About

Durga Borkar is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Duke University and serves as the Director of Clinical Data Science. She is also an Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences, with a focus on vitreoretinal disease. Her role involves leading clinical data initiatives and contributing to research in ophthalmology, particularly within the realm of vitreoretinal conditions. Her work supports the advancement of clinical research and data science applications in ophthalmology, aiming to improve patient outcomes and foster innovation in eye care.

Research topics

• Ophthalmology
• Medical education
• Medicine
• Surgery

Selected publications

• One-year Real-world Outcomes With Faricimab in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

  Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina · 2026-03-27

  article

  Background and Objective: This study evaluated real-world treatment patterns and 1-year outcomes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) initiating faricimab. Patients and Methods: FARETINA-AMD was a retrospective study using data from the IRIS ® Registry for patients diagnosed with nAMD initiating faricimab from February 2022 to March 2023. Results: Included in the study were 2,025 treatment-naive patients (2,184 eyes) and 22,253 patients (26,851 eyes) previously treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. Visual acuity improved by 2.0 ± 15.0 (mean ± SD) letters in treatment-naive eyes ( P < .001) and was maintained in previously treated eyes at injection 7. Central subfield thickness (CST) improved by −53.1 ± 64.8 μm in treatment-naive and −28.5 ± 79.7 μm in previously treated eyes (both P < .0001); 78.4% and 66.8%, respectively, had achieved/maintained C ST ≤ 280 μm at injection 7. Dosing frequency was reduced in the second 6 months (mean 2.4–3.2 injections) versus the first 6 months (4.0–4.2) of treatment. Conclusion: Outcomes among patients with nAMD receiving faricimab over 1-year follow-up support the real-world effectiveness and extended durability of treatment.

  PublisherDOI

• Prevalence and Health Care Disparities of Retinal Conditions

  JAMA Ophthalmology · 2026-03-19 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are leading causes of vision impairment and can lead to permanent, irreversible blindness. Objective: To update age-standardized prevalence estimates for AMD, DR, DME, and RVO by gender, race and ethnicity, and US state or county for 2022. Data Sources: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 2005-2008 and 2017-March 2020), Medicare fee-for-service claims (2017-2019), IBM MarketScan commercial insurance claims (2016), and eligible population-based studies. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Bayesian meta-regression analysis of data sources containing prevalence information for AMD, DR, DME, and RVO in the US. Data were analyzed from March to September 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures: AMD prevalence was estimated for ages 40 years and older and reported as total AMD (inclusive of early and late stage). DR (stratified by vision threatening and non-vision threatening) and DME prevalence were estimated across all ages as a proportion of people with diabetes (as defined in NHANES). RVO, defined by the presence of either retinal branch or central vein occlusion, was estimated for ages 18 years and older. Age-standardized estimates were calculated using the 2010 US Census age pyramid. Results: For 2022, age-standardized prevalence estimates per 100 000 people were 5677 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 4513-7374) for AMD, 2710 (95% UI, 2112-3647) for DR, 317 (95% UI, 243-505) for DME, and 214 (95% UI, 168-409) for RVO. For all conditions, prevalence was higher in males than females. White individuals had 1.7-fold higher AMD prevalence than Black individuals and 2-fold higher RVO prevalence than Hispanic individuals; Black individuals had more than 2-fold higher DR prevalence and 4.6-fold higher DME prevalence than White individuals, and Hispanic individuals had 1.8-fold higher DR prevalence and 3.7-fold higher DME prevalence than White individuals. State-level prevalence (per 100 000 people) ranged from 3497 to 7214 for AMD, 1654 to 3607 for DR, 126 to 504 for DME, and 157 to 273 for RVO. Conclusions and Relevance: In this meta-analysis, the US prevalence of retinal conditions was substantial, highlighting a considerable health care burden. The updated estimates and sex, race and ethnicity, and regional disparities identified in this study could inform resource allocation across the US and aid in the development of approaches to improve treatment accessibility and patient outcomes for underserved communities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Dopaminergic dysfunctions instigated by Nano-formulation of Neonicotinoid pesticides in mice

  Parkinsonism & Related Disorders · 2025-04-17

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Physician Turnover Increased In Private Equity–Acquired Physician Practices

