Dr. Houser is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and a cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery specialist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

1. Please share with us your background.

I was born in West Virginia but grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee. I attended college at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where I majored in biomedical engineering and conducted research at a musculoskeletal research center and Oak Ridge National Labs. I then went to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis for medical school and ophthalmology residency, and then to Baylor in Houston for my cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery fellowship. After training, I returned to Memphis to join the faculty at the Hamilton Eye Institute at the University of Tennessee, where I had my practice and taught residents and fellows. In 2021, I moved to Durham, North Carolina, to join the cornea faculty at Duke, where I am currently in practice. In my free time, I love running, my Peloton, hiking with my dog, pottery, and traveling with my husband and friends.

2. What is the main focus of your efforts outside of clinical care?

I have a passion for teaching and am fortunate to have opportunities to educate medical students, residents, and fellows in my day-to-day clinical practice. I also enjoy teaching and mentoring trainees and colleagues in learning new skills at regional and national meetings. I serve as a member of ASCRS’ Young Eye Surgeons committee, which has given me more opportunities for teaching on a national level. I am the director of Duke’s annual cornea course, and I started and directed our now-biannual cornea fellows’ course and wet lab. These various opportunities bring me so much joy and make my clinical practice more exciting. I love encouraging other surgeons and building their confidence to excel in the clinic and the OR.

3. What has your experience been collaborating with industry?

Working with industry has been helpful in both the clinical and educational aspects of my career. Collaborating with industry allows for integration of the newest technology into our practices as well as innovation for future directions of product utilization and development. From an educational perspective, this collaboration allows trainees to practice in wet labs and practical settings with the newest tools available and to learn the valuable skill of incorporating new technology while in training.

4. In your opinion, how is the role of women in ophthalmology evolving?

My career as a female ophthalmologist has been made much easier by the journeys of so many strong women before me. We now have more female surgeons in leadership positions in many regional and national organizations, on editorial boards, and in senior positions in academic departments and private practices—all of which have opened doors that were previously shut. As we see more women in leadership roles and achieve more equal representation, I think there will be a continued emphasis on evening and elevating our entire field. I also see a favorable yet early transition away from the generalization that we as doctors must do and be everything to everyone. Excelling in research, patient care, innovation, teaching, and leadership while maintaining roles as parents, spouses, caregivers, friends, and much more in our personal lives is not feasible. Although significant progress must still be made, discussions about prioritizing our true passions at work and at home seem to be more common and open now than in the past.

5. What hurdles do you feel women in health care still face?

Despite vast improvements over the past few decades for women across all industries including health care, there is still work to do. On average, women continue to be paid less than their male counterparts for the same amount of work. As trainees, women surgeons do less surgery than their male peers at the same level of training (7.8–22.2 fewer cataract surgeries and 36.0–80.2 fewer procedures compared to their male counterparts).¹ Continuing to evaluate differences in trainee selection criteria, training experience, and career trajectories will help to keep elevating and improving our wonderful field of ophthalmology.

6. What advice can you offer to young female ophthalmologists who are still in training or just beginning their careers?

Find mentors who inspire you! I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors (both male and female) at every step of my career. Seek out mentors of all ages and genders who have careers and goals that excite you. Network at your home institution, on online forums, and at regional and national meetings to find these connections and then foster them. My mentors have truly shaped and guided my career, and I owe everything to their generosity.

7. Can you propose a unique or creative idea that may help women in ophthalmic practices?

I was told by one of my mentors and friends to process obligations based on two questions. One, does the task bring you joy? Two, does it advance your career? If the answer to one or both these questions is yes, then that task may be worthwhile. If the answer to both questions is no, then unless there are other circumstances to factor in, it may be worth passing. We often so overcommit ourselves to avoid saying no that we forget to leave time to fill our own buckets so that we can be fully present to better serve others. Intentional processing is key!

1. Gong D, Winn BJ, Beal CJ, et al. Gender differences in case volume among ophthalmology residents. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(9):1015-1020.

PUBLISHED WORKS

• Speich HE, Bhal V, Houser KH, et al. Signaling via P2Y12 may be critical for early stabilization of platelet aggregates. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2014:63(6):520-527.
• Huddleston SM, Houser KH, Walton RC. Thalidomide for recalcitrant nodular scleritis in sarcoidosis. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2014;132(11):1377-1379.
• Fox AR, Houser KH, Morris WR, Walton RC. Dematiaceous fungal endophthalmitis: report of a case and review of the literature. J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2016;6(1):43.
• Houser KH, Weikert M. Al-Mohtaseb ZN. Perioperative imaging in corneal surgery (intraoperative and postoperative). Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2017;57(3):87-98.
• Dryden SC, Rho JE, Fowler SC. Postoperative clinical outcomes using standard variables following Levator-Mullerectomy advancement blepharoptosis surgery. J Craniofac Surg. 2021;32(6):e554-e556.
• Le NT, Marshall B, Houser KH, Khandelwal S. Combined pars plana vitrectomy, phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation: a review on the advantages and limitations of phacovitrectomy. Touch Ophthalmology. 2022;16(1):8-12
• Duncan NW, Houser KH, Khandelwal SS. Neurotrophic keratitis: a review. Touch Ophthalmology. 2022;16(2):67-71. 
• Wong BM, Bonnet C, Ghaffari R, et al. Fungal infection after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty: incidence and outcomes. Cornea. 2023;42(6):687-698.
• Tian J, Peraita E, Houser K. An update on advances in diagnosis and treatment of acanthamoeba keratitis. Touch Ophthalmology. 2022;16(22):72-75.
• Houser K, Duncan J, Weikert MP, Al-Mohtaseb A. Learning the Yamane technique: pearls and pitfalls. In: Chang DF, ed. Advanced IOL Fixation Techniques. Slack; 2019.
• Wang L, Houser KH, Koch DD. Intraocular lens power calculations. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. Edinburgh: Elsevier Saunders; 2019: 342-348.
• Houser KH, Pflugfelder SC. Approach in the surgical patient. In: Mah F, Rhee M, ed. Dry Eye Disease: An Up-to-Date Practical Guide. Slack; 2019.
• McGuffey D, Hackett N, Basti S, Houser K. Preparation of the cataract patient. In: Garg S, Koch D, eds. Steinert’s Cataract Surgery. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2023.

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
  • Cataract Subcommittee Member, Annual Meeting Program Committee           
• American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
  • Challenging and Complicated Cataract Surgery Subcommittee | 2019–Present
  • Young Eye Surgeons (YES) Clinical Committee | 2020–Present
  • Nominations Committee | 2021–Present
• CEDARS/ASPENS Society                                                                                            
  • Member | 2020–Present
  • Board Member | 2021–Present
• Society for Excellence in Eye Care (SEE)
  • Member | 2018–Present
• American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS)
  • Member | 2018–Present
• Cornea Society
  • Member | 2016–Present

HONORS & AWARDS

• Kirk R. Wilhelmus, MD Award, Baylor College of Medicine | 2017
• MillennialEYE One to Watch | 2018
• Bloomberg/Berkeley Young Ophthalmologist Attendee Award, Caribbean Eye Meeting | 2018
• Roger L. Hiatt, MD Award for Resident Instruction and Academic Development | 2019
• Ophthalmology Management 40 Under 40 | 2022
• Best Mentor Ophthalmic Technician Program | 2022
• AAO Achievement Award | 2023