Dr. Helen Ann Mintz-Hittner M.D., F.A.C.S.
Ophthalmologist
6400 Fannin Street Suite 1800 Houston Texas, 77030Rating
5/5
About
Dr. Mintz-Hittner has practiced in the Texas Medical Center area for more than 40 years as a pediatric ophthalmologist. Formerly, I saw a large number of pediatric patients (3 days/week) and performed surgery (2 days/week). The practice included strabismus, amblyopia, genetic syndromes, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity.
In 2008, she became the Principal Investigator of the first prospective, masked, controlled, randomized, multi-center clinical trial on the use of anti-angiogenic agents for treatment of retinopathy of prematurity: Bevacizumab Eliminates the Angiogenic Threat for Retinopathy of Prematurity (BEAT-ROP). This study generated evidence of efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) to treat retinopathy of prematurity which was published as the lead article (in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2011). The study then published evidence of less myopia and high myopia (near-sightedness) which is a great functional benefit of utilizing these growth factors by injections into the vitreous of the eye instead of applying destructive laser directly to the peripheral retina of the eye (in JAMA Ophthalmology in 2014). Further, she has published data from the BEAT-ROP clinical trial and additional subsequent patients regarding the management of the infrequent recurrences of retinopathy of prematurity which requires retreatment (preferably by additional injections of anti-VEGF growth factors into the vitreous (in Ophthalmology in 2016). This allows increased utilization of this ground-breaking treatment which is now being integrated into the treatment armamentarium for retinopathy of prematurity. This represents a significant paradigm shift in the visual outcomes of future preterm infants world-wide. Future publications will emphasize other functional benefits of this treatment on visual acuity, visual field and binocular vision which allows development of normal vision in the majority of these former preterm infants.
To complete this clinical trial with adequate follow-up and specialized testing of the patients and world-wide travel (25 countries on 6 continents) to present these results, I have curtailed the majority of my practice and now concentrate on Retinopathy of Prematurity: continued screening, treatment, follow-up examinations, and consultations.
Education and Training
Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine 1969
Board Certification
American Board of Ophthalmology - Ophthalmology
Pediatric Ophthalmology
Provider Details
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- A small foveal avascular zone may be an historic mark of prematurity.
- Penetrating ocular injury with a fetal scalp monitoring spiral electrode.
- Isolation and characterization of a novel human paired-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor gene, VSX1, expressed in ocular tissues.
- Successful amblyopia therapy initiated after age 7 years: compliance cures.
- Mutations in the human forkhead transcription factor FOXE3 associated with anterior segment ocular dysgenesis and cataracts.
- Traumatic optic nerve injury occurring after forceps delivery of a term newborn.
- Criteria to detect minimal expressivity within families with autosomal dominant aniridia.
- Visual acuity correlates with severity of retinopathy of prematurity in untreated infants weighing 750 g or less at birth.
- VSX1 (RINX) mutation with craniofacial anomalies, empty sella, corneal endothelial changes, and abnormal retinal and auditory bipolar cells.
- Resolution of the two loci for autosomal dominant aniridia, AN1 and AN2, to a single locus on chromosome 11p13.
- Laser in situ keratomileusis for high hyperopia in awake, autofixating pediatric and adolescent patients with fully or partially accommodative esotropia.
- Laser in situ keratomileusis for treated anisometropic amblyopia in awake, autofixating pediatric and adolescent patients.
- Further evidence of genetic heterogeneity in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy; exclusion of EVR1, EVR3, and EVR4 in a large autosomal dominant pedigree.
- Intravitreous bevacizumab as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for retinopathy of prematurity: a morphologic study.
- Avastin as monotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity.
Faculty Titles & Positions
- International Public Speaking -
Awards
- Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame, 2010
- Snr Honor Award, 2005
Treatments
- Glaucoma
- Birth Defects
- Down Syndrome
- Strabismus
Treatments
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
Fellowships
- Texas Children's Hospital- Pediatric Ophthalmology
Professional Society Memberships
- American Medical Assn, Texas Medical Assn, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Texas Ophthalmological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Texas Pediatric Society, World Society for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Assn of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Texas Assn for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Society of Heed Fellows, Assn for Research in Vision and Op
Articles and Publications
Original Articles in Journals:
1. Mintz, H.A., Yawn, D.H., Safer, B., Bresnick, E., Liebelt, A.G., Blailock, Z.R., Rabin, E.R., and Schwartz, A.: Morphological and biochemical studies of isolated mitochondria from fetal, neonatal, and adult liver and from neoplastic tissues. J. Cell Biol. 34: 513-523, 1967.
