md phd ophthalmology

Dimitra Skondra, MD PhD

• Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
• Clinical Interests: Advanced retinal imaging, AgeRelated Macular Degeneration, Diabetic eye disease, Endophthalmitis, Epiretinal Membrane, Eye trauma, Macular hole, Proliferative vitreoretinopathy, Retinal detachment, Retinal vein occlusion, Vitreous Hemorrhage
• Research and Scholarly Interests: Advanced Retinal Imaging, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Eye Disease, Eye Trauma, Macular Hole, Retinal Detachment, Retinal Vein Occlusion, Vitreous Hemorrhage
• Websites: Experimental treatment for macular holes opts for eye drops over surgery , Featured Faculty Fridays: Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD , Looking for links between the gut microbiome and eye disease , The University of Chicago Department of Ophthalmology , Research Network Profile
• Contact: [email protected]

Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, is a highly respected, board-certified retina specialist, with a particular focus on the medical and surgical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases. She in an expert in delivering care for diabetic eye disease, retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, eye trauma, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and intraocular infections, with advanced training and expertise in surgical repair of complex diabetic retinal detachments. In addition to her clinical expertise, Dr. Skondra is an active researcher. As a physician-scientist, she is dedicated to investigating methods to improve treatment strategies for retinal conditions. Dr. Skondra is currently engaged in clinical and translational research in diabetes and other retinal diseases. Her research in retinal imaging aims to provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis, early detection and identification of prognostic information for to enable more targeted intervention and treatment.

Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Boston, MA Fellowship - Vitreoretinal 2013

Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital New York City, NY Residency - Ophthalmology 2011

Saint Francis Hospital Evanston, IL Internship - Transitional Internship 2008

Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Boston, MA PhD Fellowship - PhD/Postdoctoral Research 2007

University of Crete Medical School Heraklion, Crete, Greece PhD Fellowship - PhD/Research 2004

University of Crete Medical School Heraklion, Crete, Greece BS, MD 2001

The Association Between Metformin Use and New-Onset ICD Coding of Geographic Atrophy. The Association Between Metformin Use and New-Onset ICD Coding of Geographic Atrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2024 Mar 05; 65(3):23. PMID: 38497512

FULL-THICKNESS MACULAR HOLE CLOSURE WITH TOPICAL MEDICAL THERAPY. FULL-THICKNESS MACULAR HOLE CLOSURE WITH TOPICAL MEDICAL THERAPY. Retina. 2024 Mar 01; 44(3):392-399. PMID: 37948745

ASSOCIATION OF METFORMIN USE WITH RISK OF NEWLY ONSET NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION DEVELOPMENT. ASSOCIATION OF METFORMIN USE WITH RISK OF NEWLY ONSET NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION DEVELOPMENT. Retina. 2024 Feb 01; 44(2):205-213. PMID: 38259182

INTERACTIONS OF METFORMIN AND OTHER MEDICATIONS IN REDUCING THE ODDS OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION IN A COHORT OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETES. INTERACTIONS OF METFORMIN AND OTHER MEDICATIONS IN REDUCING THE ODDS OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION IN A COHORT OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETES. Retina. 2024 Feb 01; 44(2):197-204. PMID: 37782954

Racial Differences in Choroidal Vascularity Index in Healthy Patients: Novel Insights. Racial Differences in Choroidal Vascularity Index in Healthy Patients: Novel Insights. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2024 Jan; 55(1):30-38. PMID: 38189798

Metformin Use and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients Without Diabetes. Metformin Use and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients Without Diabetes. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2024 Jan 01; 142(1):53-57. PMID: 38019527

Implication of gut microbiome in age-related macular degeneration. Implication of gut microbiome in age-related macular degeneration. Neural Regen Res. 2023 Dec; 18(12):2699-2700. PMID: 37449629

Oral Metformin Inhibits Choroidal Neovascularization by Modulating the Gut-Retina Axis. Oral Metformin Inhibits Choroidal Neovascularization by Modulating the Gut-Retina Axis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023 Dec 01; 64(15):21. PMID: 38108689

Associations Between Autoimmune Disease and the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Associations Between Autoimmune Disease and the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023 Dec 01; 64(15):45. PMID: 38153747

Metformin Use and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients Without Diabetes. Metformin Use and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients Without Diabetes. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023 Nov 30. PMID: 38019527

