Ramiro Maldonado | Scholars@Duke

Ramiro Maldonado
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Dr. Maldonado is the Director of the Center for Retinal Degenerations and Ophthalmic Diseases at the Duke Eye Center. He specializes in pediatric retinal diseases, pediatric and adult ophthalmic genetics, and inherited retinal diseases. He completed a fellowship in pediatric retinal imaging at Duke Ophthalmology. He also completed ophthalmic genetics and electrophysiology and medical retina fellowships at the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NEI).

Prior to joining Duke, he was the Director and Founder of the Ophthalmic Genetics and Electrophysiology Service at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Dr. Maldonado provides pediatric medical retina services in addition to pediatric and adult inherited retinal disease care.

Current Research Interests

- Inherited Eye Diseases
- Genetic testing
- Electrophysiology
- Image processing
- Big Data management
- Clinical trials

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery, Ophthalmology 2022

Contact Information

Duke 2351 Erwin Rd, DUMC 3802, Durham, NC 27710
ramiro.maldonado@duke.edu (919) 684-5631
Google Scholar
dukehealth profile

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Medical Retina Fellowship, National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2018
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Electrophysiology Fellowship, National Institutes of Health 2016 - 2017
- Residency, Duke University School of Medicine 2013 - 2016
- M.D., Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Facultad de Medicina (Ecuador) 2002
Expertise
Subject Headings
Research
Selected Grants
- Universal Rare Gene Study: A Registry and Natural History Study of Retinal Dystrophies Associated with Rare Disease-Causing Genetic Variants awarded by Jaeb Center For Health Research 2022 - 2023
- Rate of Progression of PCDH15 Related Retinal Degeneration awarded by Jaeb Center For Health Research 2022 - 2023
- Clinical Research Fellowship - David Le awarded by Baton Rouge Area Foundation 2022 - 2023
External Relationships
- PYC Therapeutics
- ProQR Therapeutics
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Justin, Grant A., Aniz Girach, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for proline-23-histidine autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.” Curr Opin Ophthalmol 34, no. 3 (May 1, 2023): 226–31. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICU.0000000000000947.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Turski, Christopher A., Mitchell A. Jacobs, Michelle M. Abou-Jaoude, Nicholas H. Fowler, Ryan Harpole, Emily Altman, John B. Chadwell, et al. “Short-term outcomes in patients with center-involving diabetic macular edema after a single dose of intravitreal bevacizumab.” Int J Retina Vitreous 8, no. 1 (November 17, 2022): 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40942-022-00430-z.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Mair, Hailey, Nicholas Fowler, Maria E. Papatzanaki, Padmaja Sudhakar, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “Novel missense WFS1 variant causing autosomal dominant atypical Wolfram syndrome.” Ophthalmic Genet 43, no. 4 (August 2022): 567–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/13816810.2022.2068038.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Igelman, Austin D., Cristy Ku, Mariana Matioli da Palma, Michalis Georgiou, Elena R. Schiff, Byron L. Lam, Eeva-Marja Sankila, et al. “Expanding the clinical phenotype in patients with disease causing variants associated with atypical Usher syndrome.” Ophthalmic Genet 42, no. 6 (December 2021): 664–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/13816810.2021.1946704.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Wadih M. Zein, and Catherine Cukras. “MULTIMODAL EVIDENCE OF TYPE 3 NEOVASCULARIZATION IN ENHANCED S-CONE SYNDROME.” Retin Cases Brief Rep 15, no. 6 (November 1, 2021): 702–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICB.0000000000000892.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Fowler, N., N. R. Mendez Martinez, B. V. Pallares, and R. S. Maldonado. “Acute-onset central serous retinopathy after immunization with COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.” American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports 23 (September 1, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajoc.2021.101136.
    Full Text
