Donald R. Bergsma, M.D.

Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology

Academic Office:

LSU Eye Center
533 Bolivar Street/CSRB 459
New Orleans, LA 70112

 

 

Degrees

1961
Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI
B.A. Chemistry and Mathematics

1961-65
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY
M.D.

Bio

1965-66 
University of Iowa Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa
Rotating internship

1966-67 
Barnes-McMillan Hospital
Washington University, St. Louis, MO
First year resident in Ophthalmology

1967-69 
National Institute of Dental Research
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 
Clinical Associate, Human Genetics Branch

1969-71 
Barnes-McMillian Hospital and St. Louis VA Hospital,
Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Second and third year resident in Ophthalmology

1972-74 
National Eye Institute
NIH, Bethesda, MD
Assistant to the Clinical Director

1971-78 
NIH, Bethesda, MD
Attending Medical Staff & Senior Staff Ophthalmology

1978-84 
University of Kentucky
College of Medicine, Lexington, KY
Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology

1978-84 
University of Kentucky
College of Medicine, Lexington
Director, Ophthalmology Residency Program and Ophthalmology Medical Student Teaching Program

1984-present 
LSUHSC, New Orleans
Director, Louisiana Lions Eye Service

1992-97 
LSU Eye Center, New Orleans
Program Director, Ophthalmology Residency Program

1997-2003 
LSU/Ochsner Ophthalmology
Residency Training Program, New Orleans
Program Director

2003-2010 
LSU Department of Ophthalmology, New Orleans
Herbert E. Kaufman Professor and Chairman

2010-present 
LSU Department of Ophthalmology, New Orleans
Professor of Ophthalmology

Clinical Interests

Cataract/IOL Surgery
General Ophthalmology

Research Interests

Ophthalmic Genetics
Retinal Degeneration
Diabetic Retinopathy
Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS

Teaching Activities

Former Residency Site Director at the Lallie Kemp and Bogalusa Eye Clinics

Committees & Administrative Responsibilities

Finance Committee, LSU Healthcare Network

2001-02  Liaison Committee on Medical

2001-12  Chair, MCLANO/ILH Laser Committee

Education, LSU School of Medicine

1993-95  Executive Committee
University Hospital
New Orleans

1993  Operating/Recovery Room
Committee, University Hospital

1993  Continuing Medical Education/
Residents Committee, University
Hospital

1975, 1980, 1985, 1989
Associate Examiner, American
Board of Ophthalmology

1985-86  Program Committee
New Orleans Academy of
Ophthalmology

1980  Ad hoc Scientific Advisory
Committee, Research to Prevent
Blindness

Selected Publications

Portnoy SL, Bergsma DR: Retina, grouped hypertrophy of the retinal pigment  epithelium. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia, Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑ March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

deMonte M, Bergsma DR: Eye, hypertelorism. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia, Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

deMonte M, Bergsma DR: Jaw‑winking syndrome. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia, Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

Wolf ML, Bergsma DR: Night blindness, Oguchi type. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia, Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

deMonte M, Bergsma DR: Ophthalmoplegia, progressive external. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia, Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

deMonte M, Bergsma DR: Eyelid ptosis, congenital. In: Birth Defects Encyclopedia. Ed. Buyse ML, National Foundation‑March of Dimes, New York, 1988.

Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group: Early treatment diabetic retinopathy study design and baseline patient characteristics. ETDRS Report Number 7. Ophthalmology 98(5):741-756, 1991.

Bergsma DR, Lopez JG, Insler MS, Malter JS: Flow cytometric DNA analysis of cultured human corneal endothelium. ARVO abstract 2497. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (Supp) 32(4):1178, May 3, 1991.

Bergsma DR, Mukherjee PK, Bazan NG: Rod outer segment binding and phagocytosis modulate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) transcription in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). ARVO abstract 4476. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (Supp) 41(4):S842, May 4, 2000.

Soriano MH, Mukherjee PK, Bergsma DR, Barreiro S, Bazan NG: VEGF and COX-2 expression in RPE: Significance in diabetic retinopathy. AAO Annual Meeting November 2001.

Mathew B, Gordon WC, Cortina MS, Bergsma DR, Lukiw WJ, Bazan NG: Age-related photoreceptor DNA repair.  ARVO abstract # B745, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 25-29, 2004. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Cortina MS, Lukiw WJ, Bergsma DR, Gordon WC, Bazan NG: DNA polymerase γ and β expression selectively localized to photoreceptors is down regulated by LAU-0901, coinciding with light-damage protection.  ARVO abstract # B747, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 25-29, 2004. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Gordon WC, Cortina MS, Bergsma DR, Ragbir ST, Bazan NG: Neuroprotection by LAU-0901 in light-induced retinal damage: rod and cone photoreceptor sparing,  ARVO abstract # B814, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 25-29, 2004. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Reinoso MA, Marcheselli VL, Mukherjee PK, Lu Y, Jackson FR, Bergsma DR, Bazan NG:  PEDF promotes biosynthesis and efflux of NPD1 in ARPE-19 cells.  ARVO E-Abstract 2959, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 6-10, 2007. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Soniat EN, Sheets KG, Knott E, Gordon WC, Bergsma DR, Bazan NG:  Müller cell response during photoreceptor oxidative stress. ARVO E-Abstract 5058, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 6-10, 2007. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Jabs DA, Van Natta ML, Holbrook JT, et al, Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Longitudinal study of the ocular complications of AIDS: 2. Ocular examination results at enrollment. Ophthalmology 114:787-793, 2007.