ISPB-Mentor 2016

Compassionate Doctor Recognition 2015

ISPB-Mentor 2014

Retina Society Raymond Margherio Award 2013

Harvard/Alcon Clinical Research Scholar Award 2013

AUPO Resident Research Award 2011

New York Academy of Medicine-Ophthalmology night 2010

ARVO/Alcon Early Career Clinician Scientist Award 2006

Knights Templar Eye Foundation Award 2006

Tonseth-Joslin Fellowship Award 2005

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University of Chicago Medicine

Luciano V. Del Priore, MD, PhD

Luciano V. Del Priore, MD, PhD, is chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, leading a sophisticated group of eye specialists. He also is a highly skilled retinal surgeon who cares for patients with age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macular holes and pucker, eye trauma, and many other conditions.

Eye problems that are diagnosed early are often very treatable, especially at an academic medical center, where ophthalmologists have access to the latest tools and techniques for any condition that arises, Dr. Del Priore says. “Ophthalmology sort of reinvents itself every five to 10 years,” he says. “The current trend is something I would call micro-miniaturization, where surgical instruments we use just keep getting smaller and smaller.” Since much of the discomfort people feel after eye surgery is related to the instrument size and surgical incisions, smaller instruments result in less pain and a quicker recovery, he says.

Dr. Del Priore, who is the Robert Young Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Science at Yale School of Medicine, says one of his favorite memories is from early in his career when he assisted with surgery to treat a patient who had retinal detachments in both eyes. “The patient was from fairly far away—about four hours by car to the medical center,” Dr. Del Priore says. “He was led by the hand into the examination room because he could not see out of either eye. We operated on both eyes, but because he lived so far away, he didn’t come back until a few months after surgery. I still remember him coming into the room three months later. I introduced myself and the attending physician introduced himself, and the patient said, ‘I was wondering what you all looked like.’"

Since then, Dr. Del Priore has seen his field change with improvements in care that have led to better outcomes for more and more patients. “Yale has been at the forefront of many changes over the last 10 years, and has both pioneered and implemented a variety of new surgical techniques,” he says. For instance, Yale researchers’ efforts have led to the identification of genes for macular degeneration.

Because early intervention is important for cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other eye diseases, the challenge, in many cases, is getting people into the office for an early diagnosis, Dr. Del Priore says. This can be difficult considering many people either don’t have symptoms or don’t notice them, especially if the changes in their vision occur gradually. So the best strategy, Dr. Del Priore says, is to schedule a dilated eye exam once a year with an ophthalmologist, and, if anything unusual comes up in between, visit the eye doctor right away. “Eyesight is extremely important,” he says, adding that surveys show that when it comes to preserving health and function, most people rank loss of eyesight second only to life-threatening illness. “We only get one set of eyes,” he says.

• Robert R. Young Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
• Chair, Ophthalmology
• Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale New Haven Hospital

Education & Training

• Postdoctoral Fellow and Assistant Surgeon The Wilmer Eye Institute and The Johns Hopkins Hospital (1989)
• Postdoctoral Fellow The Wilmer Eye Institute (1988)
• Resident The Wilmer Eye Institute (1987)
• PhD Cornell University (1984)
• MD The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (1982)
• MS Cornell University, Physics (1977)
• BS Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Physics (1975)

Languages Spoken

• Italiano (Italian)

Additional Information

• America's Top Doctors: Castle Connolly Medical Limited (2019)
• Life Fellow: American Academy of Ophthalmology (2018)
• Senior Achievement Award: American Academy of Ophthalmology (2016)
• Distinguished Alumnus Award: Wilmer Eye Institute (2012)
• Lew R. Wasserman Award: Research to Prevent Blindness (1999)
• AB of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology (1989)
• Diabetic Eye Care
• Macular Degeneration
• Ophthalmology
• Retina & Vitreous
• Yale Cancer Center

• Meet Dr. Ming Wang
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My commitment is to help us find common ground.

Dr. Ming Wang, Harvard & MIT (MD, magna cum laude ); PhD [email protected]

Keeping Nashville in Sight

55,000 procedures (including on over 4,000 doctors). Patients from 40 states in the U.S. and 55 countries.

Dr Wang's Biography

World-renowned eye surgeon

As a co-founder of the 501c(3) non-profit organization, the Common Ground Network , Dr. Wang has dedicated his life to helping people find common ground and solutions to problems so they can be more successful and fulfilled in their lives.