  - Fowler, Nicholas H., May I. El-Rashedy, Emad A. Chishti, Craig W. Vander Kooi, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “Multimodal imaging and genetic findings in a case of ARSG-related atypical Usher syndrome.” Ophthalmic Genet 42, no. 3 (June 2021): 338–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/13816810.2021.1891552.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Pfister, Tyler A., Wadih M. Zein, Catherine A. Cukras, Hatice N. Sen, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Laryssa A. Huryn, and Robert B. Hufnagel. “Phenotypic and Genetic Spectrum of Autosomal Recessive Bestrophinopathy and Best Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 62, no. 6 (May 3, 2021): 22. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.62.6.22.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Abou-Jaoude, Michelle, Claire Fraser, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “Update on maculopathy secondary to pentosan polysulfate toxicity.” Curr Opin Ophthalmol 32, no. 3 (May 1, 2021): 233–39. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICU.0000000000000754.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Prado, Dominic A., Marcy Acosta-Acero, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “Gene therapy beyond luxturna: a new horizon of the treatment for inherited retinal disease.” Curr Opin Ophthalmol 31, no. 3 (May 2020): 147–54. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICU.0000000000000660.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Henry, M., J. Kitchens, J. M. Pascual, and R. S. Maldonado. “GLUT1 deficiency: Retinal detrimental effects of gliovascular modulation.” Neurology: Genetics 6, no. 4 (January 1, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1212/NXG.0000000000000472.
    Full Text
  - Tran-Viet, Du, Brittany M. Wong, Shwetha Mangalesh, Ramiro Maldonado, C Michael Cotten, and Cynthia A. Toth. “HANDHELD SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING THROUGH THE UNDILATED PUPIL IN INFANTS BORN PRETERM OR WITH HYPOXIC INJURY OR HYDROCEPHALUS.” Retina 38, no. 8 (August 2018): 1588–94. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000001735.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Lee, Jan Hau, Christoph P. Hornik, Daniela Testoni, Matthew M. Laughon, C Michael Cotten, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Marc R. Belcastro, Reese H. Clark, and P Brian Smith. “Insulin, Hyperglycemia, and Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants.” Am J Perinatol 33, no. 4 (March 2016): 393–400. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1565999.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Tariq Bhatti, M., R. S. Maldonado, P. Mettu, and M. El-Dairi. “Authors respond.” Neurology: Clinical Practice 6, no. 1 (February 1, 2016): 9–10. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.CPJ.0000481033.17694.e2.
    Full Text
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Pradeep Mettu, Mays El-Dairi, and M Tariq Bhatti. “The application of optical coherence tomography in neurologic diseases.” Neurol Clin Pract 5, no. 5 (October 2015): 460–69. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000187.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Vinekar, Anand, Shwetha Mangalesh, Chaitra Jayadev, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Noel Bauer, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Retinal Imaging of Infants on Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.” Biomed Res Int 2015 (2015): 782420. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/782420.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Tong, Amy Y., Mays El-Dairi, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Adam L. Rothman, Eric L. Yuan, Sandra S. Stinnett, Laura Kupper, et al. “Evaluation of optic nerve development in preterm and term infants using handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.” Ophthalmology 121, no. 9 (September 2014): 1818–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.03.020.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Eric Yuan, Du Tran-Viet, Adam L. Rothman, Amy Y. Tong, David K. Wallace, Sharon F. Freedman, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Three-dimensional assessment of vascular and perivascular characteristics in subjects with retinopathy of prematurity.” Ophthalmology 121, no. 6 (June 2014): 1289–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2013.12.004.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Allingham, Michael J., Michelle T. Cabrera, Rachelle V. O’Connell, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Du Tran-Viet, Cynthia A. Toth, Sharon F. Freedman, and Mays A. El-Dairi. “Racial variation in optic nerve head parameters quantified in healthy newborns by handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography.” J Aapos 17, no. 5 (October 2013): 501–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2013.06.014.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Moreno, Tomas A., Rachelle V. O’Connell, Stephanie J. Chiu, Sina Farsiu, Michelle T. Cabrera, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Du Tran-Viet, Sharon F. Freedman, David K. Wallace, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Choroid development and feasibility of choroidal imaging in the preterm and term infants utilizing SD-OCT.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 54, no. 6 (June 14, 2013): 4140–47. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.12-11471.