WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences welcomes Sharon Sabapathypillai, MD MSc, to the glaucoma team. Sabapathypillai brings a strong background in clinical research, comprehensive ophthalmology and glaucoma care, along with a deep commitment to patient-centered care and resident education.
Sabapathypillai grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and completed the six-year BA-MD program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she met her husband. Following medical school, she pursued a master’s degree in Clinical Investigation at Washington University in St. Louis, focusing her research on how glaucoma affects patient autonomy and driving ability. Her research interests ultimately led her to pursue ophthalmology residency at WashU, followed by subspecialty fellowship training in glaucoma.
She was drawn to ophthalmology during medical school because of the specialty’s unique combination of clinical care and surgery.
“I loved the clinical and surgical balance and being able to help patients navigate their everyday life through their eyesight.”
Sabapathypillai’s areas of clinical interest include:
- Glaucoma: Diagnostic and therapeutic assessment of glaucoma, including advanced glaucoma management.
- Cataract Surgery: Treatment of routine and complex cataracts.
- Anterior Segment Disorders: Evaluation and treatment of complex anterior segment conditions.
- Complex Surgery: Complex anterior segment and glaucoma surgical procedures.
During her residency and fellowship training at WashU, Sabapathypillai developed a particular interest in teaching and resident education. She views education as an opportunity to give back to the next generation of ophthalmologists. Her clinical interest in routine and complex glaucoma care grew from her early research experiences and was further developed through her fellowship training.
For Sabapathypillai, one of the most rewarding aspects of caring for patients is the opportunity to build lasting relationships.
“The relationships you form throughout the years and being a small part in their everyday life.”
She is especially passionate about caring for patients with glaucoma, advanced glaucoma, complex cataracts and anterior segment conditions.
Above all, Sabapathypillai hopes her patients leave their visits feeling a sense of peace and trust.
“I hope patients feel a sense of peace and trust from their experience with me. They can be assured that I will always work hard and do what is in their best interest day in and day out and I will always seek the right answers for them.”
Outside of ophthalmology, Sabapathypillai enjoys spending time with her son, husband, family and friends in the St. Louis area. With family members living around the world, she also has a passion for traveling, discovering new places and sharing those experiences with her family.
One fun fact patients may not know is that Sabapathypillai’s family is originally from Sri Lanka. She was born in Canada and moved to the United States when she was 5 years old.
We are excited to welcome Sharon Sabapathypillai, MD MSc, to the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and look forward to the expertise, compassion and dedication she brings to our patients, trainees and department.
About WashU Medicine
WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.