Dr. Wang has received numerous awards including the Honor Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Chinese American Physicians, an honorary doctorate degree from Trevecca Nazarene University, NPR’s Philanthropist of the Year Award, and Kiwanis Nashvillian of the Year Award for his lifetime dedication to helping blind orphan children from around the world.

The  Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration , a 501c(3) non-profit charity founded by Dr. Wang, has helped patients from over 40 states in the U.S. and 55 countries worldwide, with all sight restoration surgeries performed free-of-charge.

Dr. Wang is the founding president of the  Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce , co-founder of the  Tennessee Immigrant and Minority Business Group , and the founding president of the Founders Club of the 917 Society that helps educate 8 th graders in America about the U.S. Constitution.

Growing up in the 1960s, Ming had to play the Chinese erhu violin and dance in order to avoid being sent away to labor camps for a life of hard labor and poverty, a devastating fate that fell upon 20 million youths in China. He eventually made his way to America with only $50, where against all odds he earned a doctorate degree in laser physics and graduated with an MD ( magna cum laude ) and the highest honors from Harvard Medical School and MIT.

Dr. Wang’s autobiography,  From Darkness to Sight ,  is an inspirational story of how one man turned fear, poverty, persecution, and prejudice into healing and love for others. It demonstrates how focus, determination, humility, and profound faith can inspire a life that, in turn, impacts the lives of countless others.

The book has inspired a movie called “ Sight ”. Dr. Wang’s story has also inspired a movie role in the film  “God’s Not Dead” .

A nationally ranked amateur ballroom dancer

A highly skilled Chinese violin (erhu) player

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Health equity, healthy community, classes and events, the world is changing. medicine is changing. we're leading the way., featured initiatives, helpful resources.

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Sayoko Moroi, MD, PHD

Ophthalmology

• Ophthalmology – Glaucoma
• Physician More information about Physician. A physician, or doctor, is extensively trained to diagnose and treat complex medical problems. Often, physicians focus their practice on certain disease categories, treatment methods or patient types. Physicians can diagnose and treat illness, prescribe medication, offer medical consultation and advice, perform surgery and more.

Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

• 84 Patient Satisfaction Ratings
• 31 Patient Comments

Insurances We Accept

• Delivered the 2018 Robert N. Shaffer Lecture at the American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Delivered the 2020 Clinician Scientist Lecture at the American Glaucoma Society
• Served as co-senior author on the fifth, sixth and seventh editions of the Shields’ Textbook of Glaucoma
• Worked on the team science in glaucoma genetics as part of the NEIGHBORHOOD Consortium
• Worked on the team science in eye physiology and eye tissue biomechanics to understand pathways of eye fluid circulation and eye pressure regulation

Procedures and Conditions I Treat

• Optic Nerve
• Tonometry, Ocular
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Eye Abnormalities

Locations Where I Practice

Havener Eye Institute Dublin

Outpatient Care New Albany

Havener Eye Institute Westerville

Eye and Ear Institute

Havener eye institute.

Please note: Not all physicians schedule patients at each listed location.

Education and Training

Education history, medical school.

Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 6/1/1982 - 6/9/1989

Ohio State University at Columbus, Columbus, OH 8/1/1982 - 6/9/1989

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 7/1/1989 - 6/30/1990

Duke University Eye Center, Durham, NC 7/1/1990 - 6/30/1993

Duke University Eye Center, Durham, NC 7/1/1993 - 6/30/1994

University of Michigan W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, MI 7/1/1994 - 6/30/1995

Board Certification

American Board of Ophthalmology 5/4/1997

Academic Information

My department, my division, more about my work, news about me.

• NIH awards Ohio State $2.85 million grant for vision research

The overall patient satisfaction rating is an average of all patient responses to the six doctor communication related questions shown below from the Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. For additional information about the patient satisfaction survey, please visit our Patient Satisfaction Survey page .

The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their view and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

84 Patient Satisfaction Reviews

• Overall 4.9 out of 5
• Explains Things Carefully 5.0 out of 5
• Listens Carefully 4.9 out of 5
• Gives Understandable Instructions 4.9 out of 5
• Knows My Medical History 4.9 out of 5
• Shows Respect 4.9 out of 5
• Time Spent Together 4.9 out of 5

Explains everything thoroughly, and Is very knowledgeable.

Dr. Maroi was amazing. She carefully explained each step of my eye exam, discussed medication, and was genuinely interested in me as not only a patient but as a person.