2. Hittner, H.M., and Zeller, R.S.: Ceroid-lipofuscinosis (Batten’s disease). Arch. Ophthalmol. 93: 178-183, 1975.
3. Boniuk, M., and Hittner, H.M.: Congenital retinal disinsertion. Trans. Am. Acad. Ophthalmol. Otolaryngol. 79: 827-834, 1975.
4. Hittner, H.M., Murphree, A.L., Garcia, C.A., Justice, J., and Chokshi, D.B.: Dominant cone-rod dystrophy. Documenta Ophthalmol. 39: 29-52, 1975.
5. Hittner, H.M., Desmond, M.M., and Montgomery, J.R.: Optic nerve manifestations of human congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 81: 661-665, 1976.
6. Hittner, H.M., Hirsch, N.J., and Rudolph, A.J.: Assessment of gestational age by examination of the anterior vascular capsule of the lens. J. Pediatr. 91: 455-458, 1977.
7. Hittner, H.M., and Chokshi, D.B.: Results of treatment in unilateral high myopia with amblyopia. Am. Orthoptic J. 28: 74-77, 1978.
8. Michels, V.V., Hittner, H.M., and Beaudet, A.L.: A clefting syndrome with ocular anterior chamber defect and lid anomalies. J. Pediatr. 93: 444-446, 1978.
9. Hittner, H.M., Hirsch, N.J., Kreh, G.M., and Rudolph, A.J.: Colobomatous microphthalmia, heart disease, hearing loss, and mental retardation: A syndrome. J. Pediatr. Ophthalmol. Strab. 16: 122-128, 1979.[[Hard-Hittner (CHARGE) Syndrome]
10. Hittner, H.M.: Lens dislocation after strabismus surgery. Ann. Ophthalmol. 11: 1115-1119, 1979.
11. Hittner, H.M., Rhodes, L.M., and McPherson, A.R.: Anterior segment abnormalities in cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity. Ophthalmology. 86: 803-816, 1979.
12. McPherson, A.R., and Hittner, H.M.: Scleral buckling in 2 ½ to 11 month old premature infants with retinal detachment associated with acute retrolental fibroplasia. Ophthalmology. 86: 819-835, 1979.
13. Hittner, H.M., Riccardi, V.M., and Francke, U.: Aniridia due to a heritable chromosome 11 deletion. Ophthalmology. 86: 1173-1183, 1979.
14. Riccardi, V.M., Hittner, H.M., Francke, U., Pippin, S., Holmquist, G.P., Kretzer, F.L., and Ferrell, R.E.: Partial triplication and deletion of 13q: Study of a family presenting with bilateral retinoblastomas. Clin. Genet. 15: 332-345, 1979.
15. Hittner, H.M., Riccardi, V.M., Kretzer, F.L., Levy, C.H., and Moura, R.A.: Two-step mutation theory for retinob1astoma: Ultrastructural support. Documenta Ophthalmol. 48: 345-362, 1980.
16. Procianoy, R.S., Garcia-Prats, J.A., Hittner, H.M., Adams, J.A., and Rudolph, A.J.: Use of indomethacin and its relationship to retinopathy of prematurity in very low birth weight infants. Arch. Dis. Child. 55: 362-364, 1980.
17. Hittner, H.M., Riccardi, V.M., Ferrell, R.E., Borda, R.P., and Justice, J.: Autosomal dominant aniridia: Variable expressivity by clinical, electrophysiologic, and angiographic criteria. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 89: 531-539, l980.
18. Ferrell, R.E., Chakravarti, A., Hittner, H.M., and Riccardi, V.M.: Autosomal dominant aniridia: Probable linkage to acid phosphatase-l on chromosome 2. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77: 1580-1582, 1980.
