After completing his medical research over several eye conditions and eye diseases Dr. Rohit Varma (M.D, M.P.H) become one of the most recognized ophthalmologist previously known for his medical career in USC Eye Institute where he served as Founding Director or CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center as CMO, afterword's the inventions he has given are helping highly populated eye patients so that we thought you would like to know about his research and great achievements, there you'll get everything you need to know about Rohit Varma and his medical career.
Connect on Social Platforms:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rohitvarma
https://www.facebook.com/RohitVarmaMD
https://twitter.com/drrohitvarma
Official Websites to Explore More:
https://sceyes.org/doctors/rohit-varma-md-mph
https://www.hollywoodpresbyterian.com/dr-rohit-varma
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Who Is Rohit
Varma?
Since 2018, Dr. Rohit Varma, MD, MPH,
has served as the chief medical officer of
CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical
Center, a nationally recognized acute
care facility that has
been providing compassionate care to
Hollywood and its surrounding
communities. He's also the founder of
the Southern California Eye Institute
(SCEI), which is part of the CHA
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.
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BACKGROUND:-
• Rohit Varma is an
ophthalmologist and professor
of ophthalmology and
preventive medicine who is of
Indian descent. He was
appointed as the director of the
USC Eye Institute and chairman
of the USC Keck School of
Medicine's Department of
Ophthalmology in 2014.
• Varma was appointed interim
dean of the Keck School of
Medicine in March 2016, and
then dean in November. 3
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Education & Post Doctoral Training
YEAR DEGREE FIELDS OF STUDY INSITUTION
1986 MD Medicine Maulana Azad Medical
College,
University of Delhi
1989 MPH Epidemiology Johns Hopkins School
of Public Health
YEAR TITLE SPECIALITY INSITUTION
1986-1989 PostDoc Glaucoma Wills Eye Hospital,
Thomas Jefferson
University
1989-1990 Intern Internal Medicine Union Memorial
Hospital,
University of Maryland
1990-1993 Resident Ophthalmology Wilmer Eye Institute,
Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine
1993-1994 Fellow Glaucoma Keck School of
Medicine of University
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Dr. Varma’s Work History:
YEARS HOSPITAL
07/1993-10/2012 Keck Medicine of USC, University of Southern California
10/2012-02/2014 Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University
of Illinois at Chicago
03/2014-10/2018 Keck Medicine of USC, University of Southern California
11/2018-present Southern California Eye Institute
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Innovations/Achievements by Dr. Rohit Varma
YEAR TYPE OF LICENSURE
1993- California Medical License
1994- Maryland Medical License
1996- American Board of Ophthalmology
2013- Illinois Medical License
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HONORS AND AWARDS
Year Name of Honor/Award
1980-
1985
National Science Talent Award
1982 Indian Council for Medical Research Award
1986-
1989
Morton F. Goldberg Award
1987-
1988
Fight for Sight Post-Doctoral Award
1988-
1989
Fight for Sight Post-Doctoral Award
1988-
1989
Dana Foundation Award
1988-
1989
Topcon Corporation Award
1989 Delta Omega Society Award
1991-
1993
Topcon Corporation Award
1993 National Eye Institute Travel Award
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YEARS NAME OF HONOR/AWARD
1996-1998 Beckman Young Investigator Award
1997-2001 Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award
1998 American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award
2003 Research to Prevent Blindness Sybil B. Harrington Scholar Award
2006 Senior Honor Award - American Academy of Ophthalmology
2009 President’s Award - Glaucoma Research Foundation
2009 ARVO Fellow Silver Award
2012 Chicago Super Doctors Award
2013 Chicago Super Doctors Award
2013 Castle Connolly Medical Top Doctors Award
2013 Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors 2013 Award
2014 Secretariat Award - American Academy of Ophthalmology
2014 Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors 2014 Award
2015 Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors 2015 Award
2016 Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors 2016 Award
2016 Lifetime Achievement Award - American Academy of Ophthalmology
2017 National Medical Fellowships Innovation in Medicine Award
2017 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
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Books And Textbooks By Dr. Varma
Books, Monographs and Textbooks
1. Varma R, Spaeth GL, Parker K (eds): The Optic Nerve in Glaucoma, Philadelphia;
J.B. Lippincott Co., 1992.
2. Varma R (ed): Essentials of Eye Care: The Johns Hopkins Wilmer Handbook. Philadelphia; Lippincott-
Raven Co., 1997.
3. Aref A, Varma R (eds.): Advanced Glaucoma Surgery. Switzerland; Springer
International Publishing, 2015.
4. Varma R, Xu BY, Richter GM, Reznik A: Advances in Ocular Imaging in Glaucoma. New York; Springer,
2020.
