Robert E. Levine, M.D.
Robert E. Levine, M.D. is a Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ocutronics, LLC. Dr. Levine brings to Ocutronics over three decades of clinical practice, teaching and research in multiple areas of ophthalmology, combined with experience in medical device design. He has the unique perspective of understanding what is required of a medical device as well as how the design needs to be implemented to fulfill those requirements.
Dr. Levine’s medical device experience extends back more than 30 years, at which time he worked with the biomedicine pioneer Raymond Jonnard, Ph.D., to evaluate the opportunities in the emerging field of biomedical engineering. Dr. Jonnard was at that time simultaneously heading the computer operations of Prudential Insurance Co. as well as directing their clinical laboratories. The multidisciplinary work of Dr. Jonnard and Dr. Levine led to the formation of the Biomedical Division within General Precision, Inc., a leading defense contractor. They developed a classified military telemedicine monitoring system for measuring physiologic variables of parachutists while in descent. Similar monitoring systems did not appear in intensive care units till many years later.
In 1969 Dr. Levine started the Retinal Angiography Laboratory at the Doheny Eye Foundation in Los Angeles. From that experience he became aware of the slow progress that was subsequently made in retinal photography. As a fellowship-trained ophthalmic pathologist, he also lectured frequently on the correlations between the manifestations of diabetes seen clinically and those seen in pathologic specimens.
Pursuing his surgical interests, Dr. Levine became a pioneer in the field of oculoplastics, especially in the area of eyelid reanimation. He used his medical device experience to further develop the palpebral spring, a device surgically implanted to reanimate paralyzed eyelids, such as occur in facial paralysis caused by various tumors and Bell’s palsy. Dr. Levine has designed and implanted more palpebral springs than any other surgeon world-wide, and the procedure has been re-named “the Levine Spring.”
In 2000 Dr. Levine began working with William J. Collins on the design of an entirely new approach to retinal photography. The result of their investigations and developments resulted in the design of the Ocutronics OC-100 camera. They formed Ocutronics, LLC in 2003 and the patent which William Collins and Dr. Levine submitted for the initial design was granted in 2007. Dr. Levine designed a clinical trial for the camera which was approved by Quorum IRB. Additional testing and refinements of the design have brought the camera to the point where it has met all the regulatory requirements to begin the clinical trial in May, 2011.
CURRICULUM VITAE FOR ROBERT E. LEVINE, M.D.
Present Employment:
Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Ocutronics, LLC
President, Levine Medical Corporation
Teaching Appointment:
Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Certifications and Fellowships:
Fellow, American Board of Ophthalmology
Charter Fellow, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Heed Fellow, Ophthalmic Pathology
Diplomate, National Board of Medical Examiners
Hospital Staff Affiliations:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles
Good Samaritan Medical Center, Los Angeles
Kaiser Permanente Hospitals, Los Angeles
LA County Hospital, Los Angeles
St. Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles (former Chief of Ophthalmology)
USC University Hospital, Los Angeles
Society Memberships:
Acoustic Neuroma Association (Member, National Medical Advisory Board)
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Medical Association
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
California Medical Association
Los Angeles County Medical Association
Society of Heed Fellows
Awards:
New York University School of Medicine Alumni Award
Education and Training:
Columbia College: B.A.
New York University School of Medicine: M.D.
Mount Sinai Hospital of New York: Intern
New York University Post-Graduate Medical School: Basic Sciences in Ophthalmology
New York University-Bellevue Medical Center: Resident and Chief Resident in Ophthalmology
Doheny Eye Foundation, USC: Heed Fellow in Ophthalmic Pathology
Past Military Experience:
Captain, Medical Corps, USAR
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Robert E. Levine, M.D.
1. Levine, Robert E.: Clinical aspects of ocular nematode infection. Sight Saving Review, Fall 1970, pages 141-150.
2. Levine, Robert E., House, William F., Hitselberger, William: Complications of seventh nerve paralysis and management with the palpebral spring. Amer. J. Ophthal., 73:219-228, February 1972.