Very informative on what was going to happen

Dr. Moroi is very pleasant, kind and caring. She is knowledgeable and addresses all of my concerns.

Dr. Moroi was wonderful! She offered more help than we expected!

The staff were excellent!

No words to describe how good she is, I am very grateful!

My provider was friendly, professional and explained things so I could understand them. She answered all of my questions.

• Show All Comments

Dr Moroi has become a trusted friend.

She was excellent and was very caring and very informative.

I don't have enough words of praise for Dr. Moroi. She exceeded my expectations. She ranks at the top of the list for my favorite doctors. As an RN, I am quite particular about my medical care and I feel quite fortunate to be one of her patients.

Dr. Moroi is great as is Amanda her main assistant.

Explained my problems well.

Patient, friendly

Always have a wonderful visit.

Dr. Moroi is great.

Dr. Moroi is a caring physician & listens & provides ideas & things to try for difficult problems.

Friendly and professional.

Kind, caring and thoroughly explained conditions and procedures.

The best specialist I have!

Dr. Moroi is personable, compassionate and very knowledgeable. I feel incredibly comfortable as her patient and appreciate-her willingness to share her cell phone #. I would only call if absolutely necessary and I am confident she would be responsive.

I felt that Dr. Moroi sort of talked over me rather than actually conversing with me. The assistant was fine.

Extremely knowledgeable - very impressed.

Very knowledgeable, understanding.

Dr Moroi is the absolute best. I've been to a number of ophthalmologists over the years and she is by far the most thorough and well versed concerning glaucoma and overall eye health. I feel so fortunate to have her monitoring my eyes!

Dr. Moroi is the very best. Great communications and treats the patient as an adult.

Wow. Dr. Moroi is just the best! I just cannot say enough about the time and care she takes in ordering tests explaining results and educating patients. Just a wonderful experience - I always leave grateful for the opportunity to work with her at OSU!

Dr. Moroi is the best! She's always willing to answer questions thoroughly and looks holistically at the patient.

Consulting and Related Relationships

At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, we support a faculty member’s research and consulting in collaboration with medical device, research and/or drug companies because a faculty member’s expertise can guide important advancements in the practice of medicine and improve patient care. In order to provide effective management of these relationships, the University requires annual disclosures from all faculty members with external interests related to their University responsibilities.

As of 09/30/2022, Dr. Moroi has reported relationships with the companies or entities listed below. If you have questions about the relationships listed below, please ask the faculty member. If you have questions about how these relationships are monitored by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, please contact our Compliance Office.

• National Institutes of Health
• Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology
• Future Vision Foundation
• Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

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• UNC Chapel Hill

Steven Flynn, MD, PhD

Professor of Ophthalmology

Specialties

Comprehensive Eye Care

Medical School  LSU Health Sciences Center (Shreveport, LA)

Residency LSU Health Sciences Center (Shreveport, LA)

Steven Flynn, MD, PhD, joined the UNC Ophthalmology faculty team in 2022 as a comprehensive ophthalmologist. He earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology ( Perception of relative mass in classical collisions ) from the University of Cincinnati (1992) prior to medical school. He entered medical school at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed his MD at LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport, where he also trained as an ophthalmology resident. Prior to joining UNC Ophthalmology, Dr. Flynn served as Service Chief and Residency Program Director (2007-2022) as well as Chief of Staff (2019-2021) during his decade+ at the Ochsner-LSU Monroe Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology in Monroe, LA.

• Biosimilars
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• Geographic Atrophy
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Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD, looks to the future in ophthalmology and at NYU

EnVision Summit 2024: Diagnosing a highly contagious inherited retinal disease

EnVision Summit 2024: Tips to launch a personal IPO journey for women in eye care

Angiogenesis 2024: Interim results from the first in-human Phase 2 RIPPLE-1 trial of a dexamethasone implant for DME and RVO

Angiogenesis 2024: Highlighting 72-week results from the BALATON and COMINO Phase 3 studies of faricimab in RVO

EnVision Summit 2024: Inside the ophthalmology track with Bonnie An Henderson, MD

2 Commerce Drive Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

IU School of Medicine names new chair to lead Department of Ophthalmology

IU School of Medicine Mar 21, 2024

John T. Lind, MD, MS

INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana University School of Medicine has named a nationally-recognized glaucoma specialist as the new chair of the Department of Ophthalmology.