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., and Cynthia A. Toth. “Optical coherence tomography in retinopathy of prematurity: looking beyond the vessels.” Clin Perinatol 40, no. 2 (June 2013): 271–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2013.02.007.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Ehlers, Justis P., Yuankai K. Tao, Sina Farsiu, Ramiro Maldonado, Joseph A. Izatt, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Visualization of real-time intraoperative maneuvers with a microscope-mounted spectral domain optical coherence tomography system.” Retina 33, no. 1 (January 2013): 232–36. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e31826e86f5.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Cabrera, Michelle T., Rachelle V. O’Connell, Cynthia A. Toth, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Du Tran-Viet, Michael J. Allingham, Stephanie J. Chiu, et al. “Macular findings in healthy full-term Hispanic newborns observed by hand-held spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.” Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 44, no. 5 (2013): 448–54. https://doi.org/10.3928/23258160-20130801-01.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Rachelle O’Connell, Simon B. Ascher, Neeru Sarin, Sharon F. Freedman, David K. Wallace, Stephanie J. Chiu, Sina Farsiu, Michael Cotten, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic assessment of severity of cystoid macular edema in retinopathy of prematurity.” Arch Ophthalmol 130, no. 5 (May 2012): 569–78. https://doi.org/10.1001/archopthalmol.2011.1846.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Lin, Phoebe, Priyatham S. Mettu, Dustin L. Pomerleau, Stephanie J. Chiu, Ramiro Maldonado, Sandra Stinnett, Cynthia A. Toth, Sina Farsiu, and Prithvi Mruthyunjaya. “Image inversion spectral-domain optical coherence tomography optimizes choroidal thickness and detail through improved contrast.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 53, no. 4 (April 6, 2012): 1874–82. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.11-9290.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Cabrera, Michelle T., Ramiro S. Maldonado, Cynthia A. Toth, Rachelle V. O’Connell, Bei Bei Chen, Stephanie J. Chiu, Sina Farsiu, et al. “Subfoveal fluid in healthy full-term newborns observed by handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.” Am J Ophthalmol 153, no. 1 (January 2012): 167-75.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2011.06.017.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Rachelle V. O’Connell, Neeru Sarin, Sharon F. Freedman, David K. Wallace, C Michael Cotten, Katrina P. Winter, et al. “Dynamics of human foveal development after premature birth.” Ophthalmology 118, no. 12 (December 2011): 2315–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2011.05.028.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Ehlers, Justis P., Kendal Kernstine, Sina Farsiu, Neeru Sarin, Ramiro Maldonado, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Analysis of pars plana vitrectomy for optic pit-related maculopathy with intraoperative optical coherence tomography: a possible connection with the vitreous cavity.” Arch Ophthalmol 129, no. 11 (November 2011): 1483–86. https://doi.org/10.1001/archophthalmol.2011.316.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Lee, Annie C., Ramiro S. Maldonado, Neeru Sarin, Rachelle V. O’Connell, David K. Wallace, Sharon F. Freedman, Michael Cotten, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Macular features from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography as an adjunct to indirect ophthalmoscopy in retinopathy of prematurity.” Retina 31, no. 8 (September 2011): 1470–82. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e31821dfa6d.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Hahn, Paul, Justin Migacz, Rachelle O’Connell, Ramiro S. Maldonado, Joseph A. Izatt, and Cynthia A. Toth. “The use of optical coherence tomography in intraoperative ophthalmic imaging.” Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 42 Suppl, no. 0 (July 2011): S85–94. https://doi.org/10.3928/15428877-20110627-08.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Ehlers, Justis P., Yuankai K. Tao, Sina Farsiu, Ramiro Maldonado, Joseph A. Izatt, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Integration of a spectral domain optical coherence tomography system into a surgical microscope for intraoperative imaging.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 52, no. 6 (May 16, 2011): 3153–59. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.10-6720.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Sharon F. Freedman, C Michael Cotten, Jeffrey M. Ferranti, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Reversible retinal edema in an infant with neonatal hemochromatosis and liver failure.” J Aapos 15, no. 1 (February 2011): 91–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2010.11.016.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Day, Shelley, Ramiro S. Maldonado, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Preretinal and intraretinal exudates in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.” Retina 31, no. 1 (January 2011): 190–91. