My entry into vision research began in my twenties when I sought to address progressive myopia. Through reduced lens methodology and ciliary muscle training protocols based on the work of Dr. William Horatio Bates and Dr. Meir Schneider, I achieved a reduction from -8D to -5D spherical equivalent.
In my late twenties, I developed chronic Lyme disease with ocular manifestations including meibomian gland dysfunction and secondary Sjögren's syndrome. Standard MGD treatment protocols proved insufficient as the condition progressed to severe neuropathic pain. This clinical experience revealed significant gaps in how ophthalmology addresses ocular surface pain syndromes.
What began as a search for effective treatment evolved into systematic research on medically orphaned conditions and the structural barriers patients face within ophthalmologic care systems.
My research investigates why effective treatment for ocular surface pain remains elusive despite available solutions. I examine how anatomical misunderstandings, diagnostic tool limitations, and protocol gaps create layered barriers to care, while exploring unconventional therapeutic approaches.
This work advocates for patients whose conditions exist in diagnostic gray zones while contributing to broader understanding of how healthcare systems can better serve contested diagnoses.