19. Riccardi, V.M., Hittner, H.M., Francke, U., Yunis, J.J., Ledbetter, D.H., and Borges, W.: The aniridia-Wilms tumor association: The critical role of chromosome band llp13. Cancer Genet. Cytogenet. 2: 131-137, 1980.
20. Strobel, R.J., Riccardi, V.M., Ledbetter, D.H., and Hittner, H.M.: Duplication llp11.3---->p14.l due to meiotic crossing over. Am. J. Med. Genet. 7: 15-20, 1980.
21. Speer, M.E., Hittner, H.M., and Rudolph, A.J.: Candida endophthalmitis: A manifestation of candidiasis in the neonate. Southern Med. J. 73: 1407-1409, 1980.
22. Hittner, H.M., Riccardi, V.M., Ferrell, R.E., Strobel, R.J., Ledbetter, D.H., Strong, L., and Lebo, R.: Genetic heterogeneity of aniridia: Negative linkage data. Metabolic Pediatr. Ophthalmol. 4: 179-182, 1980.
23. Kretzer, F.L., Hittner, H.M., and Mehta, R.S.: Ocular manifestations of Conradi and Zellweger syndromes. Metabolic Pediatr. Ophthalmol. 5: 1-11, 1981.
24. Procianoy, R.S., Garcia-Prats, J.A., Hittner, H.M., Adams, J.A., and Rudolph, A.J.: An association between retinopathy of prematurity and intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight infants. Acta Paediatr. Scand. 70: 473-477, 1981.
25. Ferrell, R.E., Hittner, H.M., and Chakravarti, A.: Autosomal dominant cone-rod dystrophy: A linkage study with 17 biochemical and serological markers. Am. J. Med. Genet. 8: 363-369, 1981.
26. Hittner, H.M., Borda, R.P., and Justice, J.: X-linked recessive congenital stationary night blindness, myopia, and tilted discs. J. Pediatr. Ophthalmol. Strab. 18: 15-20, 1981.
27. Hittner, H.M., Gorman, W.A., and Rudolph, A.J.: Examination of the anterior vascular capsule of the lens: II. Assessment of gestational age in infants small for gestational age. J. Pediatr. Ophthalmol. Strab. 18: 52-54, 1981.
28. Hittner, H.M., Speer, M.E., and Rudolph, A.J.: Examination of the anterior vascular capsule of the lens: III. Abnormalities in infants with congenital infection. J. Pediatr. Ophthalmol. Strab. 18: 55-60, 1981.
29. Hittner, H.M., Kretzer, F.L., and Mehta, R.S.: Zellweger syndrome: Lenticular opacities indicating carrier status and lens abnormalities characteristic of homozygotes. Arch. Ophthalmol. 99: 1977-1982, 1981.
30. Kretzer, F.L., Hittner, H.M., and Mehta, R.S.: Ocular manifestations of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. Arch. Ophthalmol. 99: 2000-2006, 1981.
31. Hittner, H.M., Godio, L.B., Rudolph, A.J., Adams, J.A., Garcia-Prats, J.A., Friedman, Z., Kautz, J.A., and Monaco, W.A.: Retrolental fibroplasia: Efficacy of vitamin E in a double-blind clinical study of preterm infants. N. Engl. J. Med. 305: 1365-1371, 1981.
32. Hittner, H.M.: Correspondence: Vitamin E in retrolental of fibroplasia. N. Engl. J. Med. 306: 866-868, 1982.
33. Hittner, H.M.: Letters to the Editor: RLF and Vitamin E. Ophthalmology. 89: 987-988, 1982.
34. Hittner, H.M., Kretzer, F.L., Antoszyk, J.H., Ferrell, R.E., and Mehta, R.S.: Variable expressivity of autosomal dominant anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis in six generations. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 93: 57-70, 1982.
35. Ferrell, R.E., Hittner, H.M., Kretzer, F.L., and Antoszyk, J.H.: Anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis: Probable linkage to MNS blood group on chromosome 4. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 34: 245-249, 1982.
36. Kretzer, F.L., Hittner, H.M., Johnson, A.T., Mehta, R.S., and Godio, L.B.: Vitamin E and retrolental fibroplasia: Ultrastructural support of clinical efficacy. Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 393: 145-166, 1982.
