Dr. Helen Ann A Mintz-Hittner M.D., F.A.C.S.

Areas of expertise and specialization

Faculty Titles & Positions

• Local, Regional, National and International Public Speaking -

Awards

• Jack J. Kanski Medal and Inaugural Lecture at the World Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Meeting (WSPOS) in Barcelona Spain (2015)   
• Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (2010)   
• American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Honor Award (2005).   
• American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award (1986)   
• Multiple invited lectures world-wide regarding the BEAT-ROP clinical trial: bevacizumab intravitreal injections allowing improved efficacy, multiple benefits over laser therapy, and management of recurrence of ROP (7%) requiring another bevacizumab intrav   

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

Areas of research

Retinopathy of prematurity has been the main focus of her clinical research throughout her career.  This ocular disorder is the most common cause of childhood blindness world-wide and affects more than 32,000 premature infants who develop this neovascular retinal disorder that leads to vision loss by vitreous hemorrhage, membrane formation with dragging of the macula, and retinal detachment. She collaborated with a basic scientist, Dr. Frank Kretzer, who used electron microscopy to demonstrate the peripheral avascular retina as the source of angiogenic stimuli most important in the pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity (in Nature in 1984).  Currently, she is leading 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).  

Dr. Helen Ann A Mintz-Hittner M.D., F.A.C.S.'s Practice location