John T. Lind, MD, MS , has been named the new chair, after serving as interim chair of the department since July 1, 2023. He will be assuming the title of Merrill Grayson Senior Chair in Ophthalmology.

A Bloomington native who completed his undergraduate and medical school studies at Indiana University, Lind joined the faculty at IU School of Medicine in 2019. A glaucoma specialist and board-certified ophthalmologist, he completed his transitional internship at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis in 2005, and later completed a three-year residency in ophthalmology at Saint Louis University Eye Institute in 2008. That training was followed by a fellowship in glaucoma at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2009.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Lind has proven himself to be a collaborative and visionary leader dedicated to advancing education, research and clinical care here at the IU School of Medicine,” said Jay L. Hess, MD, PhD, MHSA , dean of IU School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of University Clinical Affairs for IU. “With a reputation for quality improvement and innovative solutions, Dr. Lind’s skillset makes him uniquely qualified to lead the Department of Ophthalmology into what I am confident will be an era of continued growth and excellence.”

After completing his training, Dr. Lind worked as an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Saint Louis University, and later joined the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis as an associate professor. He was selected as Professor of the Year in 2011 at Saint Louis University and again in 2019 at Washington University in Saint Louis. He returned to IU School of Medicine in 2019 to join the faculty with the Department of Ophthalmology.

“I feel very fortunate for having been recruited back to Indiana University over four years ago, and for the leadership opportunities I have been afforded both at IU as well as my previous institutions,” said Lind. “I am thankful for my tremendous colleagues within the department and the university, and I have unwavering confidence in our ability to grow, while enhancing our research, education and clinical care missions.”

Lind’s research interests include glaucoma surgical devices, complications of glaucoma surgery, and medical education. He is a reviewer for the American Journal of Ophthalmology, JAMA Ophthalmology, Journal of Glaucoma, and Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. He was awarded the Achievement Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2019. He served on the Preferred Practice Patterns Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2019, currently serves as a subcommittee member for the Annual Meeting Program Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and is an examiner and question writer for the American Board of Ophthalmology.

About IU School of Medicine

The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability. According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the IU School of Medicine ranks No. 13 in 2023 National Institutes of Health funding among all public medical schools in the country.

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AI Revolution

Artificial intelligence ushers in a new era of eye care

Dr. David Myung  explains how the STATUS program's AI-enabled camera works.

People think of their eyes as windows onto the world, but the physicians and professionals at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford know they offer a window into our health. It’s that quality that allows ophthalmology to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) advances. The AI programs developed at the Byers Eye Institute are already improving access to health care and helping doctors diagnose and predict patient outcomes. 

One of the earliest and largest AI-enabled initiatives spearheaded by faculty at the Byers Eye Institute is the Stanford Teleophthalmology Autonomous Testing and Universal Screening (STATUS) program, which helps patients with diabetes get an annual eye exam using AI-enabled cameras without scheduling a separate appointment with an ophthalmologist. 

“In ophthalmology, many clinical decisions are based on some sort of image, where other fields are more apt to use lab results,” said David Myung, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and founding director of the STATUS program. “An amazing amount of research and development has gone toward using AI to read ocular images, which led to the first-ever FDA approval for AI-based disease detection.” 

Today, 10 AI-enabled STATUS cameras are spread across Bay Area primary care clinics affiliated with Stanford. More than 3,000 patients, about 100 each month, have had a photo of their eye screened by the AI system. The results show promise in combating disease and saving vision, says Theodore Leng, MD, MS, associate professor of ophthalmology and a retina specialist.

“Being able to detect disease earlier and intervene when we can actually turn things around and preserve vision is what is really important,” Leng said. 

As AI technology progresses, eye images could also yield insights into patients’ overall health and help detect diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases, and hypertension, Myung added.

Improving care for diabetes

The STATUS program grew out of an institution-wide quality improvement initiative that aimed to improve eye care for people with diabetes, which affects 400 million people worldwide. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. Even so, many don’t make it to their critically important annual eye exam.  

In 2018, Myung launched an effort to offer remote exams in primary care clinics to close the screening gap for diabetic patients, and he thought ahead: The FDA had just approved the first AI system that could be used to analyze images for diabetic eye disease, so he made sure the cameras had that technology.

In addition to Leng, Byers Eye Institute retina specialists  Diana Do, MD; Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS; Vinit Mahajan, MD, PhD; Christopher Or, MD;  and  Darius Moshfeghi, MD,  have all been critical to the growth and success of the program, Myung says. 

