DIANA KATSMAN, MD, PHD
LOS ANGELES' TOP DESTINATION
FOR EYE AND RETINAL HEALTH
My Retina Health staff speaks fluent English, Russian, and Spanish.
SEE THE DIFFERENCE
Why Choose Us for eye and RETINAL TREATMENT?
At My Retina Health, we put your vision first. With advanced diagnostic tools and a compassionate approach, we ensure that each of our patients receives personalized care. Our dedicated team, led by Dr. Diana Katsman, is here to guide you through every step of your treatment journey.
EXPERT CARE
Our team is skilled in treating various retinal conditions, using the latest techniques and technologies available. Your health is our top priority, and we strive to provide the highest standards of care.
Advanced Technology
We utilize cutting-edge technology for diagnostics and treatment, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. This helps us provide better outcomes while making your as experience comfortable as possible.
Patient Education
We believe informed patients make better decisions. We take the time to educate you about your condition and the available treatment options, empowering you to take charge of your eye health.
Comprehensive Care
From initial assessments to follow-up care, we provide a full range of services tailored to your specific needs. Your journey to better vision starts with us.
Diagnostic Tests Offered
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOPOGRAPHY
An Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) test is like getting an ultrasound, but instead of using sound waves, it uses light to take very detailed pictures of the back of your eye — especially the retina.
It allows your eye doctor to see all the layers of the retina, almost like slicing a cake and looking at each layer. This helps find problems like macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, or swelling that can affect your vision — often before you notice any symptoms.
The test is quick, painless, and nothing touches your eye. You just look into a machine, and it takes the pictures in a few seconds.
OCULAR ULTRASOUND
Ocular ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the inside of your eye — especially helpful when your doctor can’t see the back of your eye clearly because of things like cataracts, bleeding, or severe swelling.
There are two main types of ocular ultrasound used in eye care: B-scan and A-scan. Each one helps with different things.
VISUAL FIELD TESTING
Visual field testing is a diagnostic procedure used to assess a person’s entire field of vision, including central and peripheral (side) vision. It helps detect blind spots and other vision problems that may not be noticeable in everyday life but could indicate underlying issues.
FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY
Digital Wide Field Fluorescein Angiography (DWFA) is an eye imaging test that uses a special dye (fluorescein) and a wide-angle camera to take detailed pictures of the retina’s blood vessels. The dye is injected into a vein and travels to the eye, where it glows under a special light, highlighting any abnormalities. Unlike traditional imaging, DWFA captures a much larger area of the retina, including the peripheral regions. This helps doctors detect and monitor conditions like diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and other vascular issues more effectively.
DIGITAL FUNDUS PHOTOGRAPHY
Digital Fundus Photography is a non-invasive imaging technique that takes high-resolution color pictures of the back of the eye, called the fundus, which includes the retina, optic nerve, and blood vessels. Using a special camera, it captures detailed images to help detect and monitor eye conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. Unlike angiography, it doesn’t require any dye injection. It’s quick, painless, and commonly used in routine eye exams and screenings.
DIGITAL WIDE FIELD FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY
Digital Wide Field Fluorescein Angiography (DWFA) is an advanced imaging technique that uses a special dye (fluorescein) and a wide-angle camera to capture detailed images of the retina’s blood vessels. The dye is injected into a vein and travels to the eye, where it highlights circulation patterns under a special light. DWFA can image a much larger area of the retina than standard methods, including the peripheral regions. This allows doctors to detect and manage eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and uveitis more effectively.
ICG ANGIOGRAPHY
Indocyanine green (ICG) angiography is an advanced imaging test usually found in large academic eye centers. It allows for detailed visualization of the eye’s deeper blood vessels, particularly useful in complex cases. We’re proud to offer this cutting-edge technology to patients with difficult-to-diagnose eye conditions. Similar to fluorescein angiography, this test involves injecting a dye—ICG instead of sodium fluorescein—that emits light at a different wavelength and binds more tightly to blood proteins. This enables ICG to highlight blood flow in the deeper layers beneath the retina, such as the choroid, making it especially useful for detecting fluid-filled pockets or abnormalities hidden by blood or pigment, which may obscure traditional fluorescein imaging.
