Paul T. Finger, MD

About Dr. Finger

Over my career, I have established Ocular Tumor Services at The New York Eye Cancer Center, The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and New York University School of Medicine, in addition to founding The Eye Cancer Foundation.

I have dedicated my clinical and research efforts to advancing the diagnosis and conservative management of ocular tumors, pioneering new ophthalmic techniques to improve patient outcomes. My first major innovation came in 1980, when, as a Tulane medical student, I introduced microwave hyperthermia for treating intraocular tumors in rabbits. By 1986, I secured an investigational device exemption from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat 50 patients with a combination of microwave heat and radiation for choroidal melanomas—marking the beginning of my career devoted to advances in ophthalmic oncology.

As a young clinician-scientist, I played a crucial role as a principal investigator in the 16-year, nationwide Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS). My contributions to the field include the discovery of palladium-103 plaque therapy for intraocular tumors, the development of chemotherapy eye drops for conjunctival melanoma, and pioneering eye- and vision-sparing radiation techniques for cancers located in the iris and around the optic nerve.

A major breakthrough in my career came in 2007, when I became the first to use and patent anti-VEGF treatment for radiation retinopathy and optic neuropathy—an approach that is now widely used worldwide to preserve vision in patients undergoing ophthalmic radiation therapy.

My research has also extended beyond treatment to diagnostic innovations. I have advanced the use of high-frequency, low-frequency, and 3D ultrasound to visualize previously inaccessible areas of the eye and orbit. My work demonstrated that whole-body PET/CT imaging can effectively diagnose and stage ocular melanoma, orbital lymphoma, and sebaceous carcinoma, while also serving as a biomarker for choroidal melanoma metastasis. Additionally, I proved that PET/CT can detect systemic metastases to the eye, uncover oculo-systemic sarcoidosis, and assess tumor response to ophthalmic radiation therapy.

Recognizing the need for safer and less invasive biopsy techniques, I leveraged small-gauge aspiration cutter technology to enhance fine-needle aspiration biopsy, enabling self-sealing, micro-incisional intraocular and orbital tumor biopsies—a significant improvement in diagnostic safety and accuracy.

My little something extra: Working to advance ocular oncology and improve both treatment efficacy and patient quality of life worldwide.