Robert Rutstein, O.D., M.S.

Education: 

Pre-optometry - Miami Dade College
BS, OD - Illinois College of Optometry
MS - University of Houston

Administrative Responsibilities:

Secondary Appointments:

Personal:

Dr. Rutstein is married to Judy Bry and has 1 son, Marc. An avid sports fan and UAB Blazer basketball ticket holder for many years, he also swims 3-4 miles per week as exercise.

Scholarly Activity:

Teaching –

Course Master for Optometry 311- Anomalies of Binocular Vision Part II.  This course is taught to Third Year optometry students in the Fall semester.  The course instructs students on the diagnosis and management of amblyopia, strabismus, extraocular muscle disorders, and aniseikonia.

Co-Course Master for Optometry/Vision Science 111  – Basic Science and Clinical Optometry I & II.   The mission of this course series is to demonstrate to First Year optometry students the importance of the basic science courses by showing connections between clinical optometric conditions and the underlying basic sciences.  The course is taught in the Fall semester of the first year.

Dr. Rutstein has served for many years as a clinical instructor in the Pediatric Clinic.

Research –

 Dr. Rutstein is actively involved in clinical research in binocular vision.  He has served for many years as a clinical investigator for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group, participating  in numerous studies involving amblyopia and strabismus.  These studies are funded by the National

Eye Institute of the National Institute of Health. 

He has published 75 scientific manuscripts relating to binocular vision including topics such as amblyopia, fixation disparity, stereopsis, accommodative esotropia, intermittent exotropia, superior oblique palsy, diplopia, accommodative spasm, and aniseikonia.  His book, Anomalies of Binocular Vision:  Diagnosis and Management, has been either required or recommended at most schools of optometry

He is presently investigating the effect that cataract surgery in adults has on aniseikonia and stereopsis.

Publications:

 Rutstein RP.  Use of Bangerter filters with adults having intractable diplopia.  Optometry 2010;81:387-93.

Rutstein RP.  Accommodative spasm in siblings:  a unique finding.  Indian Journal of Ophthalmology 2010;58:326-7.

Rutstein RP, Quinn GE, Lazar EL, Beck RW, et al.  A randomized trial comparing Bangerter filters and patching for the treatment of moderate amblyopia in children.  Ophthalmology 2010;117:998-1004.

Rutstein RP.  Update on aniseikonia.  Contemporary Optometry 2010;8(9):1-8.

Rutstein RP, Than TP, Hartmann EE, Steinhafel NW.  Idiopathic amblyopia:  a diagnosis of exclusion.  A report of 3 patients.  Optometry 2011:82;290-7.

Rutstein RP, Foster NC, Cotter SA, et al.  Visual acuity through Bangerter filters in nonamblyopic eyes.  J AAPOS 2011:15;131-4.

Rutstein RP, Fullard RF, Wilson J, et al.  Aniseikonia and its effect on binocular vision in ametropic adults following cataract surgery:  A preliminary study. 

Presented as a scientific poster at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry in Boston, MA on October 13, 2011.

Additional Information: