The University of Chicago Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science

03/27/2026

Help us in Congratulating Dr. Sarah Rodriguez, MD, MPH .

From Dr. Rodriguez: "This paper means a lot to me.
It represents years of partnership with brilliant colleagues and friends in Uganda 🇺🇬, a mentor who shaped my career, and a phenomenal UChicago medical student (Sean Smith).
This kind of work is only possible because of relationships, trust, and people who keep showing up.
So grateful to be part of this team ❤️"
🔗

Blended oxygen has been shown to reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) incidence worldwide, and more recently in Uganda. Although it has been establ...

03/03/2026

We are delighted to announce the results of our incoming residency match for the Optometry Residency in Ocular Disease. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Danielle Georgevich, who will be joining our department as our next resident starting July 1, 2026.

Danielle will be graduating this spring from the New England College of Optometry, where she distinguished herself through academic achievement and a passion for patient-centered care. She brings with her a diverse range of clinical experience, having cared for patients in community health, specialty, and multidisciplinary medical settings. Danielle’s dedication to advancing her clinical expertise is demonstrated by her commitment to serving underserved populations and her ability to thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments.

Her supervisors and mentors consistently praise her clinical competence, thoughtful analytical skills, and natural leadership abilities. She is known for her empathy, maturity, and genuine commitment to high-quality patient care—often volunteering for extra cases and mentoring junior trainees along the way.
Originally from Park Ridge, Danielle began her journey in eyecare as an ophthalmic technician at NorthShore University HealthSystem and has always aspired to serve the Chicago community. We are excited for the energy, expertise, and commitment to learning that she will bring to our team and look forward to supporting her continued professional growth and success.

Please join us in welcoming Danielle Georgevich back home to Chicago and to the University of Chicago’s Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science!

02/18/2026

Here's a look into our 2026 Rabb Retina Study Club event last night hosted at the Gleacher Center. Thank you to all of our sponsored organizations and everyone who participated and presented some of their most complex cases. Thank you to the entire Gleacher Center staff for amazing assistance and accommodations!

02/03/2026

Take a look at our 2026 "Ladies of OVS" dinner, sponsored by the OVS and Visual Science department. This is part of our wellness initiatives hosted by Dr. Alexis Warren, MD, Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion and OVS Wellness Director!

(Photo Credit: Dr. Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, Dr. Alexis Warren, MD, Dr. Macy Koepke, OD, Dr. Jessica Garcia, OD, Dr. Sarah Rodriguez, MD, Dr. Anita Goyal, MD, Dr. Chris Albanis, MD, Dr. Ellie Zhou, MD, Dr. Elza Rachid, MD.)

02/02/2026

Please check out this CME opportunity coming up from Medscape, LLC authored by Chair, Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD, Arshad Khanani, MD and Jordana G. Fein, MD on "Advancing Retinal Vein Occlusion Care: Best Practices for Optimizing Outcomes"

Learn how newer-generation agents can transform your retinal vein occlusion (RVO) care by optimizing outcomes while reducing treatment burden.

01/27/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD on being on the cover of Ocular Surgery News!!!

https://www.healio.com/news/ophthalmology/20260102/research-reveals-multifaceted-role-of-gut-microbiome-in-ocular-health-and-disease

01/14/2026

Check out Dr. Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD at FLORetina-ICOOR 2025 which was held with the 5th World Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Congress in Florence. Dr. Skondra, MD, PhD presented on "Metformin: Could it Fill an Unmet Therapeutic Need for PVR prevention/suppression?"

01/07/2026

Please help us welcome Dr. Rachid to the OVS Department!

01/05/2026

Oculoplastic Symposium & PAPS Monthly Interdepartmental Meeting

The Oculoplastic Symposium and PAPS Monthly Interdepartmental Meeting was successfully held at King Edward Medical University, Lahore, under the auspices of the Pakistan Association of Plastic Surgeons (PAPS) and the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery / Mayo Burn Centre.

The invited speaker, Dr. Hassan Ali Shah, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Chicago Medical Center, was formally introduced by Dr. Farrukh Aslam Khalid, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Hassan delivered an insightful lecture titled “Louisville to Chicago: An Academic Journey in Oculoplastics,” highlighting the evolution of his surgical practice in ptosis repair, peri-orbital trauma reconstruction, and thyroid eye disease surgery. The lecture was highly appreciated by participants for its academic depth, practical relevance, and interactive discussion.

This was followed by case presentations from multiple plastic surgery units, including:
• Jinnah Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Centre
• Lahore General Hospital
• Children Hospital, Lahore
• Mayo Hospital, Lahore

The symposium reaffirmed the importance of regular interdepartmental academic meetings under PAPS to promote knowledge sharing, collaboration, and excellence in patient care.

12/09/2025

Great joint Chicago Ophthalmological Society/Rabb Retina Study Club meeting last night!

COS President and OVS faculty member Dr. Asim Farooq welcomed the audience, and OVS Chair Dr. Seenu Hariprasad introduced the Alex E. Krill Memorial Lecture, given by Dr. Jacque Duncan, Chair of Ophthalmology at UCSF. COS Program Chair Ann Tran and Suzanne Krill Robin were also in attendance. Suzanne’s late husband Dr. Krill was an OVS faculty member and wrote a key textbook on inherited retinal diseases, which was the subject of Dr. Duncan’s talk. It was a record audience requiring overflow seating, despite it being a cold December night in Chicago!

12/09/2025

Here's a look at our 2025 OVS Wellness Retreat! Special thank you to Seven Ten Social and their amazing customer service! Thank you to Dr. Alexis Warren, MD for arranging holiday gifts for our staff and faculty and residents! Congratulations to all our 2025 OVS Culture Award winners for their hard work and dedication to the OVS department. On behalf of the entire OVS department, we want to wish everyone a safe and happy Holiday season!!!!!!

2025 Respect and Compassion Award - Sonya Mejia
2025 Teamwork Award - Tyrone Rayford
2025 Advancing Knowledge and Innovation Award - Dr. Asim Farooq, MD
2025 Integrity Award - Andrea Lippert
2025 UCM Unified Mission, Vision and Values Award - Dr. Hassan Shah, MD

12/09/2025

OVS at the World ROP Meeting 🌍✨

Our team (Dr. Rodriguez and Dr. Blair) had an incredible time at the World ROP Meeting this week! One of the highlights was getting to attend alongside our Ugandan colleagues — partners who have become true friends and collaborators. Together, we co-authored several abstracts, and thanks to support from our nonprofit TinyEyes, we were able to sponsor their travel to present their work on the global stage.

Dr. Lucy Namakula (Uganda) earned Best Paper in the Treatment Category for our collaborative study: Earlier First ROP Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Dr. Sarah Rodriguez with MS4 Sean Smith won Best Paper in Epidemiology for our cost-effectiveness analysis of ROP prevention in Uganda.

It was such a joy to present, learn, and laugh together — and to see our shared work recognized in this way. Moments like these remind us why partnership matters and how powerful it is when clinicians across continents work toward the same goal: preventing childhood blindness for every baby, everywhere.
Here’s to more collaboration, more progress, and more memories just like this! 💛👶🏽👁️🌍