Jabs DA, Van Natta ML, Holbrook JT, et al, Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Longitudinal study of the ocular complications of AIDS: 1. Ocular diagnoses at enrollment. Ophthalmology 114:780-786, 2007.

Thorne JE, Holbrook JT, Jabs DA, et al, Studies of Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Effect of cytomegalovirus retinitis on the risk of visual acuity loss among patients with AIDS. Ophthalmology 114:591-598, 2007.

Knott EJ, Sheets KG, Bergsma DR, Gordon WC, Bazan NG:  Neuroprotectin D1 attenuates photoreceptor apoptosis in retinal explants after light damage in vivo.  ARVO E-Abstract 2995, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 27-May 1, 2008. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Gordon WC, Zhou Y, Elison J, Bergsma DR, Marcheselli VL, Bazan NG: A novel platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist (LAU-0901) suppresses  choroidal neovascularization in a mouse model.  ARVO E-Abstract 5163, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 27-May 1, 2008. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Zhou Y, Gordon WC, Elison JR, Gjorstrup P, Bergsma DR, Bazan NG: Topical administration of RX-10045 reduced laser-induced choroidal neovascularization. ARVO E-Abstract 2965, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May -7, 2009. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Sheets KG, Zhou Y, Elison JR, Gforstrup P, Gordon AWC, Bergsma DR, Bazan NG:  An analog of resolving E1 inhibits endothelial cell growth in retina following laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV). ARVO E-Abstract 2967, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May -7, 2009. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Bazan NG, Ertel MK, Knott EJ, Elison JR, Zhou Y, Bergsma DR, Gjorstrup P, Gordon WC: Laser-induced choroidal neovascularization is reduced by neuroprotectin D1. ARVO E-abstract 3231, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May -7, 2009. [For text, see http://www.arvo.org.]

Jacobson MA, Tan QX, Girling V, et al, Studies of Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Poor predictive value of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T cell assays for the development of CMV retinitis in patients with AIDS. Clin Infect Dis 46:458-466, 2008.

Freeman WR, Van Natta ML, Jabs D, SOCA Research Group. Vision function in           HIV-infected individuals without retinitis: report of the Studies of Ocular       Complications of AIDS Research Group. Am J Ophthalmol 145:453-462, 2008.

Hill JM, Jacob JT, Denham LV, Booth BA, Friedman DA, Hobden JA, Murina AT, Acierno MD, Kaufman HE, Bergsma DR. Ophthalmic pharmacology. In: Agarwal A. Color Atlas of Ophthalmology. Thieme Publishers, NY, 2009.

Jabs DA, Ahuja A, Van Natta M, et al, Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Course of cytomegalovirus retinitis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: five-year outcomes. Ophthalmology 117:2152-2161, 2010.

Sezgin E, Jabs DA, Hendrickson SL, et al, SOCA Research Group. Effect of host genetics on the development of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS. J Infect Dis 204:606-613, 2010.

Sezgin E, Hendrickson SL, Jabs DA, et al, SOCA Research Group. Effect of host genetics on incidence of HIV neuroretinal disorder in patients with AIDS. J Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes: JAIDS 54:343-351, 2010.

Holland GN, Kappel PJ, Van Natta ML, et al, Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Association between abnormal contrast sensitivity and mortality among people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol 149:807-816, 2010

Thorne JE, Van Natta ML, Jabs DA, Duncan JL, Srivastava SK, Studies of Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group. Visual field loss in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. Ophthalmology 118:895-901, 2011.

Holbrook JT, Colvin R, van Natta ML, Thorne JE, Bardsley M, Jabs DA; Studies of Ocular Complications of AIDS (SOCA) Research Group.Evaluation of the United States public health service guidelines for discontinuation of anticytomegalovirus therapy after immune recovery in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 152(4):628-637, 2011.

Sezgin E, van Natta ML, Ahuja A, Lyon A, Srivastava S, Troyer JL, O'Brien SJ, Jabs DA; Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research Group.Association of host genetic risk factors with the course of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Am J Ophthalmol. 151(6):999-1006, 2011.

Branch AD, Van Natta ML, Vachon ML, Dieterich DT, Meinert CL, Jabs DA; for the Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS Research group.Mortality in HCV-infected Patients with a Diagnosis of AIDS in the Era of Combination Anti-retroviral Therapy. Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Apr 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Additional Info

HONORS

1985, 1990, 1991, 1999
Professor of the Year
Department of Ophthalmology
LSU Medical Center

1986, 1989, 1991, 1998
Outstanding Teacher Award
LSU Eye Center

1996, 1998
Teaching Excellence Award
LSU School of Medicine
 

MEMBERSHIPS

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 
Fellow, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Orleans Parish Medical Society Louisiana Medical Association