1. Please share with us your background.

I was born and raised in Baltimore, and I am a first-generation physician. My grandparents and parents founded and operate a small vacuum cleaner sales, service, and supply business. At an early age, I learned to diagnose and treat vacuum cleaners—and later made a big jump to diagnosing and treating patients! I enjoyed learning how to solve technological problems and build relationships with loyal customers.

I completed medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and went on to ophthalmology residency at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I was part of an amazing all-female residency class (Instagram @OphthoGals). I then returned home to Maryland for glaucoma fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. I am now in private practice in Michigan.

2. What drew you to ophthalmology and, specifically, to your field of interest?

I was exposed to medicine at an early age. My adopted siblings have intellectual disabilities and bipolar disorder, and I often attended their appointments and procedures. My medical education provided me with a deeper understanding of their struggles, which moved me to write and illustrate My Sister Is a Chameleon, a book for siblings of children with bipolar disorder that describes the disease in a way they can understand.

I pursued ophthalmology, and specifically glaucoma, after a wonderful experience with research as a medical student. Osamah Saeedi, MD, and Alan L. Robin, MD, mentored me in a project assessing the indirect, or nonmedical, costs of patients’ glaucoma care, including the costs of gas, time off work, and required caregivers. I personally interviewed hundreds of patients with glaucoma and was able to learn about the disease’s impact on their lives and the importance of maintaining longstanding relationships with their physicians. I believe ophthalmologists spend the most face time, or “eye” time, with their patients compared with other specialists. Although I do need some time to chart, I spend most of each visit looking my patient in the eye, literally! This field gives me the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.

3. Please describe your current position.

I am currently a glaucoma and cataract surgeon in Brighton, Michigan. I serve a wonderful community of patients and have fantastic colleagues and staff. After training in academia, my first year of private practice was a crash course in referral bases, staff hiring, practice building, finances, and operating alone. A joke in the glaucoma community is that if you move every 5 years, your patients’ glaucoma will never worsen; however, I am grateful to have been welcomed here, and I plan to care for my patients for many years to come.

4. Who are your mentors?

I have many mentors from all facets of life, each whom guide me in different ways. My most important mentors are my parents and my husband. They are my constant proofreaders, cheerleaders, and encouragers. They attend every event (basketball games, performances, or research presentations) and know a lot about ophthalmology. I put their names on a Post-it note and attached it to my American Board of Ophthalmology certificate because they deserve the recognition!

I am mentored by some inspiring powerhouse women in glaucoma, including Elyse McGlumphy, MD; Jella An, MD; Mona Kaleem, MD; and Aakriti Garg Shukla, MD. Dr. Robin has been instrumental in providing academic and research opportunities as well as encouraging me throughout my medical career. My fellowship mentors Pradeep Ramulu, MD, PhD, and Harry Quigley, MD, and the entire faculty at Johns Hopkins taught me how to be a compassionate, skilled, and kind physician; I aspire to live up to their expectations each day. My colleague Ayad Farjo, MD, has taught me so much about refractive cataract surgery, humanistic medicine, and the importance of emphasizing the dignity of patients, staff, and fellow physicians.

5. What has been the most memorable experience of your career thus far?

I have had many meaningful patient interactions, and it brings me great joy to improve and preserve my patients’ sight. My most memorable career experience so far was operating on a patient who was from a remote part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and had a complex traumatic cataract. This patient traveled 8 hours for a consultation and surgery. She was quiet and stoic throughout the whole process because of nerves and anticipation. At her postoperative visit, she burst into tears of happiness! She admitted she had already scheduled and canceled cataract surgery with two other surgeons because she had great anxiety about the procedure. I was happy to have restored her sight and happier that I could make her feel comfortable and confident enough to put her vision in my hands.

6. What are some new technological advances that you have found particularly exciting? Which advances in the pipeline are you most enthusiastic or curious about?

I am very excited about several advances in glaucoma care, including new topical therapies such as Rho kinase inhibitors, new injectable or implantable IOP-lowering therapies such as Durysta (Allergan), and new surgical devices in the MIGS space. These innovations have changed patients’ and physicians’ expectations for treatment at all stages of disease.

