Dr. Jonathan Sears MD
Practice: Cleveland Clinic
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Website: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/
Phone: 216-444-2030
Email: SEARSJ@ccf.org
Jonathan Sears, MD, is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic. He received his undergraduate education at Yale College, graduating cum laude with a BS in chemistry. He continued with medical school at Yale University School of Medicine, where he developed a novel method of screening B-cell epitopes, which was used to help develop the Lyme vaccine. He was a Resident in Ophthalmology at Yale as well, and next completed a two-year surgical fellowship at Emory University, where he developed an interest in pediatric retinal detachment and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Dr. Sears' research interest is in ROP. He uses a mouse model of ROP to test the hypothesis that small-molecule activators of hypoxia-inducible factor are able to drive retinal development early in life to prevent ROP detachment.
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Appointed
1998
Education & Fellowships:
Fellowship - Emory Eye Clinic
Vitreoretinal Fellowship Atlanta, GA USA, 1998
Residency :
Yale-New Haven Hospital, Ophthalmology, New Haven, CT USA, 1996
Internship:
Yale-New Haven Hospital, Internal Medicine, New Haven, CT USA, 1993
Medical Education:
Yale University School of Medicine, MD New Haven, CT USA, 1992
Undergraduate:
Yale University, Chemistry, New Haven, CT USA, 1988
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Professional Highlights
AAO Achievement Award
The Hartwell Foundation Research Fellow
Matilda Zeigler Foundation Research Fellow
Awards & Honors
Distinction in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 1988$0$0Cum Laude, Yale University, 1988
Yale Medical Student Research Fellowship, sponsored by National Institutes of Health; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Section of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, 1990-1992
Harold J. Lamport Prize, awarded for the most creative biomedical research by a Yale medical student, Department of Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine, 1992
Yale Resident Research Prize, Department of Ophthalmology, 1995 and 1996
Heed Ophthalmic Fellowship, in support of clinical research, 1997
Emory Medical Care Fellowship, in support of basic science research, Emory University School of Medicine, 1997
Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, Fellow Research Competition, Finalist, 1998
Clinical Teacher of the Year Award, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1998
Clinical Investigator Development Award, Cleveland Clinic, 2003
Best Doctors in America, 2005-2009
Best Doctors in Cleveland, 2005-2009
American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, 2007
Editorial Board Member Online News and Education (O.N.E.), 2007
Editorial Board Member British Journal of Ophthalmology
Best Research, Poster American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2008
Strathmore Who's Who 2009
Innovations & Patents
Stimulating angiogenesis to prevent ischemic retinopathy
Memberships
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
International Congress of Eye Research
Association of Pediatric Retinal Surgeons
Cleveland Ophthalmic Society
Heed Ophthalmic Society
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Certifications:
Ophthalmology
Specialty Interests:
Retinal detachment secondary to degenerative disorders such as myopia or trauma or diabetes
Retinopathy of prematurity and other acquired vitreoretinal diseases
Vitreoretinal diseases
Pediatric retina

FAQ
At the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation, we are often contacted by anxious parents or patients who are seeking information after receiving a diagnosis of Coats’ Disease. The questions below are provided as a resource to assist you as you and your doctor decide the best approach for treatment. These questions do not constitute any form of medical advice or diagnosis. Each patient is unique. An experienced retinal specialist who has examined the patient is the best source of information for diagnosis and treatment. We always recommend getting a second opinion.
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Ahead of any treatments or procedures, it is important to ask yourself and the doctor the following questions:
How do you know that this is Coats’ Disease?
Has your doctor treated other patients with Coats’ Disease?
Have you sought a second opinion? If not, please consult our Doctor Directory for knowledgeable doctors in your area.
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What Stage of Coats’ Disease is he/she in?
Will his/her vision get worse over time?
Will the eye have pain?
Will his/her eye start to turn out? Is muscle corrective surgery an option?
Are cataracts likely?
How likely is glaucoma? (due to retinal detachment)
Is there calcification?
What is the anticipated disease progression?
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Is there a thorough vision exam available?
Where is the vision affected? (central/peripheral/distance)
Does he/she have depth perception? (3D visibility)
What about the non-Coats’ eye?
To what extent is his/her vision affected?
Will we be able to use this as a baseline to measure progress/decline?
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