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e3182019c04.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Ehlers, Justis P., Ramiro Maldonado, Neeru Sarin, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Treatment of non-age-related macular degeneration submacular diseases with macular translocation surgery.” Retina 31, no. 7 (2011): 1337–46. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e31820668cf.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Ehlers, Justis P., Preeya K. Gupta, Sina Farsiu, Ramiro Maldonado, Terry Kim, Cynthia A. Toth, and Prithvi Mruthyunjaya. “Evaluation of contrast agents for enhanced visualization in optical coherence tomography.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 51, no. 12 (December 2010): 6614–19. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.10-6195.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Maldonado, Ramiro S., Joseph A. Izatt, Neeru Sarin, David K. Wallace, Sharon Freedman, C Michael Cotten, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Optimizing hand-held spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging for neonates, infants, and children.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 51, no. 5 (May 2010): 2678–85. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.09-4403.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Chavala, Sai H., Sina Farsiu, Ramiro Maldonado, David K. Wallace, Sharon F. Freedman, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Insights into advanced retinopathy of prematurity using handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging.” Ophthalmology 116, no. 12 (December 2009): 2448–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.06.003.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Dayani, Pouya N., Ramiro Maldonado, Sina Farsiu, and Cynthia A. Toth. “Intraoperative use of handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging in macular surgery.” Retina 29, no. 10 (2009): 1457–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e3181b266bc.
    Full Text Link to Item
- Book Sections
  - Rothman, A. L., R. S. Maldonado, L. Vajzovic, and C. A. Toth. “Optical coherence tomography and wide-field fluorescein angiography in retinopathy of prematurity.” In Retinopathy of Prematurity: Current Diagnosis and Management, 29–41, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52190-9_4.
    Full Text
- Other Articles
  - Maldonado, R. S., R. V. O’Connell, S. F. Freedman, D. K. Wallace, and C. A. Toth. “Author reply.” Ophthalmology, January 1, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.03.030.
    Full Text
  - Dayani, P. N., R. Maldonado, S. Farsiu, and C. A. Toth. “Erratum: Intraoperative use of handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging in macular surgery (Retina (2009) 29:10 (1457-1468)).” Retina, June 1, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0b013e318221991a.
    Full Text
- Conference Papers
  - Abou-Jaoude, Michelle M., Alexander M. Davis, Claire E. Fraser, Monique Leys, David Hinkle, J Vernon Odom, and Ramiro S. Maldonado. “New Insights Into Pentosan Polysulfate Maculopathy.” In Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina, 52:13–22, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3928/23258160-20201223-04.
    Full Text Link to Item
Teaching & Mentoring
Advising & Mentoring
- Fellows and Residents mentored:
  - Dr. Christopher Tursky 2021-2022
  - Dr. Shivani Reedy 2020-2022
  - Dr. Mitchell Jacobs 2021-2022
  - Dr. May El-Rashedy 2020-2021
  - Dr. Nicholas Fowler 2020-2021
  - Dr. Michelle Abou-Jaoude 2019-2021
  - Dr. Osama Sabbagh 2019-2021
  - Dr. Savani Reddy 2020-2021
  - Dr. Javed Sayed 2018-2020
  - Dr. Stuart Ball 2018-2020
Teaching Activities
- - Course Director: XXXIV Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology. Course: "Electrophysiology in the era of Gene Therapy". Cancun, Mexico, 2019
  - Founding member and developer of the Pan-American Inherited Retinal Diseases Group. We hold weekly meetings to present cases, lectures, journal clubs. Developed curriculum for International IRD Fellowship.
  - Annual lectures to ophthalmology residents. Topics: 1) Electrophysiology 2) Optics 3) Ophthalmic Lasers 4) Uveitis.
  - Member of the Organizing Committee for “Focus on Fellows” symposium. National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD. July 2017
  - Member of Organizing Committee for “Duke Pediatric Retinal Imaging Course.” Duke Eye Center, Durham, NC, September 2010.

Some information on this profile has been compiled automatically from Duke databases and external sources. (Our About page explains how this works.) If you see a problem with the information, please write to Scholars@Duke and let us know. We will reply promptly.

Education, Training, & Certifications

Subject Headings

Selected Grants

External Relationships

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Other Articles

Conference Papers

Advising & Mentoring

Teaching Activities