The STATUS program added a key innovation of AI-MD assistive interaction: when needed, the system pushes the images to a team led by Leng at the Stanford Ophthalmic Reading Center (STARC) for a closer look. Those who need to see an ophthalmologist get a notification within a day.

Early results show that people are more likely to schedule follow-up visits, possibly because patients find out about their eyes much sooner than they could in the past, Myung said. 

Vision testing at home

Another research project is opening the possibility of vision testing at home.  Chris Piech, PhD,  assistant professor of computer science, received a diagnosis of uveitis, or intraocular inflammation, when he was 8 years old, and has spent his life battling eye complications. 

After undergoing cataract surgery at Byers Eye Institute by  Charles Lin, MD,  clinical associate professor of ophthalmology, Piech asked Lin to collaborate on a project to improve the traditional eye chart, called the Snellen vision test.  Robert Chang, MD,  associate professor of ophthalmology, joined the collaboration, as did  Ali Malik , a PhD computer science student in Piech’s lab, and  Laura Scott , Piech’s wife. 

Their collaboration formed the basis for the Stanford Acuity Test, an online vision test driven by AI, which can now be accessed at www.myeyes.ai. The test doesn’t replace an eye exam but could help lay the foundation for home vision testing.

Transitioning diagnostics from the clinic into the home may offer major advantages for detecting disease or the progression of diseases. 

For example, new technologies could allow some peripheral vision testing for glaucoma or for other 

neuro-ophthalmic diseases to be done remotely, reducing burden on patients and clinics, and improving diagnostic accuracy by testing more often. 

“This is the forefront of next-generation healthcare,”  Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD,  the Blumenkranz Smead professor and chair of ophthalmology, said.

Dr. Sophia Wang developed an algorithm to improve how electronic health information is analyzed to improve patient outcomes.

Big data and algorithms

But any scientist can attest that artificial intelligence systems are only as good as the data that goes into them. At the Mary M. and Sash A. Spencer Center for Vision Research at the Byers Eye Institute, researchers are using new approaches to ensure AI systems are trained on high-quality data. 

Leng and  Daniel Rubin, MD, MS,  professor of biomedical data science, radiology, and medicine, and, by courtesy, of ophthalmology, have developed algorithms that can predict which patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) will likely progress to wet AMD, an explosive, damaging form of the disease.

Similarly,  Sophia Wang, MD,  assistant professor of ophthalmology, has trained an algorithm to improve how doctor’s notes and other electronic health information are analyzed. 

She and her team at the Byers Eye Institute are using AI to help predict which glaucoma patients need surgery and which patients would do well with less invasive treatment options.

Wang is collaborating with Chang,  Tina Hernandez-Boussard, MD, PhD, MPH,  associate professor in medicine (biomedical informatics), and  Suzann Pershing, MD,  associate professor of ophthalmology and of health research and policy. 

A study that Wang authored and published this year in the peer-reviewed journal,  Frontiers in Medicine , shows this new technology can tell with higher accuracy than most humans which patients need what treatment. But Wang’s not stopping there; she and her colleagues are continuing to tweak her model to become even more accurate. 

“I think of AI as comparable to other tools,” Myung said. “We used to use a hand screwdriver for everything. Then someone invented an electronic screwdriver. So far, AI is a force multiplier.”

BY ELIZABETH MACBRIDE Elizabeth is a freelance writer for the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford.

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Nancy F. Vilar, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusive Strategist

Clinical Specialty:

Comprehensive & Neuro-Ophthalmology

To Make an Appointment: 434-924-5485

Certifications:

American Board of Ophthalmology

Fellowships:

Neuro-Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami University School of Medicine, Miami, FL 1998

Neuro-ophthalmology & Strabismus Specialist, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 1990

Truman Medical Center, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 2003

Clinic Hospital San Carlos, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain 1989

Internal Medicine Internship, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, LA Internship, 1997

Doctoral Thesis in Ophthalmology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain PhD, 1992

Complutense University, Madrid, Spain MD, 1983

Academic Appointments:

University of Virginia School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Charlottesville, VA Assistant Professor, 2020 – present

George Washington University, Medical Facilities Associates, DC 2011 – 2020

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Retina Department, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL Clinical & Research Assistant, 1996

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Retina Department, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL Clinical Observer, 1995

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