Collaborative Study Reveals New Insights into Early-Onset Inherited Retinal Diseases

Collaborative Study Reveals New Insights into Early-Onset Inherited Retinal Diseases

Researchers from the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences have published a collaborative study in Scientific Reports that provides new insights into how inherited retinal diseases disrupt the organization of the retina and its blood vessels. The study, titled “Altered retinal cellular architecture and neurovasculature in CRX-associated retinopathy mouse […]

Fireworks Safety for Summer

Fireworks Safety for Summer

Summer brings a high risk of fireworks injuries. Most high-risk injuries occur between mid-June and mid-July. This year, stay safe by leaving fireworks to the professionals. If you’re near fireworks, make sure everyone — users and bystanders — wears eye protection that meets ANSI safety standards. Most fireworks-related deaths are caused by unsafe handling, but […]

2026 Science in Focus: Art Beyond the Microscope

Science in Focus: Art Beyond the Microscope, a science as art competition! We invite all vision science researchers to participate in this unique competition, where science and art intersect to reveal the beauty within scientific research. Purpose and Goals Our goal is to celebrate the beauty of science and engage the community in its impact. […]

Lee Publishes Perspective on the Uses and Abuses of Big Data in Ophthalmology Research 

Lee Publishes Perspective on the Uses and Abuses of Big Data in Ophthalmology Research 

New article highlights the opportunities and challenges of leveraging large healthcare datasets to advance patient care  Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS, of the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, recently published an article titled, “Uses and Abuses of Big Data in Ophthalmology Research” examining both the promise and potential pitfalls of utilizing large-scale healthcare data in […]

Tong Publishes Study Identifying Novel MRI Sign in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia

Research highlights the potential diagnostic value of the newly described “Y-sign” in patients with optic nerve hypoplasia Jonathon Tong, MD, resident, and colleagues from the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences recently published a study titled, “Characterization of a Novel MRI Sign of the Optic Chiasm in Patients With […]

Huang Publishes Perspective on the Role of Conjunctival Biopsy in Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid

Huang Publishes Perspective on the Role of Conjunctival Biopsy in Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid

New publication examines diagnostic considerations for a sight-threatening autoimmune eye disease Andrew Huang, MD, MPH, of the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, recently published a perspective article titled, “Conjunctival Biopsy in Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid,” examining the evolving role of conjunctival biopsy in the diagnosis and management of […]

Wang Receives Inaugural Dr. Anjali Bhorade Glaucoma Innovation Fund Award

New fund honors Bhorade’s legacy by supporting innovative glaucoma research at WashU Medicine The WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences is pleased to announce that Qian Wang, PhD has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Anjali Bhorade Glaucoma Innovation Fund Award. Established through a generous gift […]

Poonam Naik Receives Postdoctoral Scholar Award to Advance Wet Macular Degeneration Research

Research Grant Supports New Approaches to Treat Wet Macular Degeneration

Award supports development of immune-based therapies for blinding retinal disease Poonam Naik, PhD, a researcher in the Apte Lab within the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, has received the Loris and David Rich Postdoctoral Scholar Award from  International Retinal Research Foundation (IRRF) to study novel immune-based therapies for neovascular age-related macular […]

Tychsen and Carter Examine Whether Outcomes Have Improved for Infants With Unilateral Cataracts

Tychsen and Carter Examine Whether Outcomes Have Improved for Infants With Unilateral Cataracts

Study highlights ongoing challenges in treating deprivation amblyopia despite surgical advances A new publication by Lawrence Tychsen, MD, and William C. Carter, explores whether visual outcomes have improved for infants born with unilateral cataracts, a condition that can lead to severe deprivation amblyopia if left untreated. The article, “Have Deprivation Amblyopia Outcomes Improved for Infants […]

New AI tools could help eye doctors diagnose retinal disease faster (Links to an external site)

Researchers at WashU Medicine have developed an experimental AI system designed to interpret 3D images of the eye’s retina (thin yellow layer, left) for disease diagnosis. Each 3D image of the retina (inset at right) is composed of hundreds of 2D slices.

