University of Washington Department of Ophthalmology

12/22/2025

Proud to announce our incoming 2026-27 fellows, including new fellowships in ocular oncology and neuro-ophthalmology; plus four of our current residents have matched to fellowships around the country. All the details on our website ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Alyssa Bonnell, MD Residency: University of Washington Fellowship: University of Washington (Medical and Surgical Retina)

12/21/2025

Learn more about the correct way to use contact lenses from our faculty member Assistant Professor Minh Nguyen, MD in this article ⬇️⬇️⬇️

4 ways to avoid an eye infection.

12/17/2025

Assistant Professor Minh Nguyen, MD, discusses contact lens safety tips in a Right as Rain by UW Medicine column linked below:

4 ways to avoid an eye infection.

12/15/2025

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has announced UW Ophthalmology post-doctoral scholar Teng Liu as the recipient of the 2026 SPIE-Franz Hillenkamp Postdoctoral Fellowship in Problem-Driven Biomedical Optics and Analytics. The annual award supports interdisciplinary problem-driven research and provides opportunities for translating new technologies into clinical practice for improving human health.

Liu’s research project — conducted in conjunction with UW Ophthalmology George and Martina Kren Professor of Vision Science Ram Sabesan will translate optoretinography from the current proof-of-concept stage toward a clinic-ready imaging paradigm. As a non-invasive functional module add-on to standard OCT, optoretinography has the potential to greatly improve the sensitivity of retinal disease assessment and expedite the evaluation of new therapies.

12/10/2025

Join our Residency Program Director and Associate Professor Parisa Taravati, MD for an American Academy of Ophthalmology Ophthalmology Journal podcast on Elevated Intraocular Pressure after Cataract Surgery and Risk of Glaucoma:

Dr. Emily Schehlein is joined by Dr. Cecilia S. Lee and Dr Parisa Taravati, authors of “.” Together they discuss the associations between postoperative intraocular pressure after cataract surgery and the future risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma in patients without prior glaucoma, gl...

12/09/2025

Research to Prevent Blindness has announced two new awards to the UW Department of Ophthalmology: the Physician Scientist award to Assistant Professor Debarshi Mustafi, MD, PhD, and the RPB medical student eye research fellowship to Elizabeth Rooks, a medical student at the University of Hawaii spending a gap year in Mustafi’s lab in the Vision Science Center at South Lake Union.

These awards will fund their work to determine why children with the same RB1 gene mutation can experience markedly different clinical courses of retinoblastoma.

Learn more about the RPB Awards on our website:

Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has announced two new awards to the UW Department of Ophthalmology: the Physician Scientist award to Assistant Professor Debarshi Mustafi, MD, PhD, and the RPB medical student eye research fellowship to Elizabeth Rooks, a medical student at the University of Hawai...

11/19/2025

We can't wait to use these new ORs in the Harborview Medical Center Outpatient Surgery Center on the fourth floor of the Ninth and Jefferson Building, come January! Two of the new ORs will be dedicated to ophthalmology. This facility will significantly improve the experience for patients, providers, and staff.

Thanks to University of Washington School of Medicine - WWAMI Associate Professor Kasra Rezaei, MD, for leading our department's partnership with Harborview to make this a reality.
UW Medicine

11/18/2025

Thanks to Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia for hosting the 16th annual Gained in Tanslation symnposium in Vancouver on Saturday, Nov. 15. Thanks to UW Ophthalmology faculty members Matthew Zhang, MD and Ethan Buhr, PhD for working with their colleagues at UBC and OHSU to create a wonderful program. The keynote was presented by David Zacks MD PhD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan.

The day was highlighted by honoring UBC faculty Max Cynader CM, OBC, Ph.D, FRSC, FCAHS with the Helen Keller Award presented by the Lions Clubs International of British Coumbia, Oregon and Washington. Dr. Cynader is the founding director of the Brain Research Centre and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at the University of British Columbia. He is a legend in ophthalmology research, pictured here at left with Bucey Chair Russ Van Gelder, MD, PhD.

11/18/2025

Yue Wu, PhD, director of the Computational Ophthalmology Lab, is working with the UW Information School to study the usage of AI toolsfor early detection is essential to preventing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Read the story below on the Population Health website.

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the award of eight, $25,000 Tier 1 pilot grants to interdisciplinary teams of UW researchers. These teams collectively...

11/10/2025

Professor Lisa Olmos de Koo, MD, MBA, Division Director of Vitreoretinal Surgery, delivered the inaugural Mary Lou Lewis Endowed Lecture at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami on Oct. 9. It was a homecoming for Dr. Olmos de Koo, who completed her residency, fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery, and chief residency at Bascom Palmer. Left to right are: Eduardo C. Alfonso, MD, Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Mary Lou Lewis, MD; Dr. Olmos; and Audina M. Berrocal, MD, Professor and Johnstone Horvitz Chair in Ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer.

11/10/2025

We know him! So proud of Dr. Mudumbai and the exceptional care he provides every day!

"I’ve been seeing Dr. Mudumbai nearly every week, and I can say from experience that he is one in a million. For every question or concern, he has an immediate and clear answer. He’s extremely thorough in his treatment plan and made sure I understood every step we took. I ended up needing surgery, and I was terrified. Dr. Mudumbai talked me through it time and time again and supported me while I cried.

"His concern for his patients’ overall well-being and mental health is unmatched. The kindness and empathy he shows is above and beyond and I am so thankful for him. If you’re ever facing something that calls for a neuro-ophthalmologist, Dr. Mudumbai is the one you want by your side."

📷: Raghu Mudumbai, MD, Eye Institute

11/04/2025

Join us for Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons Grand Rounds at 8 a.m. this Thursday, Nov. 6 with guest speaker Dr. Tom Oetting of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. He is the Rudy and Margaret Perez Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa. After graduating from Duke University School of Medicine, he completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa. He is currently the Residency Program Director and the Chief of the Veterans Administration Eye Clinic.

Find th details on our website: https://ophthalmology.washington.edu/waeps-lecture-series