I am excited about the evidence that MIGS devices, particularly the Hydrus Microstent (Alcon), may reduce visual field progression in patients with glaucoma.¹ Although traditional surgeries certainly have a place in my glaucoma practice, I find that procedures such as Hydrus implantation are first-line options for many of my patients with mild- and moderate-stage glaucoma.

7. What is the focus of some of your research?

My research interests stem from my passions for sustainability, global health, new surgical techniques, and patient quality of life in glaucoma care. I had the pleasure of visiting and learning from the Aravind Eye Care System in India, where I worked with the organization to detect posterior segment disease in rural eye camps, evaluate surgical decision-making in pseudoexfoliation patients, and reduce waste produced by cataract surgery.

I am a member of the editorial board for EyeSustain, a global coalition of multiple eye societies and organizations with the goal of making ophthalmology more sustainable. Seeing as cataract surgery is the most common elective surgery worldwide, my goal within this organization is to continue to find ways to reduce waste produced by ophthalmology via research, advocacy, and collaboration.²

8. What is a typical day in your life? What keeps you busy, fulfilled, and passionate?

I usually wake up early, and, although I’d like to say I start the day reading or working out, I can usually be found having breakfast on the couch and watching a reality TV show. Then, I head to work, where I spend most of my day seeing patients or operating. I usually see patients in clinic 3 days per week, with lasers and minor procedures mixed in. I operate 1 day per week and use the additional day for administrative tasks or research. As a glaucoma specialist, I see a lot of patients with different stages of glaucoma, so every day is interesting and challenging in its own way. I also incorporate a significant amount of refractive cataract surgery into my practice, and it has been fun and challenging to use new lenses and learn new techniques.

In the evening, I like to spend time with my friends and family, explore new restaurants with my husband, play in a recreational basketball league, and attend my book club. I also enjoy sharing my research and attending meetings and conferences—the learning doesn’t stop after training! Overall, I feel very fulfilled and passionate about my work, and I am grateful for the opportunity to improve the vision and quality of life of my patients.

9. What advice can you offer to individuals who are just now choosing their career paths after finishing residency or fellowship?

First and foremost, take the time to think about your passions and motivations. This will help you to identify a career path that you will enjoy and find fulfilling. Medicine is a long journey, so it is important to choose a path and a training program that will keep you motivated and inspired.

Second, choosing your first job typically feels daunting and complicated. You’ll need to find a contract lawyer, go on interviews, and potentially uproot your life for the third or fourth time. No matter how much you like your chosen specialty, if you work in a negative environment, you will not be happy. Do your homework—talk to industry representatives who work with the practice, connect with previous and current employees, and ask the hard questions.

Last, stay curious and open-minded. The field of medicine is constantly evolving, and new opportunities and challenges will arise throughout your career. Explore all types of practices and business models and seek out mentors in various subspecialties of ophthalmology.

10. Tell us about an innovative procedure you are performing or a new imaging/diagnostic tool that has improved your practice.

The iCare Home (Icare USA) is a diagnostic tool that I used in my fellowship training and have incorporated into my growing practice. Several studies have shown the utility of self-tonometry and its ability to detect IOP fluctuations that would not otherwise be detected during an in-clinic diurnal curve.^3-5 For patients in whom I suspect an occult IOP elevation, this tool is critical in knowing when and how to escalate therapy. I also enjoy learning and using new surgical technologies, and I currently use almost all available MIGS procedures in my practice.

1. Montesano G, Ometto G, Ahmed IIK, et al. Five-year visual field outcomes of the HORIZON trial. Am J Ophthalmol. 2023;251:143-155.

2. Thiel CL, Schehlein E, Ravilla T, et al. Cataract surgery and environmental sustainability: waste and lifecycle assessment of phacoemulsification at a private healthcare facility. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2017;43(11):1391-1398.

3. McGlumphy EJ, Mihailovic A, Ramulu PY, Johnson TV. Home self-tonometry trials compared with clinic tonometry in patients with glaucoma. Ophthalmol Glaucoma. 2021;4(6):569-580.

4. Quérat L, Chen E. Impact of self-tonometry on glaucoma treatment decision. Acta Ophthalmol. 2023;101(2):e246-e251.

5. Levin AM, McGlumphy EJ, Chaya CJ, Wirostko BM, Johnson TV. The utility of home tonometry for peri-interventional decision-making in glaucoma surgery: case series. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2022;28:101689.