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EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES BY DR. ROHIT VARMA
YEAR ROLE JOURNAL/BOARD NAME
1990-present Scientific Referee (Ad Hoc) Investigative Ophthalmology and
Visual Science
1990-present Scientific Referee (Ad Hoc) Ophthalmology
1990-present Scientific Referee (Ad Hoc) Archives of Ophthalmology
1990-present Scientific Referee (Ad Hoc) American Journal of Ophthalmology
1996-1999 Associate Editor Ophthalmology
1999-2013 Member Ophthalmology/Editorial Advisory
Board
2020-present Section Editor for Epidemiology Canadian Journal of
Ophthalmology Editorial Board
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SCEI- Southern California Eye
Institute • SCEI was the first glaucoma
subspecialty care center founded on
the West Coast, and is housed within
CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical
Center.
• SCEI offers a full range of eye care
services including routine eye exams,
pre and postoperative care, and the
most advanced treatments for all
types of blindness including
glaucoma. Dr. Varma is an expert in
minimally invasive glaucoma surgery,
medical and surgical glaucoma
management, and advanced anterior
segment disease. 12
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Dr. Varma’s Role in SCEI
• Rohit Varma, MD, MPH is the Chief Medical Officer at the Presbyterian
Medical Center in Hollywood, a nationally known facility for the
rehabilitation of Hollywood and its surrounding communities from 1924,
and has been a supporter of compassionate care. He is also the founding
head of the CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Southern
California Eye Institute (SCEI).
• Dr. Rohit Varma is known worldwide as a leading pioneer for glaucoma
and the epidemiology of eye diseases as an experienced physician-
scientist and accredited ophthalmologist. He is an authority on
improvements in the optic nerve of glaucoma and is researching the early
detection of glaucomatous nerve damage by new imaging methods as
well.
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• CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical
Center has been providing care to the
Hollywood neighborhood and nearby
areas since 1924. The hospital is
dedicated to providing quality medical
and nursing services to our local
multicultural communities.
• With more than 500 doctors
representing nearly every specialty, CHA
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
is ready to serve your medical needs
and those of your loved ones. We aim to
distinguish ourselves as a leading
provider of healthcare, known for
delivering quality, creative and
compassionate care. 14
CHAHollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
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CHA Hollywood Presbyterian
Medical Center (CHA HPMC), a
member of CHA Health Systems, a
global network offering a broad
range of dynamic healthcare
services, has announced the
appointment of Rohit Varma, MD,
MPH as Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Rohit Varma at
CHA
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I am glad to announce Rohit as our Chief Medical Officer at this crucial juncture
of our clinical development and $400 million in campus expansion," said Marcel
Loh, Chief Executive Officer. "Rohit brings together more than three decades of
experience, complementing our current efforts, and I look forward to working
closely with Rohit to realize the full potential of our clinical assets and to turn
CHA HPMC as a key player in the community.“
"It is an honor and a privilege to have been chosen to serve as Chief Medical
Officer, particularly during these extraordinary times. It is important for us to do
whatever we can to help our staff, doctors and patients to help with and support
the pandemic in the best way possible," said Varma. "My longer-term priorities
include improving the quality of care and health outcomes for our patients and
communities and recruiting more doctors to provide new services, procedures
and approaches to care. I'm looking forward to working with Marcel, the CHA
Health Systems team and the CHA HPMC leadership team."
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• Hollywood Presbyterian Opens LA’s
First Hospital-Based Drive-Thru COVID-
19 Vaccine Clinic.
• Dedicated to serving local citizens, the
Los Angeles CHA Hollywood
Presbyterian Medical Center has been
named the first, and currently the only,
hospital-based drive-through vaccine
delivery location for COVID-19 vaccines
in Los Angeles County. Individuals who
meet the eligibility requirements will
now receive Pfizer vaccine at the
Medical Center Drive through the
Vaccine Clinic.
NEWS ABOUT
HPMC
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NEWS CONTINUED…
The Medical Center has reserved
two lanes for check-in and four
lanes for vaccination and
observation in the parking garage.
At the Registration Station,
individuals who visit the Drive-In
Vaccine Clinic are closely
monitored in order to verify that
they meet the eligibility
requirements. According to Ray
Hahn, Global Chief Operating
Officer at CHA Health Systems, "at
least 10% of the people who show
up" had to be turned away. He
noticed that staff letters do not
decide eligibility.
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• After receiving a dose, individuals are asked to wait 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their
medical background, in the observation room. Individuals with serious allergies are typically
monitored for 30 minutes. Angelica, a nurse at CHA HPMC who has been stationed at the
POD since last Thursday, said there were no adverse reactions. "I heard people coming in for
their second dose claim they had body aches or chills, but that's totally natural," she said. An
estimated 500 to 600 people are currently receiving POD vaccines every day.
