About Dry Eye and Cornea Treatment Center
About Dry Eye and Cornea Treatment Center in Tampa, FL
Dr. Maskin: A Visionary in Ophthalmology and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Steven L. Maskin, MD
Dr. Maskin was the first researcher to confirm the presence and importance of periductal fibrosis, the tissue that constricts Meibomian glands, and is the inventor of intraductal Meibomian gland probing, the novel procedure that releases the constricting tissue. Before its invention and introduction as a first line therapy for MGD, patients often suffered with intractable, life-altering eye pain so severe it could lead to suicidal ideation and in extreme cases suicide. Now, with the advent of the Maskin® Probe and Protocol, the disease can be reversed and lives can be restored.
Dr. Maskin holds six US patents related to the treatment of Meibomian gland dysfunction.
He has published over 22 scientific papers on MGD, Meibomian gland probing, and other ophthalmic topics. He is the author of Your Dry Eye Mystery Solved: Reversing Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, Restoring Hope (Yale University Press, 2022). Written for patients and their doctors, the book reviews the science of Meibomian glands and MGD and challenges commonly held views about the cause of disease. A must read for anyone suffering with Dry Eye and MGD, the book describes patient symptoms, how these can impact daily life, and the comorbidities and cofactors that can contribute to the disease. The book chronicles Dr. Maskin’s innovative approach to achieving accurate diagnoses and prescribing effective treatments targeted for each individual case. Dr. Maskin is also the author of Reversing Dry Eye Syndrome: Practical Ways to Improve Your, Comfort, Vision, and Appearance (Yale University Press, 2007).
He is a frequent presenter at meetings of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), World Cornea Congress, and American Academy of Optometry, where he generously shares his research findings with colleagues from around the world.
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More About Dr. Maskin
Dr. Maskin is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Medicine. After completing his ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas in San Antonio, he went on to sub-specialize in Dry Eye, Eye Surface Diseases, and Cornea at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. His three-year fellowship centered on diagnosis, medical therapy, and surgical treatment of both common and rare diseases of the eye surface – most notably Dry Eye, MGD, and cornea.
Following fellowship, Dr. Maskin opened his practice, the Dry Eye and Cornea Treatment Center, in Tampa, FL in l99l. His practice has been pure, focused exclusively on diseases of the eye surface and cornea, including Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, dry eye, pterygium, conjunctival tumors, infections, corneal ulcers, cornea edema, scleritis, chemical and thermal injuries, pemphigoid, graft vs host and keratoconus. He does not offer cataract or LASIK, but he frequently sees and successfully manages patients with dry eye following cataract and refractive surgery.
Throughout his career, Dr. Maskin has striven for excellence in treatment outcomes, leading to prolific translational research and numerous publications in peer-reviewed literature. For the past several years, Dr. Maskin has further limited his subspecialty practice to MGD and dry eye alone. This clinical concentration facilitated the development of intraductal Meibomian Gland Probing, a breakthrough technique to treat MGD.
To bring his innovative procedures to patients around the world, he recently formed MGDinnovations (MGDi), a biotech startup. Through MGDi, Dr. Maskin seeks to make these needed treatments available to all. MGDi serves both as a platform to educate colleagues and patients about dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (including research-based diagnosis and treatment of the disease), as well as a provider of instruments to eye doctors.
Dr. Maskin has been recently honored with a full professorship at the University of South Florida. Working with the Departments of Ophthalmology, Chemistry and Medical Engineering, he instructs and guides research for pre-med and medical students, ophthalmology residents, and engineering students.
He has been selected by his peers as a “Best Doctor in America” for his contribution to understanding cornea and surface diseases, as well as his unique ability to diagnose and treat common and rare diseases. He was also selected for “Guide to America’s Top Ophthalmologists” AND “SUPER DOCTORS.” Additionally, Dr. Maskin is a founding member of the International Ocular Surface Society.
Focus on Females
Focus on Females Women’s Healthcare Symposium was born out of a deficiency in our health care system whereby there is continued erosion in face to face time with providers as there are increasing demands on the provider side. Patients are frustrated and are turning to alternative sources like the internet to obtain information which may not be accurate.
The Focus on Females Women’s Healthcare Symposium, founded by Dr. Maskin, meets this need by organizing credible local specialist physicians to reach out to the community with free seminars on a wide variety of topics on women’s health.
The physicians use plain English, not medical jargon, to empower women to make smarter healthcare decisions for themselves, their families and their loved ones, and ultimately with this knowledge reduce demand for healthcare services.