Colin Kane, O.D. joined Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine in July as an assistant professor of ophthalmology. Dr. Kane specializes in neuro-ophthalmology and sees patients at Wilmer’s East Baltimore and Columbia locations.

What attracted you to the field of optometry?

Vision is one of the most precious senses. The complexity of the visual system and the disorders affecting it offer a challenging, but extremely rewarding clinical obstacle. Having the ability to help diagnose and treat patients with eye problems is what drives me to be the best clinician and researcher I can be.

How did you become interested in your specialty?

I have always found the intimate connection of the brain and the eye fascinating. There are so many systems that integrate and process visual information. It’s a lot more than just seeing something. By evaluating these pathways, we can help figure out where there may be an underlying neurological condition in an otherwise seemingly healthy patient. The clinical challenge of exploring these subtleties makes neuro-ophthalmology an extremely rewarding specialty to me.

What drew you to Wilmer?

I was an ophthalmic technician at Wilmer prior to advancing my training. I saw the quality of care provided by the doctors here and wanted to be able to practice and participate in that same environment as an eyecare provider. The academic nature of Wilmer and experience of the faculty provide for a wealth of knowledge and innovation. It is truly a most unique setting in which to practice.

Where do you see opportunities for advancement or innovation in your specialty?

Improvements in clinical imaging offer potential avenues for earlier detection of disease and prompt intervention to improve visual outcomes. Bettering these imaging techniques and the way we analyze them is important to the future of what we do.

Is there anything else you’d like others to know about you or your work?

I am a cook, coder and musician. Cooking was one of my former careers, and now I happily cook for my wife and our dog as a way to decompress after long days in clinic. That and playing music are my creative outlets. I have also always been a computer nerd and enjoy programming, trying to create helpful projects for myself and for research projects.