Brian Horsman, MD
Retina and Vitreous
Dr. Horsman was born in New Brunswick Canada. His undergraduate degree BSc. was in Psychology at Dalhousie University, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada. He completed his MD degree in 1978 at Dalhousie University and finished a Rotating Internship in 1979. He practiced Family Medicine and ER medicine for 3 years in Saint John NB.
Postgraduate studies at Dalhousie University included 4 years of residency studies in Ophthalmology including one year of pathology. A fellowship in Retina at The University of Wisconsin, Madison was completed in 1988.
In 1989 he joined the Department of Ophthalmology, Dalhousie Universe as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in Halifax Nova Scotia. At Dalhousie, he introduced numerous new surgical procedures over the ensuing 6 years. Dr. Horsman modernized the surgical treatment of Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous in the Ophthalmology department. He was an early adopter of treating Retinal Detachment by using Pars Plana Vitrectomy, intravitreous gas bubbles and laser for all cases.
From his own experience and the Vitrectomy techniques of Dr. Steve Charles in Memphis, he demonstrated the improved outcomes of Retinal Detachment surgical repair by using the techniques of Pars Plana Vitrectomy versus Scleral Buckles. Today most Retinal surgeons use Pars Plana Vitrectomy to repair Retinal Detachment. Dr. Horsman has a vast surgical experience in all surgical diseases of the Retina and the complications of cataract surgery. He utilized Silicone Oil in the repair of Retinal Detachment in the early 1990s when Silicone Oil was not widely used. As a professor of Ophthalmology, he treated many complicated Pediatric Retinal conditions including trauma and Retinopathy of Prematurity. He was involved in numerous departmental and hospital committees. His leadership in the department led to an advanced Operating Theater with all the modern equipment needed in Vitrectomy surgery. As one of 3 Retinal Surgeons in the Atlantic Provinces in Eastern Canada, his surgical experience quickly numbered in thousands of surgical cases.
Dr. Horsman taught residents in Ophthalmology and developed an improved Surgical teaching lab for residents in Ophthalmology. With other professors, he directed the Ocular Tumor Clinic for 5 years. He delivered numerous papers on diseases of the Retina in both North America and Europe.
In 1995 he emigrated to the United States of America. He joined the surgical staff at Barnet Dulaney Eye Center becoming the first Retinal Surgeon in the group. Over the past 23 years, the Retina group has grown to 6 surgeons under his leadership. Dr. Horsman is the Director of the Retinal Department at the Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center. He has performed over 13,000 Retinal surgical procedures and hundreds of thousands of laser surgeries.
Dr. Horsman continues the pursuit of excellence in Retina by attending meetings of Retina Doctors around the world. He is a member of the American Society Retinal Specialists, a Fellow of the American Ophthalmology Society and the European Society of Retinal Specialists. He is one of the early members of the International Spectralis Symposium where Retina Doctors present papers on the imaging of the retina using the Heidelberg confocal laser camera. This society is organized by Heidelberg Engineering in Germany. The Heidelberg camera allows video imaging of the macula using FA fluorescein dye and ICG indocyanine green dye. Dr. Horsman began using the Heidelberg Imaging system for performing angiograms of the Retina in 2000. Dr. Horsman studied with Prof Giovanni Staurenghi in Milan Italy (Dr. Staurenghi is a world expert in the Heidelberg camera) using the Heidelberg imaging camera for diagnosis of diseases of the macula. Today The Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center clinics Retina Department has Heidelberg cameras in all of our offices in the Phoenix Metro area. The Heidelberg camera uses a laser to form images of the macula vessels allowing early detection of wet macular degeneration, Retina vascular diseases, and serious Diabetic Retinal diseases.
Laser treatment of the macula and retina have been advanced by using Micropulse laser techniques. Micropulse laser uses ultra-short pulses of energy to heal diseases of the macula, including macular degeneration and Diabetic macular edema. Dr. Horsman has 16 years of experience in Micropulse laser treatments. Micropulse laser treatments in AMD macular degeneration reduces the need for numerous injections in the management of wet AMD.
Dr. Horsman restricts his retina practice to Laser surgery and intravitreous injections of medication for treatments of macular diseases. All new patients are welcome to see Dr. Horsman and his dedicated team for any diseases of the retina. Second opinions are welcome and he will communicate the results to your referring eye doctor.