:
“Excimer laser phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK) without Hyperopic shift”
1996 Best paper in Symposium on Cataract,IOL and Refractive Surgery ASCRS – Seattle
1998 Best paper in Pre-Academy (International Society of Refractive Surgery-American Academy ISRS-AAO) in New Orleans as 1st and 2nd place: “Excimer Laser Treatment of PRK and LASIK decentration”, “Astigmatism Management Raising the bar to the perfect spherical cornea”
1999 Best paper in two Session of Symposium on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery ASCRS-Seattle:“Hyperopic and Hyperopic astigmatism correction with a Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser: New Algorithm”, “Ablation of both meridians in Lasik and PRK: Tissue-sparing strategy to correct myopic and Hyperopic astigmatism”
2003 Best paper in session Symposium on Cataract,IOL and Refractive Surgery ASCRS Congress-San Francisco
2005 Lans Lecture Award dell’American Academy of Ophthalmology

PATENTS

As a pioneer of refractive surgery working with scientific institutes and ophthalmology companies engaged in development and research into technological innovations, Dr. Vinciguerra, M.d. has filed numerous patents in both Europe and the rest of the world (see full curriculum*). In particular, his research and publications have led to the development of the cross cylinder procedure for correcting astigmatism, study of the ablative profile in the transitional zone for excimer laser photoablation, a new system for correcting systemic photoablation errors by topographic and aberrometer measurement of an artificial test eye, development and computerised analysis system for corneal stroma in confocal microscopy using fractal calculation. Other patent applications are currently pending.

ORIGINAL SURGICAL TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS

Cross cylinder (United States Pat. No. 6315771-2001) Cross cylinder correction of astigmatism to save corneal tissue and continuously monitor the cornea during excimer laser refractive photoablation treatment;
New photoablation technique to correct presbyopia in emmetropic patients;
Re-centering mask: development of a mask to recenter photorefractive treatments;
Development of a masking fluid: this fluid based on hyaluronic acid is also used during photoablation and phototherapy treatment;
Therapeutic photoablation (PTK) and “smoothing” after refractive photoablation (PRK) by excimer laser;
Variable aspherical transition zone: Modifying the shape of the cornea in relation to the pre-operative corneal curvature radius in order to maintain the post-operative curvature gradient without creating greater than physiological spherical aberrations in pupils measuring from 3 to 5 mm;
Butterfly lasek: New surgical technique for raising the corneal epithelium during refractive photoablation while keeping it attached to the limbus, where stem cells reside;
Artificial eye to calibrate excimer laser instruments (Spherical PMMA Test patent pending in Japan 2003): new system to compensate systemic photoablation error using topographic and aberrometer measurement of an artificial test eye. After this measurement, the error pattern, reduction of laser efficiency on curved surfaces and hazing are transformed into a compensatory calculation algorithm;
Methodical retreatment of hypermetropia by excimer laser;
CATZ Custom Ablation Transition Zone (Nidek pat. no. 6607521-2003) ablative profile in the transition zone during astigmatic photoablation by excimer laser;
Topographic and aberrometric indices for corneal topographers (CSO): Definition of new topographic indices to automatically assess the optical quality of a cornea;
Use of the Scheimpflug Camera to evaluate therapeutic and refractive photoablation;
Predictive factor using the Scheimpflug Camera (Nidek Japan) for haze formation after photorefractive excimer laser ablation;
New diagnostic method for the prevention of ecstasy risk factors after LASIK;
Helping to develop the double retina tamponage to treat recurring retinal detachment;
Diagnosis system to differentiate between photorefractive decentering and false decentering;
Development of a dietary supplement based on amino acids to promote corneal trophism.

INSTRUMENTS (technical consultancy for the construction of new instruments)

Dr. Vinciguerra, M.d. has designed and contributed towards the development of a New Corneal Marker for corneal transplants (ASICO-Janach), scleral forceps (Janach), corneal forceps (Janach), a deepithelialising spatula for excimer lasers (Janach-ASICO), a surgical set for Butterfly Lasek (Vinciguerra Lasek Instruments AE 2766, AE 2922, AE 2183)