  Health Affairs · 2025-03-01 · 12 citations

  article

  Consolidation of physician practices by private equity (PE) firms has accelerated, raising concerns that PE's emphasis on short-term profitability may exacerbate physician turnover, with implications for care continuity. Despite their significance, evidence on how PE acquisitions affect physician turnover is limited. Using clinician-level data linked to practice acquisition data from the period 2014-21, we used a difference-in-differences design to examine changes to physician employment and turnover after PE acquisition of 200 ophthalmology practices with 1,980 clinicians. Relative to matched controls, PE-acquired practices increased the total number of clinicians by 46.8 percent through three years after acquisition. This growth was driven by increases in the numbers of both ophthalmologists and optometrists (30.7 percent and 36.2 percent, respectively). PE acquisitions also increased physician turnover, with the share of physicians leaving PE-acquired practices from one year to another increasing by 13 percentage points, or 265 percent, after acquisition, relative to non-PE-acquired practices. Findings highlight how PE acquisitions of physician practices are reshaping physician employment and workforce stability. As PE expands its footprint, policy makers should monitor the long-term implications of PE ownership on physician employment and turnover to mitigate potential undesirable effects on patient health.

  PublisherDOI

• One-year Real-world Outcomes and Durability With Faricimab in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema

  Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina · 2025-11-04

  articleOpen access

  Background and Objective: This study assessed real-world treatment patterns and 1-year outcomes among patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) initiating faricimab. Patients and Methods: FARETINA-DME is a retrospective study using data from the IRIS® Registry for patients diagnosed with DME initiating faricimab from February 2022 to March 2023. Results: Seven hundred eighty-six (786) treatment-naive patients (970 eyes) and 4,862 patients (6,728 eyes) previously treated with anti-VEGF therapy were included. Visual acuity improved by 4.5 ± 15.8 (mean ± SD) letters in treatment-naive eyes ( P < 0.001) and was maintained in previously treated eyes at injection-7. Central subfield thickness (CST) improved by −48.7 ± 82.7 μm in treatment-naive and −50.7 ± 101.1 μm in previously treated eyes (both P < 0.0001); 42.3% and 43.8% had achieved/maintained C ST ≤ 280 μm at injection-7. Dosing frequency was reduced during the second 6 months (mean 1.9 to 2.7 injections) versus the first 6 months (3.4 to 3.9) of treatment. Conclusion: One-year outcomes among patients with DME initiating faricimab in clinical practice support the real-world effectiveness and extended durability of treatment.

  PublisherDOI

• Private Equity Acquisitions and Industry Payments in Ophthalmology

  JAMA Ophthalmology · 2025-02-27 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  This cohort study assessed changes in the amount and number of general payments received by ophthalmologists after private equity acquisition of practices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Private Equity–Owned Physician Practices Decreased Access To Retinal Detachment Surgery, 2014–22

  Health Affairs · 2025-04-23 · 10 citations

  articleSenior author

  Private equity (PE) firms have increased their ownership stake across health care sectors in the US. PE's focus on short-term profitability may decrease the provision of unprofitable services, reducing access for patients in vulnerable populations. This is a particular concern for certain eye conditions such as retinal detachment, for which access to timely surgery is necessary to prevent irreversible vision loss and for which reimbursement is below cost for the fee-for-service Medicare population. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we examined changes in the provision of retinal detachment repair by 535 physicians in PE-acquired practices and 1,070 matched controls during the period 2014-22. Relative to matched controls, physicians in PE-acquired practices decreased the number of retinal detachment repairs by 19.6 percent after acquisition. These findings shed light on how PE acquisitions can affect the provision of services that do not present financial opportunities for investors. As nearly 30 percent of retina specialists are affiliated with PE firms nationally, further investigation into PE's impact on access for patients is warranted to determine whether PE acquisitions require patients to travel longer distances or have longer wait times, which could have serious effects on patient outcomes.