Programs that analyze eye images could also speed up drug trials, study finds Non-invasive eye scans allow doctors a zoomed-in, three-dimensional look beneath the eye’s surface without causing discomfort or pain to the patient. Used routinely in clinics worldwide, the scans produce detailed views of individual layers of the eye’s interior to help diagnose conditions […]

WashU Medicine Celebrates the Winners of the 2026 Winston Fellow Competition

WashU Medicine Celebrates the Winners of the 2026 Winston Fellow Competition

The John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at WashU Medicine proudly announces the winners of the 2026 Winston Fellow Competition. This annual event showcases outstanding research contributions from postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the award recipients. Winners of the 2026 Winston Fellow Awards ITVS Graduate […]

WashU Medicine Surgical Simulation Lab Recognized with 2026 Lab Design Award

WashU Medicine Surgical Simulation Lab Recognized with 2026 Lab Design Award

The WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences is celebrating national recognition for its innovative surgical simulation lab, which recently received a 2026 Lab Design Award for user engagement. Designed in partnership with HKW Architects, the space was recognized for its collaborative, learner-centered design that supports advanced surgical training and […]

Department Celebrates Staff Appreciation Party and Honors Award Recipients

Department Celebrates Staff Appreciation Party and Honors Award Recipients

The WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science gathered on Saturday, May 30, for its annual Staff Appreciation Party at 9 Mile Garden. The event brought together faculty, staff, trainees, and their families for a morning of celebration, recognition, and community. P. Kumar Rao, MD, MBA and Aaron Y Lee, […]

WashU Medicine researchers win NIH prize for advancing reproducible clinical research

WashU Medicine researchers win NIH prize for advancing reproducible clinical research

NIH Replication Prize: Shape the future of rigorous and replicable science. Researchers at WashU Medicine, along with collaborators, were recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with a Replication Prize (Track 2: Replication Exemplars) for developing a framework to improve the speed and reproducibility of electronic health record (EHR)-based research, a form of clinical […]

Henok Getahun Named DeNardo Scholar for Scholarly Achievement in Year-Long Research Program

Henok Getahun Named DeNardo Scholar for Scholarly Achievement in Year-Long Research Program

Medical student recognized for outstanding research accomplishments and commitment to scholarly development Henok Getahun, of WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences has been selected to receive a DeNardo Education and Research Foundation award in recognition of his scholarly accomplishments within the Year-Long Research Program. As part of this honor, […]

Venable Park Artwork Dedication Honors Legacy of Dr. Howard P. Venable

Community members, civic leaders, artists and members of the Venable family gathered Saturday, May 16, for the memorial artwork ribbon cutting and grand re-opening of Venable Park in Creve Coeur, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Howard P. Venable. Venable was a pioneering ophthalmologist and the first African American faculty member in the WashU […]

WashU Medicine at ARVO 2026

From May 3–7, 2026, researchers and trainees from the John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at WashU Medicine participated in the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in Denver, Colorado. As the premier international gathering for eye and vision science, ARVO brings together investigators from around […]

Advancing Ophthalmic Education at the 37th Annual Ophthalmology Spring Update

Advancing-Ophthalmic-Education-at-the-37th-Annual-Ophthalmology-Spring-Update.

The WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences continues its commitment to advancing patient care through education with its annual Spring Update, a premier event designed to share the latest clinical insights and innovations in eye care. This long-standing program brings together faculty, trainees, and community providers to explore new […]

WashU Medicine Hosts LASIK CE Dinner to Advance Collaborative Eye Care

WashU Medicine Hosts LASIK CE Dinner to Advance Collaborative Eye Care

The WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences LASIK Surgery Center recently hosted its Spring 2026 LASIK Continuing Education Dinner, bringing together optometrists and ophthalmologists for an evening focused on advancing refractive care. Held April 28, the event featured expert-led discussions on the latest techniques and clinical decision-making in LASIK, […]

WashU Medicine Research Contributes to Landmark Fall Prevention Study Featured in The New York Times

WashU Medicine Research Contributes to Landmark Fall Prevention Study Featured in The New York Times.

Research from the WashU Medicine is helping shape national conversations on fall prevention, highlighted in a recent  The New York Times feature on a large-scale clinical trial led by Susan Stark, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. Mae Gordon, PhD, professor at the John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, served as co-principal investigator on the […]