Don Il Ham
Sungkyunkwan University · 医学
研究室紹介
Professor Don Il Ham's research lab specializes in retinal and choroidal diseases, with a focus on the pathogenesis, imaging, and immunological mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), uveitis, and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. The lab employs advanced imaging techniques such as ultra-widefield angiography and OCT (including EDI-OCT) to study structural and functional changes in the retina and choroid, particularly in relation to disease progression and visual prognosis. A key area of investigation involves the role of autoimmunity in ocular diseases, using animal models to explore antigen-specific tolerance and uveitogenicity of retinal proteins such as RPE65. The lab also develops and evaluates experimental models of retinal ischemia and neovascularization, particularly in albino rat models of retinal vein occlusion. These studies aim to improve diagnostic accuracy and inform therapeutic strategies for retinal vascular and degenerative disorders.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15RPD with diffuse distribution showed a confluent morphological pattern and a high prevalence of late AMD. RPD can be classified by the fundus distribution for the assessment of visual prognosis.
PURPOSE: We investigate the measurable range of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) with conventional spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in normal healthy eyes. METHODS: All subjects underwent an SD-OCT horizontal line scan centered at the fovea with standard and enhanced depth imaging (EDI) techniques. Two independent observers manually measured SFCT on standard and EDI-OCT images, if two choroidal borders were identified. The rate of successful measurement with standard OCT
PURPOSE: To examine the hypothesis that RPE65, a protein specific to the retinal pigment epithelium, is uveitogenic in rats. METHODS: Rats of four inbred strains (Lewis, Brown Norway, Fischer, and SHR) were immunized with native or recombinant bovine RPE65, or with S-antigen (S-Ag), emulsified with complete Freund adjuvant, and treated simultaneously with killed Bordetella pertussis bacteria, as indicated. Development of ocular changes was examined and scored both clinically and histologically.
Tg mice expressing HEL under control of the rhodopsin promoter develop a tolerance for the foreign antigen, apparently as a result of thymic expression of HEL and deletion of T cells specific to this antigen.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the prevalence of abnormal central and peripheral ultra-wide-field (UWF) angiography findings, and their association with clinical features in acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included 26 eyes of 13 treatment-naïve patients with acute VKH disease who underwent UWF fluorescein angiography (FA). Sixteen eyes of eight patients also underwent UWF indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). A circle simulating the cen
We propose a hybrid technique that employs artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation and machine learning classification using multiple features extracted from the foveal avascular zone (FAZ)-a retinal biomarker for Alzheimer's disease-to improve the disease diagnostic performance. Imaging data of optical coherence tomography angiography from 37 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 48 healthy controls were investigated. The presence or absence of brain amyloids was confirmed using amyloid
Retinal ischemia and neovascularization have been demonstrated in several animal models. To determine 1) whether the retinal or preretinal neovascularization can be induced in albino rats by retinal vein occlusion and 2) the type and rate of occurrence on neovascularization, we occluded retinal veins in albino rats by photodynamic thrombosis. After anesthesia, each of 36 rats received an injection of rose bengal photosensitive dye, and their veins underwent argon green laser treatment. Half or a
Eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) were recently reported to have various choroidal thickness, and choroidal thickness might be associated with visual outcome in the treatment of many retinal disorders. The range of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), clinical features, and 3-month treatment response among three groups having different range of SFCT were investigated in PCV eyes. In 78 treatment-naïve eyes with PCV, SFCT was measured using optical coherence tomography. Eyes were
Considering the temporal relation between the second dose of vaccination and the symptom onset in our patient, the ophthalmic symptoms here reported might be considered a rare adverse effect of the Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine. Although a causal relationship is not established, to our knowledge, this is the first report of neuroretinitis after vaccination with Comirnaty®, and any further similar cases should be examined in detail.
Cuticular drusen show some similarities to and differences from soft drusen in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and might thus be a unique AMD subtype. Previous studies on cuticular drusen were performed mainly in white ethnic groups, but AMD shows ethnic differences. We investigated clinical manifestations of cuticular drusen in Korean patients to evaluate possible ethnic differences. Clinical records of Korean patients with cuticular drusen were retrospectively reviewed. Fundus distribut
This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) eyes with both cuticular drusen (CD) and reticular pseudodrusen (RPD). Clinical records of patients diagnosed with CD or RPD with multimodal imaging was reviewed for patients diagnosed with both CD and RPD. The distribution patterns of CD (macular and diffuse type) and RPD (localized, intermediate, and diffuse type), presence of soft drusen, large drusen (> 200 µm), variant subretinal drusenoid de