  PublisherDOI

• Retrospective study of incidence/prevalence of pigmentary maculopathy and retinopathy in patients receiving pentosan polysulfate sodium

  PLoS ONE · 2025-01-09 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  PURPOSE: To evaluate prevalence and incidence rates of pigmentary maculopathy and retinopathy (PM/PR), and visual acuity (VA) changes in patients exposed to pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) and in patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) not exposed to PPS. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study (January 2015-March 2021) which included adult de-identified patients from the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) and Komodo Health database. Three patient cohorts were identified: two PPS-exposed patient cohorts, and Non-PPS-exposed IC patient cohort. Key study outcomes included PM/PR/Any (defined based on prior literature regardless of PPS exposure) and PM/PR/PPS (further defined by an algorithm that was based on clinical notes and other protocol-prespecified criteria in PPS-exposed patients), and VA changes in each respective cohort. RESULTS: Prevalence of PM/PR/Any was relatively common in patients prior to PPS exposure (4.16%-8.43%). Incidence rate of PM/PR/PPS was uncommon in both PPS-exposed cohorts (0.13-0.15 per 100 person-years). Crude incidence rates of PM/PR/Any (based on ITT analysis) varied slightly across 3 study cohorts (2.13-2.81 and 2.38 per 100-person-years for PPS-exposed cohorts and Non-PPS-exposed IC cohort, respectively). Across all 3 study cohorts, patients with PM/PR/Any appeared to have approximately 2-fold higher proportion of 3 lines of VA worsening than those without PM/PR/Any. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of PM/PR was common in patients prior to PPS exposure. Incidence of PM/PR/PPS that may be associated with PPS exposure was relatively uncommon. Crude incidence rates of PM/PR appeared similar across all patient cohorts regardless of PPS exposure.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Early Outcomes After Initiation of Faricimab in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema

  Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina · 2025-05-15 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background and Objective This study evaluated treatment patterns and outcomes among patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) treated with the bispecific antibody faricimab in routine clinical practice in the United States. Patients and Methods FARETINA-DME was a retrospective study among patients with DME initiating faricimab from February 2022 to June 2023 identified from the United States IRIS ® Registry. Results Four thousand five hundred fourteen (4,514) patients (6,204 eyes) previously treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy and 691 treatment-naïve patients (851 eyes) were included. In previously treated eyes, mean ± SD visual acuity was 64.0 ± 18.3 letters at index and 65.3 ± 19.0 at faricimab injection 4. In treatment-naïve eyes, visual acuity improved from 60.3 ± 19.8 to 63.9 ± 18.5 letters ( P < 0.01). Mean ± SD central subfield thickness improved from 364.3 ± 132.2 to 330.1 ± 121.2 μm in previously treated eyes and 359.6 ± 115.0 to 307.4 ± 114.6 μm in treatment-naïve eyes (both P < 0.01). Conclusions In patients with DME receiving faricimab, visual acuity was maintained in previously treated and improved in treatment-naïve eyes. Both groups had anatomical improvement.

  PublisherDOI

• ONL1204 for the Treatment of Geographic Atrophy: Phase Ib Study Evaluating Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy

  Ophthalmology Science · 2025-10-04

  articleOpen access

  Purpose: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of ONL1204, a novel, small peptide inhibitor of the fragment apoptosis stimulator receptor, for the treatment of patients with geographic atrophy (GA). Design: A phase Ib multicenter study involving a dose-escalation/open-label (DE/OL) component and a randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled natural history/treatment (NHS/T) component. Participants: Patients aged ≥55 years with GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Methods: Dose-escalation/OL patients received a single intravitreal injection of either 50 μg, 100 μg, or 200 μg of ONL1204 and were followed for 24 weeks. Participants in the NHS/T component were randomized (1:1:1) to either 50 μg or 200 μg of ONL1204 or sham injection, after a 24-week NHS phase. Two injections were administered 12 weeks apart, and patients were observed for an additional 12 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: The primary endpoint was safety, assessed by monitoring adverse events (AEs), ophthalmic examination, electrophysiology, fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, and OCT. Additional endpoints included measurement of GA lesion area and best-corrected visual acuity. Results: = 0.202) in the 200 μg ONL1204 group compared with the sham group in the treatment phase of the NHS/T component. There were no changes in the treatment group with respect to visual acuity suggestive of any safety issues. Conclusions: ONL1204 was safe and well tolerated at all evaluated doses, with the potential to reduce GA lesion growth and improve vision. These results support further evaluation of ONL1204 in patients with GA. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Carolyn E. Kloek

  Harvard University

  77 shared

• Giannis A. Moustafa

  SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

  59 shared

• K. Matthew McKay

  Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

  51 shared

• Nisha R. Acharya

  San Francisco Foundation

  36 shared

• Nicole Koulisis

  36 shared

• Vivien M. Tham

  University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

  30 shared

• Emily A. Eton

  W.K. Kellogg Foundation

  30 shared

• Anja Lorch

  Harvard University

  28 shared