3. Mannagh, J., Irvine, A. Ray, Levine, Robert E. & Yuhasz Z.: Effect of lysosomes on corneal endothelium: An in vivo study. Invest. Ophthal.; 2: No. 8, July 1972, pages 655-661.
4. Levine, Robert E., Snyder, Alan A., & Sugarman, Gerald I.: Ocular involvement in chondrodysplasia punctata. Amer. J. Ophthal. 77:851, June 1974.
5. Levine, Robert E.: Management of the eye in facial paralysis: Oto. Clinics of North Americia. 7:No. 2, June 1974, pages 531-543
6. Levine, Robert E.: Eye complications of seventh nerve paralysis and care of the eye in facial paralysis. Audio-Visual Seminar, House Ear Institute Productions, 1976.
7. Levine, Robert E.: Neoplasms masquerading as uveitis. Trans. Pacific Coast O & O, 58:225-234, April 1977.
8. Taylor, J. Bradley, Solomon, David H., Levine, Robert E., Ehrlich, Richard M.: Exophthalmos in Seminoma: Regression with steroids and orchiectomy. JAMA 240: No. 9, Sept. 1, 1978.
9. Levine, Robert E.: Management of the Eye After Acoustic Tumor Surgery in Acoustic Tumors, Vol. II, Chapter 6. Ed. by House, W.R. and Luetje, C. M. University Park Press, Baltimore.
10. Levine, Robert E.: Bell's Palsy (Idiopathic Facial Paralysis) in Current Ocular Therapy. Saunders. 1980.
11. Levine, Robert E.: Management of the ophthalmologic complications of facial paralysis. Trans. Pacific Coast O & O Soc., 61:85-93, 1980.
12. Levine, Robert E.: Protection of the exposed eye, in Neurological Surgery of the Ear and Skull Base, Brackmann, D.E., ed. NY: Raven PR., 1982. pp:81-87.
13. Levine, Robert E.: Protection of the exposed eye in facial paralysis in Disorders of the Facial Nerve. NY: Raven Pr., 1982, Graham MD, House WF (eds). pp: 336-375.
14. Levine, Robert E.: Ophthalmic Medical Management. Chapter 16 in The Facial Nerve. Ed. Mark May, M.D., Thieme-Stratton Inc. publisher, pp:339-352. 1985
15. Levine, Robert E.: Eyelid Reanimation Surgery. Chapter 38 in The Facial Nerve. Ed. Mark May, M.D., Thieme-Stratton Inc. publisher, pp:681-694. 1985
16. Levine, Robert E.: Palpebral spring for lagophthalmos due to facial nerve palsy in Techniques in Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Chapter 132, pp: 424-427. Wesley, Ralph E. Editor. John Wiley & Sons. 1986.
17. Levine, Robert E; Response to frequently asked questions about eye care in facial paralysis, Acoustic Neruoma Association Newsletter, Questions:
Part 1, October 1985.
Part II, January 1986.
Part III, April 1986
18. Levine, Robert E., and Solish, A. M.: Sudden loss of Vision. Current Therapy in Emergency Medicine, pp:252-256, B. G. Decker, 1987.
19. Levine, Robert E. in Current Ocular Therapy. Bell's Palsy (Idiopathic Facial Paralysis) pp205-207. Eds. Fraunfelder and Roy.
20. Solish, A.M., Levine, R. E.: Effects of Fifth Nerve Denervation on Intraocular Tension. Poster exhibit, ARVO 1989.
21. Levine, Robert E.: Management of Lagophthalmos with Palpebral Spring and Silastic Elastic Prosthesis. Ophthalmic and Orbital Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, Vol I, Hornblass, A. Ed., Williams and Wilkins Co., 1989.
22. Levine, Robert E.: Orbital Tumors of Osseous and Cartilaginous Origin in Ophthalmic and Orbital Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, Vol. II., Hornblass, A., Ed., Williams and Wilkins Co., 1989.
