Clayton Kirk, M.D.

Conditions Treated:

Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous

Interests:

Age – related macular degeneration
Diabetic eye diseases
Retinal tears/detachments
Macular puckers
Macular holes
Secondary intraocular lens placement
Choroidal nevus
Flashes & floaters (posterior vitreous detachment)
Macular edema
Retinal artery/vein occlusion
Uveitis

Location(s):

Rock Island, IL

Hospitals and Surgery Center Affiliations:

Spring Park Surgery Center
Genesis Health System

Education:

Fellowship: Associated Retina Consultants, Phoenix, AZ
Residency: Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
Internship: Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center – Spokane Teaching Health Center, Spokane, WA
Medical School: Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL

Certifications:

American Board of Ophthalmology

Research:

Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Ping Bu, MD; Hines, IL; June 2020 – Present
- “The neuroprotective effect of propranolol against light-induced retinal injury in the mouse model”
Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Felipe de Alba, MD; Maywood, IL; September 2019 – Present
- “The protective effect of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) against the progression from non-neovascular to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD)”
- Retrospective cohort review of 1,500 patients showing no benefit of statin medications in protecting against wet AMD development
Tianjin Medical University Eye Hosptial, Shaozhen Zhao, MD; Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Ping Bu, MD; Tianjin, China; Maywood, IL ; July 2019 – November 2022
- “Impact of dry eye disease (DED) on visual function and quality after Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (FS-LASIK)”
- Retrospective study examining the effect that LASIK surgery can have dry eye disease and visual function
- Accepted for publication November 2022
Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Junping Li, MD; Hines, IL; January 2017 – May 2018
- “Long Term Effect and Predictive Factors of Success for Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)”
- Retrospective study to examine the treatment outcomes and predictive factors following the SLT procedure for open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension
Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Charles Bouchard, MD; Maywood, IL; April 2015 – May 2018
- “Lax Eyelid Syndrome, Obstructive Sleep apnea, and Ocular Surface Inflammation”
- Prospectively recruited, screened, and examined 40 patients per project protocol
- Poster presented at Stritch School of Medicine, St. Albert’s Day, 2015
- Poster presented at ARVO meeting, 2016
- Chicago Ophthalmological Society: Beem-Fisher Award recipient, 3rd place, 2017
- Accepted for publication May 2018
University of Illinois, The Moore Group Organic Chemistry Lab, Jeffrey Moore, PhD; Champaign, IL; September 2012 – April 2014
- “Restoration of Large Damage Volumes in Polymers”
- Undergraduate research assistant in a polymer chemistry research lab at the University of Illinois

Publications:

Liu H, Kirk C, Bu P, Vasaiwala R, Raju J, Bouchard CS, Zhao SZ (2022) Impact of Dry Eye Disease on Visual Function and Quality after Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. J Ophthalmol Clin Res 6(4): 150-156.
Kirk C., Tan Z., McDonnell J.F., Perlman J.I., Bu P. (2021). The neuroprotective effect of propranolol against retinal degeneration in a mouse model of light injury. ARVO 2021, San Francisco, CA (Virtual).
Vasaiwala R, Kirk C, Bouchard CS (2021). Chapter 4: diagnostic tools. In A.Z. Farook & J.J Reidy (Eds). Blepharitis: a comprehensive review. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65040-7
Sward M, Kirk C, Kumar S, Nasir N, Adams W, Bouchard C. (2018) Lax Eyelid Syndrome, Obstructive Sleep apnea, and Ocular Surface Inflammation. The Ocular Surface. 16(3), 331-336.
Kirk C, Johnson C., Li J (2018). Evaluating the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty in patients who underwent prior intraocular pressure reducing procedures. ARVO 2018, Honolulu, HI
White S.R, Moore J.S., Sottos N.R., Krull B.P., Santa Cruz W.A., Gergely R.C.R. Restoration of Large Damage Volumes in Polymers. Science. 344, 620 (2014); DOI: 10.1126/science.1251135 (Acknowledgement: Kirk C)

Activities and Honors:

Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness (ISPB) – Grant Awardee
Loyola University Medical Center – MAGIS Star Recipient
Loyola University Chicago – The Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Stamm Ophthalmology Award
Loyola University Chicago – The Hugh E. and Mary E. Smith Scholarship Fund Award
San Juan Bautista Peru Eye Mission trips Piura, Peru June 2013, 2014, 2018
- Served as a surgical assistant for in over 300 cataract and pterygium surgeries
“Respectacles” Eyeglasses Recycling Service Coordinator Hines VA and the Lyons Club of Oak Park and River Forest, Maywood, IL April 2015 – April 2016
Loyola University Chicago – Student Training in Research (STAR) Summer Scholarship
University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – James Scholar