37. Riccardi, V.M., Hittner, H.M., Strong, L.C., Fernbach, D.J., Lebo, R., and Ferrell, R.E.: Wilms Tumor with aniridia/iris dysplasia and normal chromosomes. J. Pediatr. 100: 574-577, 1982.
38. Hittner, H.M., and Ferrell, R.E.: Autosomal dominant ophthalmological disorders and linkage. J. Pediatr. Ophthalmol. Strab. 19: 40-46, 1982.
39. McPherson, A.R., Hittner, H.M., and Lemos, R.: Retinal detachment in very young premature infants with acute retrolental fibroplasia: 32 new cases. Ophthalmology. 89: 1160-1169, 1982.
40. Hittner, H.M., King, R.A., Riccardi, V.M., Ledbetter, D.H., Borda, R.P., Ferrell, R.E., and Kretzer, F.L.: Oculocutaneous albinoidism as a manifestation of reduced neural crest derivatives in the Prader-Willi syndrome. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 94: 328-337, 1982.
41. Hittner, H.M., Carroll, A.J., and Prchal, J.T.: Linkage studies in carriers of Lowe’s oculo-cerebro-renal syndrome. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 34: 966-971, 1982.
42. Hittner, H.M., Godio, L.B., Speer, M.E., Rudolph, A.J., Taylor, M.M., Blifeld, C., and Kretzer, F.L.: Retrolental fibroplasia: Further clinical evidence and ultrastructural support for efficacy of vitamin E in the preterm infant. Pediatrics. 71: 423-432, 1983.
43. Hittner, H.M., Kretzer, F.L., Rudolph, A.J., Holbein, M.E.B., Troendle, G., and Sobel, S.: Correspondence: Vitamin E in retrolental fibroplasia. N. Engl. J. Med. 309: 669-670, 1983.
44. Ferrell, R.E., Hittner, H.M., and Antoszyk, J.H.: Linkage of atypical vitelliform macular degeneration (VMD-1) to the soluble glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT1) locus. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 35: 78-84, 1983.
45. Hittner, H.M., Ferrell, R.E., Borda, R.P., and Justice, J.: Atypical vitelliform macular degeneration in a five generation family. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 68: 199-207, 1984.
46. Hittner, H.M., Speer, M.E., Rudolph, A.J., Blifeld, C., Chadda, P., Holbein, M.E.B., Godio, L.B., and Kretzer, F.L.: Retrolental fibroplasia and vitamin E in the preterm infant: Comparison of oral versus intramuscular:oral administration. Pediatrics. 73: 238-249, 1984.
47. Kretzer, F.L., and Hittner, H.M.: Vitamin E effect questioned: Editorial Response. Pediatrics. 73: 734-736, 1984.
48. Hittner, H.M.: Vitamin E toxicity: Editorial Response. Pediatrics. 74: 565-569, 1984.
49. Kretzer, F.L., Mehta, R.S., Johnson, A.T., Hunter, D.G., Brown, E.S., and Hittner, H.M.: Vitamin E protects against retinopathy of prematurity through action on spindle cells. Nature. 309: 793-795, 1984.
50. Kretzer, F.L., Hittner, H.M., and Godio, L.B.: Ultrastructural evaluation of the retina in retinopathy of prematurity and correlations with vitamin E therapy: Letter to the Editor. Current Eye Res. 3: 881-882, 1984.
51. Garson, A., Gillette, P.C., McVey, P., Hesslein, P.S., Porter, C.J., Angell, L.K., Kaldis, L.C., and Hittner, H.M.: Amiodarone treatment of critical arrhythmias in children and young adults. J. Am. Col. Cardiol. 4: 749-755, 1984.
52.
What do you attribute your success to?
I have been fortunate to enjoy a secure environment with loving parents who encouraged me throughout my formative years to obtain education and give back to society.
I have always been interested in performing clinical research while treating the children in my practice that will have a significant impact on my personal patients and ultimately on patients world-wide.
Areas of research
Philanthropic Initiatives
Dr. Mintz-Hittner has consistently provided indigent patients with the same respect and quality of care that she provides to all of the children she encounters.
Teaching and speaking
Hobbies / Sports
- Friends, Family,Exercising-Outdoors
Favorite professional publications
- Ophthalmology
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