From Paper to Clinic, Episode 2: Is Geographic Atrophy a Peripheral Retinal Disease?

Welcome to From Paper to Clinic, a podcast focused on evidence-based eye care and real-world clinical decision-making, hosted by Hamza Shah, OD, MS, FAAO, a faculty member at the University of Houston College of Optometry. His work spans clinical patient care, education, and mentoring, and his clinical interests include ocular disease, dry eye, perioperative care, and—above all—the challenge of translating information into meaningful patient outcomes.

In Episode 2 of From Paper to Clinic, “Is Geographic Atrophy a Peripheral Retinal Disease?” Raman Bhakhri, OD, FAAO, joins the show to discuss geographic atrophy. In the conversation, the pair discusses the theory that peripheral retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells might contribute to macular geographic atrophy (GA) by migrating inadequately.

They also discuss the analogy with limbal stem cells in the cornea and the importance of monitoring the peripheral retina. Bakri highlights the limitations of current research, such as the lack of clinical trials and the applicability of animal studies to humans, and the pair explores potential new therapeutic strategies and the role of optometrists in patient care, emphasizing the importance of preventive medicine and low-vision assistance.

The paper inspiring this discussion is "Is geographic atrophy a peripheral retinal disease?" from Del Priore, published in Ophthalmology: Retina.

Do you want to only listen to this episode? Check out the audio player below.

Episode 3 is coming on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 8 AM ET

The third episode of From Paper to Clinic will debut in early May and will feature Michael Twa, OD, PhD, focusing on artificial intelligence and its application in eye care. Listeners are invited to join the conversation as the series explores how evidence moves… from paper to clinic.