Riis, Ronald C.
Professor Emeritus/a
people
Cornell faculty affiliates
research
research and scholarship focus
- Cataractogenic Etiologies: Research on nutritional causes of cataracts in salmonides. Evaluated eyes of fish fed diets deficient in amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Slit lamp and histopathological publications.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy: Studies of ocular tissues.
- Surgical Research and Clinical Applications of Ultrasonic Fragmentors: Performed and developed techniques which are now widely used in removing cataracts in small animals. Publications and presentations at national international meetings.
- Nyctalopia (Night Visual Impairment): As it relates to congenital stationary night blindness. Published papers on equine (Appaloosa) and canine (Briard) conditions.
- Progressive Retinal Degeneration: As it relates to acquired and inherent retinal diseases (published and ongoing research).
- Dyslipoproteinemias: Investigated dyslipoproteinemias and their affect upon ocular tissues - poster presentation/seminars.
- Vitamin E Deficiency: Investigated the affect vitamin E deficiency has on dogs and horses. Vitamin E deficient retinopathy in the dog was published to expose the condition as acquired and similar to central retinal canine degenerations.
- Equine Motor Neuron Disease: Equine motor neuron disease was extensively researched and shown to be, in part, due to vitamin E deficiency. The visual manifestations were published, presented as posters, and presented at seminars.
- Uveitis in the Dog: Studies on uveitis in the dog induced by distemper virus were presented in seminar and poster form.
- Long-Term Research Projects in Tibetan Terriers: A long-term research project in Tibetan Terriers with visual manifestations of an inherent systemic neuronal-ceroid-lipofuscinosis was published in Medical Genetics. This canine model was similar to Kuff's disease in humans.
- Ocular Pathology: Ocular pathology revealing pathological similarities to human described lesions, publishing on canine retinoblastoma and equine medulloepitheliomas.
- On-going Comparative Ophthalmic Pathology: Specific lymphomas and infectious diseases of feline species.
- Research of Tapetal Cell: Research of the tapetal cell characteristics of the large wild cats using x-ray diffraction analysis.
- Retinal Detachment: Laser surgery using transpupillary and transscleral technique.
- Ocular Melanoma Thermo Therapy: Treatment using indirect or direct diode laser methods.
- Intraocular surgery for retinal tear or disinsertional retinal detachment.
background
educational background
- Master of Veterinary Science, Cornell University, 1975
- Resident, Comparative Ophthalmology, Cornell University, 1974
- Internship, College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University, 1972
- DVM, University of Minnesota, 1971
awards and distinctions
- 2007 recipient of the Outstanding Service to Veterinary Medicine from the New York State Veterinary Medical Society
