Katarzyna Brodowska, M.D., Ph.D, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and retina specialist with over one decade of experience in diagnosing and treating complex retinal conditions. She has a strong background in academic research. She received a Ph.D. degree for her extensive translational and clinical studies in ocular diseases that she conducted at Harvard University. Dr. Brodowska earned her medical degree from Jagiellonian University Medical College. After completing her ophthalmology residency at Case Western Reserve University, she pursued a 2-year retina fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where she specialized in complex diseases of retina and vitreous.
Dr. Brodowska practices at the Retina Institute of Illinois with office locations in Niles, Hoffman Estates, and Huntley. She is affiliated with Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Advocate Sherman Hospital, Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center and Northwestern Medicine Hospital. Dr. Brodowska’s clinical expertise includes age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, retinal vein and artery occlusions, epiretinal membrane, macular hole, retinal tear, retinal detachment, and complications after cataract surgery. She performs intravitreal injection, laser photocoagulation, cryotherapy, and vitrectomy to manage these conditions.
In addition to English, Dr. Brodowska speaks fluent Polish. Besides her passion for ophthalmology, she is also a concert-level pianist especially enjoying performing Chopin, piano instructor as well as a professional photographer with particular interest in candid photography, which is capturing photos of people and emotions. She enjoys traveling, humanitarian work and worked as an ophthalmologist on four continents.
Education
- Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- Residency: Ophthalmology, Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Medical School: MD, Jagiellonian University Medical College
- Research: Harvard University
Certification
- American Board of Ophthalmology
Languages
Professional Societies
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- American Society of Retina Specialists
Clinical Interests
- Age Related Macular Degeneration
- Diabetic Eye Disease
- Flashes & Floaters
- Retinal Vascular Occlusions
- Macular Hole & Pucker
- Retinal Tear & Detachment
- Complications after cataract surgery
Hospital Affiliations
- Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
- Advocate Sherman Hospital
- Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center
- Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital
Research & Publications
The lead author or co-author of the following peer-reviewed articles or book chapters:
- Relative Quiescence of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration Following Resolution of Post-Injection Endophthalmitis. Submitted for publication.
- Patient with Unilateral Choroidal and Serous Retinal Detachment with a History of Treated Prostate Cancer and Untreated Sarcoidosis – Retinal Cases & Brief Reports, 2020
- Relative Quiescence of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration After Resolution of Postinjection Endophthalmitis – Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2019
- Posteriorly Inserted Vitreous Base: Preoperative Characteristics, Intraoperative Findings, and Outcomes After Vitrectomy – Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2019
- Evaluation of Computer-Based Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Education for Ophthalmology Residents – Journal of AAPOS, 2018
- Verteporfin Inhibits Growth of Human Glioma In Vitro Without Light Activation – Scientific Reports, 2017
- Verteporfin-induced formation of protein cross-linked oligomers and high-molecular weight complexes is mediated by light and leads to cell toxicity. Scientific Reports 2017.
- Validation of the Retinal Detachment After Open Globe Injury (RD-OGI) Score – Ophthalmology, 2016
- Adult rheumatoid arthritis associated uveitis. Book Chapter for “Uveitis: A practical guide for the treatment of ocular inflammation”. Springer 2015.
- Uveal Melanoma Cell Growth Inhibited by AICAR – Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2014
- Verteporfin inhibits growth of retinoblastoma cells in vitro without light activation.
- Experimental Eye Research 2014.
- Effects of Metformin on Retinoblastoma Growth – International Journal of Oncology, 2014
- Verteporfin Inhibits YAP-TEAD and Retinoblastoma Cell Growth – Experimental Eye Research, 2014
- EGF-like-domain-7 Required for VEGF-Induced Angiogenesis – PLOS ONE, 2013
- Kinesin-2 Family in Vertebrate Ciliogenesis – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012
- AICAR Inhibits Retinoblastoma Growth by Decreasing Angiogenesis – PLOS ONE, 2011
- Images in clinical medicine. Traumatic bleb. N Engl J Med. 2009
Medical and Teaching Tools Development:
- Development of automated search strategy that can be applied as an automatic query via electronic medical records to patients’ database for eligibility across clinical trials.
- Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity Trainer for retina specialists, ophthalmologists and residents.
Awards, Posters, Presentations (National & International Conferences)
- 2017 Oral presentation at Annual ARVO Meeting. Baltimore, USA. Best practices for querying
- electronic ophthalmology health records for potential trial participants.
- 2015 Oral presentation at Annual ARVO Meeting. Denver, USA. Verteporfin without light activation inhibits growth of ocular glioblastoma.
- 2014 Oral presentation at Annual ARVO Meeting. Orlando, USA. Verteporfin inhibits growth of retinoblastoma cells in vitro without light activation.
- 2013 Oral presentation at Annual ARVO Meeting. Seattle, USA. Metformin affects the growth and redox state of human retinoblastoma cells.
- 2012 Poster presentation at Fifth Military Vision Symposium on Ocular and Vision Injury. Boston, USA. Retinopathy of prematurity trainer.
- 2008 Oral presentation at 19th European Students’ Conference. Berlin, Germany. Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy and DSEC as a new method of treatment. European Journal of Medical Research. (Awarded Second order of Merit.).
- 2007 Oral presentation at Ophthalmologic Session on International Medical Students’ Conference. Cracow, Poland. Cataract, Radiation retinopathy, Radiation maculopathy, Radiation optic neuropathy as a complication of I-125 brachytherapy in the treatment of choroidal melanoma. (Awarded Best Paper).
