Karina Billiris Findlay, MD

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Today: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

22 Years

in Practice

ACCEPTING
NEW PATIENTS

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Wheelchair accessible

(727) 323-0077Visit WebsiteMap & Directions4344 Central AveSaint Petersburg, FL 33711 Write a Review

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Hours

Regular Hours

Mon - Fri:	9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Karina Billiris Findlay, MD

General Practitioners

Cryotherapy
A retinal tear can be treated with laser surgery or cryotherapy. Both accomplish the same goal:creating an adhesion around the tear to prevent a retinal detachment. The accompanying image shows fresh laser spots surrounding a retinal tear. Both treatments are safe with a very small risk of complications. Both laser and cryotherapy do not immediately create an adhesion. The adhesion is fairly good at one week and very good at four weeks. So it is important to ease into jarring activity following treatment for a retinal tear. Anything that creates excessive movement of the eye can be dangerous until the adhesion is formed. Reading, because of the back and forth movement of the eyes, is usually discouraged for a time following treatment of a retinal tear. About 10 percent of people who have had a retinal tear develop a subsequent retinal tear. Therefore if new and different symptoms occur following treatment it is important to notify your physician.

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Places Near Saint Petersburg with Physicians & Surgeons

Pinellas Park (8 miles)
Johns Pass (9 miles)
Bay Pines (10 miles)
Seminole (12 miles)

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Karina Billiris Findlay, MD has not yet specified accepted insurance plans.

Specialties

Primary: Ophthalmologist (Eye Doctor)

Sub-Specialty: Ophthalmology - Retina Specialist

Additional Specialties: Ophthalmology

More Info

Extra Phones

Phone: (727) 323-7627

Phone: (727) 323-5187

Phone: (813) 323-0077

Fax: (727) 323-7627

Payment method

master card, visa

Neighborhood

AKA

Billiris Findl, Karina, MD

Billiris, Karina K, MD

Dr Karina K Billiris

Billiris Findlay Karina K

DR Karina K Billiris MD

Other Link

http://retinavitreous.com

Categories

Physicians & Surgeons, Physicians & Surgeons, Dermatology, Physicians & Surgeons, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Physicians & Surgeons, Family Medicine & General Practice, Physicians & Surgeons, Internal Medicine, Physicians & Surgeons, Ophthalmology

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Specialties: Ophthalmology

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Details

Phone: (727) 323-0077

Address: 4344 Central Ave, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711

Website: http://retinavitreous.com

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Karina Billiris Findlay, MD

General Practitioners

Cryotherapy
A retinal tear can be treated with laser surgery or cryotherapy. Both accomplish the same goal:creating an adhesion around the tear to prevent a retinal detachment. The accompanying image shows fresh laser spots surrounding a retinal tear. Both treatments are safe with a very small risk of complications. Both laser and cryotherapy do not immediately create an adhesion. The adhesion is fairly good at one week and very good at four weeks. So it is important to ease into jarring activity following treatment for a retinal tear. Anything that creates excessive movement of the eye can be dangerous until the adhesion is formed. Reading, because of the back and forth movement of the eyes, is usually discouraged for a time following treatment of a retinal tear. About 10 percent of people who have had a retinal tear develop a subsequent retinal tear. Therefore if new and different symptoms occur following treatment it is important to notify your physician.
Primary Care
The cornerstone of saving vision in diabetes remains excellent blood sugar control. Over the last 2 generations, there has been ample, repeated evidence that keeping the blood sugar at an appropriate level, controlling blood pressure, and monitoring cholesterol and fats in the blood are the most effective ways to stave off diabetic retinopathy. It is very important that every diabetic has a good relationship with their primary care team and makes every effort to optimize their diabetic health. A healthy diet, regular exercise several times each week, routine at-home blood sugar monitoring as directed by your diabetic doctor, and ongoing compliance with diabetic medications are the most important part of saving vision in diabetes.

Ophthalmologists

Glaucoma
The inner layers of the retina receive their blood supply from the central retinal artery. The blood returns to the heart through the central retinal vein. Both vessels enter the eye through a small opening in the middle of the optic nerve. Either because this opening shrinks or because the artery hardens or because of circulations problems, the central retinal vein can become partially or completely occluded. When a patient develops a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), they lose some or most of their central vision. The retinal veins dilate and their are retinal hemorrhages. Patients often develop swelling of the central retina-cystoid macular edema--causing some of the vision loss. Without treatments, 25% of eyes improve, 50% stabilize, and 25% worsen. Monthly examinations of pateints with CRVO for less than six months are very important. Some patients with CRVO and very bad circulation, develop a severe type of glaucoma. In this situation, the eye becomes red and painful and without treatment, total visual loss can occur rapidly. If an examining doctor sees early signs that this complication may occur, then laser treatment can sometimes protect the eye. Once the pressure rise occurs, surgery can be helpful. Read more
Ophthalmology
Retina-Vitreous Associates of Florida, established in 1971, is the first and largest retina practice serving Tampa Bay. Our doctors are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and Fellowship Trained. Our offices are equipped with the most advanced diagnostic tests available. In our offices and surgery suites, we also have a variety of cutting edge therapeutic modalities and we are capable of treating both simple and very complex retinal disorders.
Macular Degeneration
Eylea is approved for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion with macular edema and diabetic macular edema.
Cataracts
Surgery is successful in closing macular holes that are less than 6 months old nearly 100 percent of the time. About 90 percent of macula holes close with one surgery. Some require multiple surgeries. Once a macular hole is closed, the vision improves some in 80 percent of eyes, a lot in 50% of eyes (to 20/40 or better), and to nearly normal in 10% of eyes (20/20). Even eyes with normal vision usually have some distortion in the vision for at least a year from the surgery. The risk of surgery is mostly that of retinal detachment (2%-10%), infection (0.01%) and bleeding (0.1%). Cataracts from in most eyes undergoing vitrectomy for any reason in patients over 50. Without surgery macular hole patients usually only lose the very center of their vision. The side vision stays good. Many older patients (85 and up) with a second good eye may decide not to have surgery for macular hole. To repair a macular hole, the surgeon first removes all the vitreous from inside the eye. This relaxes the edges of the macular hole. Many surgeons also do an internal limiting membrane peel further relaxing the edge of the hole. Then the patients eye is filled with gas. The gas pushes the hole closed like a draw bridge. In order for the gas to push on the hole, the patient must look toward the center of the earth after the surgery. Many different surgeons recommend different regimens. Most require a few days to a week of 90% face down positioning. There are pillows and message tables available in most cities for rent if patients want the extra help.
Cataract Surgery
Macular puckers are usually stable. They generally form and affect vision over a time period of about 3 months and then rarely change. One study followed 84 patients with macular pucker for a year, half with cataract surgery and half without, and there was virtually no change in any of the patients’ macular puckers. Visual acuity and retinal thickness was minimally worse at one year in some patients.(Eye. 23(4):774-9, 2009)
Eye Exam
Although a vitreous detachment does not threaten sight, once in a while some of the vitreous fibers pull so hard on the retina that they create a macular hole or lead to a retinal detachment. Both of these conditions are sight-threatening and should be treated immediately. If left untreated, a macular hole or detached retina can lead to permanent vision loss in the affected eye. Those who experience a sudden increase in floaters or an increase in flashes of light in peripheral vision should have an eye care professional examine their eyes as soon as possible. The only way to diagnose the cause of the problem is by a comprehensive dilated eye examination. If the vitreous detachment has led to a macular hole or detached retina, early treatment can help prevent loss of vision.

Internal Medicine
Dr. Vakharia’s post-doctoral training consisted of an internship in Internal Medicine at Lankenau Medical Center in Pennsylvania, and a residency in Ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, consistently voted as the top residency program in the nation. There her passion for improving retinal health through research led to two Wills Eye Innovation Grants, the James Shipman Award for Excellence in Research, and the position as Co-Chief Resident. After her residency, Dr. Vakharia completed a fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery at the renowned Tufts New England Eye Center/Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston. She worked in Maryland at the Retina Group of Washington prior to relocating to the Tampa Bay area. While practicing there, she was voted as a “Baltimore Top Doc”, one of the highest accolades in the area, and subsequently voted as a Top Doc in the Tampa Bay area in 2022. She was also selected by Ophthalmology Management as one of the “Top 40 under 40” Ophthalmologists in the entire nation.

Endocrinologist

Diabetes Care
Diabetic Retinopathy
Over time, high blood sugars can cause damage to retinal vessels and vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

Fungus
In the eye, histoplasmosis causes multifocal small scars under the retina as shown in this photo. Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by breathing in spores of a fungus often found in bird and bat droppings. People who have chickens or work around chickens commonly contract histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is most commonly transmitted when these spores become airborne, often during cleanup or demolition projects. Soil contaminated by bird or bat droppings also can transmit histoplasmosis, so farmers and landscapers are at a higher risk of contracting the disease. In the United States, histoplasmosis commonly occurs in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. Most people with histoplasmosis never develop symptoms and aren't aware they're infected. But for some people — primarily infants and those with compromised immune systems — histoplasmosis can be serious.
Lesions
Lattice degeneration is a peripheral retinal abnormality. Since lattice degeneration affects the peripheral retina, it does not affect the central vision. Lattice degeneration gets its name from the white appearance of retinal vessels criss crossing the lesions that can look like a lattice ( see accompanying photograph). Lattice degeneration is common, affecting about 10 percent of the population in the United States. About 50 percent of people with lattice degeneration in one eye also have it in their fellow eye.

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