23. Levine, Robert E.: Monograph on Eye Care Following Acoustic Tumor Surgery, Acoustic Neuroma Assoc. Publications 1989. (republished in 5 subsequent editions)
24. Levine, Robert E.: Ocular surgery for lid reanimation in Atlas of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Drs. Tse & Wright editors, J. B. Lippincott Co., 1992.
25. Levine, Robert E.: Eyelid Reanimation in Special Issue of Journal of Facial Plastic Surgery on Chronic Facial Palsy. Michael Stearns F.R.C.S., Editor, Thieme Publishers, London, Volume 8, No. 2, April 1992.
26. Levine, Robert E. and Pulec, Jack L.: Eyelid reanimation with the palpebral spring after facial nerve graft surgery: an interdisciplinary approach, ENT Journal, Vol. 72:10, October, 1993.
27. Levine, Robert E.: Ocular management and rehabilitation of the face with facial paralysis in Neurotology, Jackler and Brackmann, D.E., editors - Yearbook, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., 1994.
28. Levine, Robert E.: Chapter 61, Eyelid reanimation, in Otologic Surgery, Brackmann, D.E., Shelton, C., Arriaga, A. editors,W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 1994.
29. Slattery, III, William H., & Levine, Robert E.: Surgical Treatment of Facial Paralysis, Chapter 17, in Acoustic Tumors--Diagnosis and Management, Second Edition, Eds. William R. House, M.D., Charles M. Luetje, M.D., Karen Jo Doyle, M.D., Singular Publishing Group Inc., San Diego, 1997.
30. Levine, Robert E.: The three R’s of initial eye care in facial paralysis: Re-wet, restore, and re-close, in Proceedings of the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Foundation Conference on the Facial Nerve, 1999
31. May, Mark, Levine, Robert E., Patel, B.C.K., & Anderson, Richard L.: Eye Reanimation Techniques in The Facial Nerve, May's Second Edition, Mark May, M.D., Barry M. Schaitkin, M.D., Eds.Thieme-Stratton Inc., New York, 2000, pp 677-774.
32. Levine, Robert E.: The enhanced palpebral spring, in Operative Techniques in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Volume 6, No.3, August, 1999, pp 152-156.
33. Levine, Robert E. & Shapiro JP.: Reanimation of the paralyzed eyelid with the enhanced palpebral spring or the gold weight: modern replacements for tarsorrhaphy. Facial Plastic Surgery. 16(4):325-36, 2000.
34. Levine, Robert E.: The three R’s of initial eye care in facial paralysis: Re-wet, restore,and re-close, Chapter 31, pp 267-275 in Update on Facial Nerve Disorders. AmericanAcademy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Foundation, Inc., Alexandria, VA, 2001.
35. Levine, Robert E.: Ocular management and rehabilitation of the face with facialparalysis in Neurotology, second edition, Jackler and Brackmann, D.E., editors - Yearbook, Inc., St. Louis, MO, 2000
36. Levine, Robert E.: Chapter 61, Eyelid reanimation, in Otologic Surgery, SecondEdition, Brackmann, D.E., Shelton, C., Arriaga, A. editors,W. B. Saunders Co.,Philadelphia, Pa., 2001
37. Levine, Robert E.: Modern management and rehabilitation of the eye in facialparalysis, Acoustic Neuroma Association Notes, issue 83, Sept. 2002
38. Levine, Robert E.: Ocular rehabilitation with the enhanced palpebral spring, AcousticNeuroma Association Notes, issue 84, Dec. 2002
39. Levine, Robert E.: Chapter 61, Eyelid reanimation, in Otologic Surgery, ThirdEdition, Brackmann, D.E., Shelton, C., Arriaga, A. editors,W. B. Saunders Co.,Philadelphia, Pa., 2009
40.Levine, Robert E: Chapter on canthoplasty procedures in, Master Techniques in Facial Rejuvenation, Azizzadeh, B., Murphy, M.R., Johnson, C.M, editors, Saunders Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 2009
41. Levine, Robert E.: Chapter 19, Lid reanimation with the palpebral spring, in Color Atlas of Oculoplastic Surgery, D.T. Tse, editor, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011