• According to Hahn, the "absolute best place to be vaccinated" is the hospital. If and when a
person has an adverse reaction, not only are there on-site nurses, nurse practitioners and
physicians, but there is also an emergency department. "We're prepared for something,
including a serious allergic reaction," Hahn said. Individuals vaccinated at the CHA HPMC
drive-through immunization clinic are issued a date, place and time immunization card for a
second dose.
• Stressing the value of the second dose, CHA HPMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rohit Varma
said, "If you want to have 95% effectiveness, you need to get the second dose. You get about
50 percent effectiveness with just one dose." According to Dr. Varma, it is safest to get
vaccinated with the same form of vaccine provided during your first dose when you receive
your second dose. "We have no clear proof of what happens when you mix and match
[different types of vaccines]," said Dr. Varma.
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CHA HPMC serves food and drinks to people waiting in their cars. A variety of large heaters have
also been installed in the parking garage to provide comfort to workers and individuals
receiving vaccinations. The Medical Center Drive-through Vaccine Clinic gives community
members the ease of getting vaccinated when in their own vehicles, where they are separated
from non-family members before they obtain a shot. In the case of high-risk people, Dr. Varma
noted that a drive-through immunization clinic is a "better choice" than a walk-in clinic where
they may possibly be exposed to the virus .
Community members seeking vaccines at the CHA HPMC Drive-through Vaccine Clinic have
been "overjoyed," according to Hahn, who stressed that the Medical Center is searching "for
ways to reach out to the underserved. For those who do not have ready access to computers,
they may not be checking their screens every two seconds. We're really putting our heads
together to represent the underserved in East Hollywood and the Hollywood neighborhood.
"According to Dr. Varma, the vaccine is our "only hope" of minimizing the death and suffering
caused by COVID-19. "[Individuals should be vaccinated] because it decreases the burden of the
community pandemic, reduces the number of patients admitted to hospitals, and reduces the
number of deaths. Overall, this is extremely significant. It's necessary in the long run, because we
want to achieve herd immunity, which ensures that the overall pandemic will die. Which is where
we want to be, because we want our schools to be free, we want to be able to do stuff like
playing sports, watching movies, and interacting with others. Zoom is fine, but it's not the same
thing as getting face-to-face experiences with people," concluded Dr. Varma.
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• The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.
• The African-American Eye Disease
Study.
• The Chinese-American Eye Study.
• The Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye
Diseases Study.
STUDIES & RESEARCH
BY DR. VARMA
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• When it comes to prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and
diabetic retinopathy (DR), not all people are fair.
• More evidence of this truism of ophthalmic epidemiology has recently emerged
when researchers in the Chinese American Eye Study (CHES) announced the findings
of comprehensive clinical and retinal photography in more than 4,000 participants
aged 50 and older.
• 1.2. The CHES is the largest-ever ophthalmic study of Chinese origins in the United
States, the authors wrote.
• Participants were drawn from Monterey Park, California, a Los Angeles-area
neighborhood with a large and stable population of Chinese Americans. A large
majority of them were first-generation immigrants, mostly from mainland China.
Following are some key results from this population-based cross-sectional analysis,
sponsored by the National Eye Institute.
CHINESEAMERICAN EYE STUDY BY DR.
ROHIT VARMA
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• The study found 320 cases of any form of AMD, with an overall age-adjusted
prevalence of 8.1 per cent (95 percent CI, 7.2 percent -9.0 percent ). Estimates of the
prevalence of disease among Chinese individuals living in urban and rural China and
urban Taiwan range from 3.0% to 9.2%, indicating that environmental or behavioral
factors could influence the risk of AMD in Chinese Americans, Rohit Varma, MD, PhD,
Chief Investigator of CHES .
• Early illness. In 306 of the cases, the disease was identified as early AMD, with an age-
adjusted prevalence of 7.8%. (95 percent CI, 6.9 percent -8.7 percent ).AMD Advanced.
There were 14 cases of advanced AMD, with an age-adjusted prevalence of 0.4 per
cent (95 percent CI, 0.2 percent -0.6 percent ).
• This is close to the levels seen in people of African descent in the Barbados and
Baltimore eye studies and lower than those identified among Latinos and non-Hispanic
whites, the researchers noted. Of the 14 advanced cases in CHES, 86 percent had
neovascular AMD and 14 percent had geographical atrophy .
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• The power of the ages. In the study of the 10-year age group results, the
investigators found a direct connection between older age and higher prevalence of
AMD. In all age classes, however, men had higher rates of AMD than women. The
prevalence of AMD ranged from 5.8 percent in subjects 50 to 59 years of age to 17.6
percent in subjects 80 years of age or older. The prevalence rates for the same 2 age
groups were 9.8% and 32.4% for broad drusen, 27.6% and 58.6% for soft drusen, and
4.1% and 7.2% for retinal pigment abnormalities, respectively
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