National Medical Association - Ophthalmology

03/25/2026

Join us for our annual meeting! 🇵🇷

03/24/2026

Our members love the podium! Some highlights of our members speaking and receiving awards over the past few weeks!

Dr. Julius Oatts
Dr. Aaron Dotson
Dr. Tamera Fountain
Dr. Basil Williams
Dr. Joe Coney

Keep soaring, eye family!

03/23/2026

Applications for the 2026 Rabb-Venable Program are officially OPEN! 👁️

If you’re ready to elevate your journey, expand your network, and invest in your future—this is your moment. Don’t wait…apply today and take the next step toward excellence!

03/20/2026

The family would like to congratulate soon-to-be Dr. Ikenna Nwosu on being named the recipient of the Dr. David Kearney McDonogh Scholarship!

Ikenna Nwosu is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University and his M.S. in Medical Physiology from Case Western Reserve University. He will continue his training in Ophthalmology at University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University.

His research focuses on ocular and periocular trauma, with a particular emphasis on firework-related injuries following legalization in Iowa. Through this work, he has aimed to better understand trends, injury patterns, healthcare costs, and opportunities for prevention.

He is deeply grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Chau Pham, Dr. Erin M. Shriver, Dr. Rupin Parikh, and Dr. Colette Galet, whose guidance and support have been instrumental in shaping both his research and his journey into ophthalmology.

We’re very proud of you, ! 🙌

03/16/2026

The family would like to congratulate Dr. Terry A. Henry Jr. on being the 2026 recipient of the Robert A. Copeland Jr., MD Advocacy Education Fund fellowship! Dr. Henry will be representing the NMA Ophthalmology section during the 2026 Mid Year Forum!

Dr. Terry A. Henry Jr. is an Omaha, Nebraska native, first generation college graduate, and PGY3 ophthalmology resident at VCU Health. He earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College, where he developed a passion for medical education and physician advocacy. Dr. Henry plans to pursue fellowship training in oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

In addition to his clinical training, Dr. Henry has been deeply engaged in organized medicine at both the state and national levels. Within the American Medical Association, he has served nationally as a Resident Delegate and as a member of the Committee on Legislation and Advocacy, representing the interests of physicians and trainees in health policy discussions. During residency, he also previously served as a Mid Year Forum Ambassador, helping facilitate physician advocacy and engagement in national health policy discussions. At the state level, he serves as Resident Director on the Board of the Medical Society of Virginia and contributes to physician advocacy efforts as a member of the legislative committee for the Richmond Academy of Medicine.
Dr. Henry’s commitment to advocacy has been recognized throughout his training. While in medical school, he was honored by the Nashville Academy of Medicine for his leadership in organized medicine. During residency, he received the Resident Advocacy Award from the Virginia Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons in recognition of his continued efforts to advance physician engagement in health policy.

Inspired by his grandfather’s battle with vision loss, Dr. Henry is committed to addressing disparities in eye care and expanding access to life and vision saving treatment. He hopes to build a career that integrates surgical excellence, research, and health policy leadership to improve outcomes for patients and strengthen the future of the medical profession.

Congrats, !

03/13/2026

would like to encourage those available to apply for the INTREPID!

In August 2024, The National Medical Association Ophthalmology section (NMA-OS) and AUPO jointly launched INTREPID: INvesting, TRaining, Equipping and Promoting Individuals for Distinction in Ophthalmology. The INTREPID program is a year-long, seminar-based program that provides faculty members a tailored professional development opportunity to learn foundational knowledge and skills that will enable them to achieve career goals and grow as leaders in academic medicine and ophthalmology research.

Applications are due March 15th! Apply today!

01/28/2026

Save the dates! This year, 2026 will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico!

01/26/2026

The section was well-represented for the annual AAO Ophthalmic Leadership Advocacy Group (OLAG)! Our members are passionate about advocating on behalf of patient care, the longevity of ophthalmology, & the field of medicine as a whole. We’re excited to represent our organization during Mid-Year Forum 2026 in April!

01/12/2026

The NMA Ophthalmology Section wishes you a very happy and prosperous New Year!

We have an exciting year ahead with many initiatives and opportunities planned for 2026. Stay tuned for future updates!

01/04/2026

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and this is a timely reminder for everyone—especially adults over 40, people with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals of African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry—to schedule a comprehensive eye examination. A full exam should include measurement of eye pressure, careful evaluation of the optic nerve, and, when appropriate, tests such as gonioscopy and visual field assessment to detect early damage before symptoms appear. Because vision loss from glaucoma cannot be reversed, early detection and ongoing monitoring are essential to protect sight.

New tools are now available to help expand glaucoma risk assessment and screening capacity in clinics, community programs, and primary care settings. The free desktop Laroche Glaucoma Calculator (https://www.advancedeyecareny.com/laroche-glaucoma-risk-calculator) can be used by patients, ophthalmic technicians, and trained staff to flag individuals who may benefit from more detailed examination, including optic nerve and angle evaluation and additional glaucoma testing. The free Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) risk calculator (https://ohts.wustl.edu/app/uploads/2017/02/Points-System.pdf) and online tool (https://ohts.wustl.edu/risk/) estimate a person’s 5‑year risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma and can support shared decision-making about when to start preventive treatment, often using a general threshold of more than 10% 5‑year risk while always considering individual clinical factors and judgment.

Initial glaucoma and ocular hypertension treatments commonly include medicated eye drops and/or laser trabeculoplasty, which have been shown to safely lower eye pressure and reduce the risk of disease progression for many patients. For people with cataracts and mild to moderate glaucoma, combining cataract surgery with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) is increasingly used to reduce eye pressure, decrease the number of medications, and improve visual function, and cataract surgery alone can also modestly lower eye pressure in some patients. In more advanced cases, established glaucoma operations such as trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage devices remain essential options to achieve very low target pressures needed to preserve remaining vision.

This month offers an important opportunity for everyone—eye care professionals, primary care teams, patient advocates, and community leaders—to raise awareness, encourage regular eye examinations, and promote the use of evidence-based tools and treatments that help prevent avoidable blindness from glaucoma worldwide. Please share this message, adapt it to your local context, and use your own platforms, media outlets, professional networks, and community organizations so that the call to protect vision from glaucoma reaches as many people as possible.

Risk Calculator Based on Results from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) and the European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS), we present a method for estimating the 5-year risk that an individual with ocular hypertension will develop Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). The method may be u....

11/21/2025

https://youtu.be/DlvpHKTUaz0?feature=shared

The 2025 Dr. David Kearney McDonogh Scholarship Awards celebrate exceptional medical students pursuing ophthalmology with a commitment to excellence, leaders...

11/17/2025

https://youtu.be/sJc7PE8xlcs

November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, and this special episode of Health Headlines features Dr. Kristen Nwanyanwu, an accomplished ophthalmologis...