Overview
My current research interests include:
Childhood glaucomas - With a large referral practice of children with pediatric glaucomas of all types, Freedman is evaluating existing and new management strategies for treating refractory congenital and childhood glaucomas, including the use of pharmacologic agents, as well as modification of surgical interventions. Freedman has an on-going collaboration with Duke colleagues to study the genetics of pediatric glaucoma. In addition to an active clinical research program, she regularly lectures and directs workshop at national meetings aimed at educating other ophthalmologists about current strategies and controversies in managing children with refractory glaucoma.
Retinopathy of Prematurity - Freedman was the principal investigator at the Duke-UNC Center for the NIH-sponsored, multi-center trial to evaluate early treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ETROP). Together with colleague David Wallace, she provides eye care and treatment to the many premature children who graduate from the Neonatal Intensive Care units at DUHS. Freedman and Wallace are involved in clinical research involving the computerized evaluation of retinal blood vessels in ROP. Freedman and Wallace collaborate with Cynthia Toth and her Duke research team in applying the new imaging technique of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography to image children with retinopathy of prematurity and other retinal disorders. Efforts are ongoing to investigate the role of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug, bevasizumab in treating severe ROP.
Strabismus associated with macular translocation surgery - Together with Cynthia Toth, Freedman continues to surgically treat the cyclotorsion and strabismus resulting from macular translocation surgery (now reserved for special cases of macular degeneration that are resistent to injection therapy. She has developed and published on new extraocular muscle surgical techniques to deal with this problem.
Childhood glaucomas - With a large referral practice of children with pediatric glaucomas of all types, Freedman is evaluating existing and new management strategies for treating refractory congenital and childhood glaucomas, including the use of pharmacologic agents, as well as modification of surgical interventions. Freedman has an on-going collaboration with Duke colleagues to study the genetics of pediatric glaucoma. In addition to an active clinical research program, she regularly lectures and directs workshop at national meetings aimed at educating other ophthalmologists about current strategies and controversies in managing children with refractory glaucoma.
Retinopathy of Prematurity - Freedman was the principal investigator at the Duke-UNC Center for the NIH-sponsored, multi-center trial to evaluate early treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ETROP). Together with colleague David Wallace, she provides eye care and treatment to the many premature children who graduate from the Neonatal Intensive Care units at DUHS. Freedman and Wallace are involved in clinical research involving the computerized evaluation of retinal blood vessels in ROP. Freedman and Wallace collaborate with Cynthia Toth and her Duke research team in applying the new imaging technique of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography to image children with retinopathy of prematurity and other retinal disorders. Efforts are ongoing to investigate the role of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug, bevasizumab in treating severe ROP.
Strabismus associated with macular translocation surgery - Together with Cynthia Toth, Freedman continues to surgically treat the cyclotorsion and strabismus resulting from macular translocation surgery (now reserved for special cases of macular degeneration that are resistent to injection therapy. She has developed and published on new extraocular muscle surgical techniques to deal with this problem.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Ophthalmology
·
2007 - Present
Ophthalmology,
Clinical Science Departments
Chief, Pediatric Ophthalmology
·
2008 - Present
Ophthalmology,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor of Pediatrics
·
2007 - Present
Pediatrics,
Clinical Science Departments
Recent Publications
Refractive Change at 5 Years in the Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Study.
Journal Article Ophthalmology · May 2025 PURPOSE: To report refractive change at 5 years of age in children with pseudophakic eyes operated on before 2 years of age. DESIGN: Retrospective case series at 10 Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) sites. PARTICIPANTS: Children who underwent cataract ... Full text Link to item CiteSemi-automated evaluation of trabecular meshwork and schlemm canal imaged with OCT in children with normal eyes vs. primary congenital glaucoma.
Journal Article Sci Rep · April 12, 2025 Maldevelopment of Schlemm canal (SC) and trabecular meshwork (TM) is proposed in the pathogenesis of primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). This study aims to evaluate a semi-automated segmentation algorithm of SC and TM in pediatric patients scanned using ove ... Full text Link to item CiteCost as a barrier to eyeglasses in pediatric population: a cross-sectional survey analysis.
Journal Article J AAPOS · April 2025 Eyeglasses are an essential medical device to maximize visual potential and learning in children. We surveyed parents and pediatric ophthalmologists regarding their perspectives on the cost of pediatric eyeglasses. Parents and ophthalmologists identified c ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
North Carolina Clinical Center for the Eunice Kennedy Shiver NICHD Cooperative Multicenter Neonatal Research Network
ResearchCollaborating Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2001 - 2030Analyzing retinal microanatomy in retinopathy of prematurity to improve care
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Eye Institute · 2021 - 2026Bevacizumab Treatment for Posterior Zone I Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP4)
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Jaeb Center For Health Research · 2021 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Harvard University ·
1985
M.D.
Duke University ·
1981
B.S.