FUNDUS AUTOFLOURESCENCE
Fundus autofluorescence is a non-invasive imaging technique used to assess the health of the retina, particularly the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which plays a crucial role in visual function. Unlike traditional imaging methods, FAF does not require the injection of dye. Instead, it detects the natural fluorescence emitted by certain compounds, such as lipofuscin, that accumulate in the retina as a result of aging or disease. This makes FAF especially valuable in identifying early changes or damage in retinal conditions like macular degeneration, retinal dystrophies, and other degenerative disorders. By capturing these subtle changes, FAF helps in diagnosing, monitoring, and managing a range of retinal diseases, often before they are visible with other imaging tools.
What Our Amazed Patients Say About Us
RETINAL CONDITIONS
Macular degeneration (or age-related macular degeneration) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It usually affects older patients of retirement age and above. Initial signs of macular degeneration may be picked up earlier, in the 40s and 50s. This is important since there is evidence that intervention with nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes may reduce the development of this blinding disease.
There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. The dry form is usually less severe and reading vision is often maintained. The dry form results from degeneration of the outer layers of the retina — the light absorbing photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE forms the blood retinal barrier between the outer retinal circulation (choriocapillaris) and the outer retina (photoreceptors). With age, the waste products of vision accumulate beneath the RPE in little mounds called drusen.
Diabetic retinopathy affects blood vessels in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of your eye. Persistently elevated blood sugars cause the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina to bleed and develop small bulges (microaneurysms). As the disease progresses, the vessels lose their ability to transport blood.
While many of us note the occasional floater, the presence of new floaters or flashes of light may signal a sight threatening event. Floaters and flashes are caused by the vitreous gel that fills the eye and lies against the retina. Normal floaters are caused by vitreous degeneration. As we age, the vitreous gel begins to degenerate into clumps of proteinaceous material which float in the eye. With time, the gel will separate from the retina. As the gel separates, it may pull on the retina. The mechanical traction on the surface of the retina will stimulate the underlying photoreceptors and lead to the perception of light flashes. In some cases, the pulling may cause a retinal tear and/or a blood vessel may tear leading to severe loss of vision.
A patient with new floaters or flashes should be examined promptly since these signs may indicate a retinal tear. With early diagnosis the tear may be treated with laser surgery or a freezing therapy termed cryotherapy. This will significantly reduce the chance of the tear progressing to a retinal detachment.
The macula is the area of the retina that provides the best vision for reading and fine detail. Scar tissue can sometimes form on the surface of the macula creating distortion and blurring of vision. This scar tissue is called macular pucker or epiretinal membrane. When the vision is only mildly affected, observation may be best. With significant distortion or blurring, however, vitrectomy surgery with peeling of the epiretinal membrane can be used to help restore vision. While the majority of patients recover some vision, the amount of visual recovery is variable and typically will take three or more months. As with all surgeries, the risks, benefits and alternatives must always be considered.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
Experience exceptional care for your eye health. Our team is dedicated to providing thorough assessments and advanced treatment options tailored for you.
faqs
CUSTOMIZED TREATMENT FOR YOUR EYES!
4849 Van Nuys Blvd, Suite 202A, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm; closed Saturday–Sunday. Same-day appointments are available for urgent cases.
Call (310) 773-1280 or use the online appointment request form.
Dr. Diana Katsman, MD, PhD, a fellowship-trained eye and retina surgeon recognized for work in retinal regeneration and stem-cell research.
Bring a photo ID, insurance card, referral (if required), a list of medications, and prior eye records or imaging if available. New patients can complete the New Patient Intake Form online to save time.
Recognized for groundbreaking contributions to stem cell research in eye and retinal regeneration, advancing the quest for a cure to blinding conditions such as macular degeneration.
Dr. Diana Katsman is one of the leading fellowship-trained eye and retina surgeons in the United States of America.
Stemming from the passion to restore people’s ability to lead productive and fulfilling lives through their vision. Dr Katsman’s work has been internationally recognized for pioneering medical research in the use of stem cells for retinal regeneration. This has resulted in being published across major publications and world-renowned scientific journals.
Offering services in Spanish, Russian and English.
