2025 Graduation Awards Ceremony

2025 Graduation Awards Ceremony

WashU Medicine’s John F. Hardesty Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences proudly celebrated the achievements of its outstanding students, residents, fellows, and faculty during the 2025 Graduation Awards Ceremony, held on Saturday, June 21. Hosted by Department Chair Todd Margolis, MD, PhD, the ceremony highlighted the academic and clinical accomplishments of the Class of 2025, […]

Are You Sleeping in Your Contacts? Here’s Why That’s a Bad Idea—Especially If You’re Considering LASIK

Are You Sleeping in Your Contacts? Here’s Why That’s a Bad Idea

Click below to hear Eric Polk, OD from WashU Medicine LASIK Surgery Center explain why sleeping in your contacts can affect your LASIK candidacy: Why It Matters: Contacts, Sleep, and LASIK Risks Raise your hand if you’ve ever accidentally fallen asleep in your contacts. You’re definitely not alone! But as Eric Polk, OD explains in […]

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Deena Shaath, MD

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Deena Shaath, MD

This spotlight series highlights the individuals behind the white coats, their journeys, passions, and the impact they’re making in the field of medicine. Today, we highlight Deena Shaath,MD. Graduating Fellow: Deena Shaath, MD What are your future plans? I’m moving to Orlando for a private practice job! Why did you choose Ophthalmology and Cornea? Ophthalmology […]

Yoshida Named 2025 NIH Outstanding Scholar in Neuroscience

Yoshida Named 2025 NIH Outstanding Scholar in Neuroscience

JULY 3, 2025 — ST. LOUIS, MO — WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences congratulates Mitsukuni Yoshida, MD, PhD, on being selected as a 2025 recipient of the NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award Program (OSNAP). I am very humbled and honored to receive this recognition. As a physician-scientist, […]

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Howard Chen, MD

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Howard Chen, MD

This spotlight series highlights the individuals behind the white coats, their journeys, passions, and the impact they’re making in the field of medicine. Today, we highlight Howard Chen, MD. Graduating Resident: Howard Chen, MD What are your plans for the future? Cataract and refractive surgery fellowship. Why did you choose Ophthalmology/WashU Medicine?  I chose WashU […]

Groundbreaking Advances in Imaging Technologies and Machine Learning Revolutionize the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS)

Groundbreaking Advances in Imaging Technologies and Machine Learning Revolutionize the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS)

Groundbreaking Advances in Imaging Technologies and Machine Learning to Reanalyze OHTS Data | Leveraging Modern Techniques to Enhance Glaucoma Risk Assessment July 2, 2025 – St. Louis, MO: A new publication in JAMA Ophthalmology led by James C. Liu, MD, glaucoma specialist at WashU Medicine, highlights the transformative potential of deep learning and artificial intelligence […]

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA

This spotlight series highlights the individuals behind the white coats, their journeys, passions, and the impact they’re making in the field of medicine. Today, we highlight Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA. Graduating Resident: Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA What are your future plans? Vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Why did you choose Ophthalmology/WashU […]

Ophthalmology Residents Honored with 2025 Friend of the ED Award

Ophthalmology Residents Honored with 2025 Friend of the ED Award

We are excited to share some fantastic news: the Department of Ophthalmology residents have been named the 2025 recipients of the Friend of the ED Award! Each year, Emergency Medicine (EM) residents vote on the specialty that has gone above and beyond in supporting their training. This award recognizes excellence in collaboration, education, and clinical […]

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Aaditya Shah, MD

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Aaditya Shah, MD

This spotlight series highlights the individuals behind the white coats, their journeys, passions, and the impact they’re making in the field of medicine. Today, we highlight Aaditya Shah, MD. Graduating Fellow: Aaditya Shah, MD What are your future plans? Starting private practice in the Chicagoland area, specifically the Northwest Indiana suburbs. Why did you choose […]

Understanding the Impact of Glaucoma Diagnosis on Mental Health

Understanding the Impact of Glaucoma Diagnosis on Mental Health

St. Louis, MO – June 18, 2025 – A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology sheds light on the correlation between the diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and the mental health decline in patients who were previously diagnosed with ocular hypertension. Conducted as part of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study, this research underscores the imperative […]

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Matthew Elitt, MD, PhD

Residents and Fellows Spotlight: Matthew Elitt, MD, PhD

This spotlight series highlights the individuals behind the white coats, their journeys, passions, and the impact they’re making in the field of medicine. Today, we highlight Matthew Elitt, MD, PhD. Graduating Chief of Ophthalmic Trauma: Matthew Elitt, MD, PhD What are your future plans? Vitreo-retinal surgical fellowship at the University of Michigan Why did you […]

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 […]

June is Cataract Awareness Month

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Cataracts are one of the most common causes of vision impairment, especially among older adults, affecting millions worldwide. By learning about what cataracts are, how they develop, and the warning signs to look out for, you can take important steps to protect your sight. What are Cataracts Cataracts occur when the natural lens of your […]

WashU Medicine Ophthalmology Faculty Named Castle Connolly Top Doctors for 2025

WashU Medicine Ophthalmology Faculty Named Castle Connolly Top Doctors for 2025

ST. LOUIS, MO — June 9, 2025 —  We are proud to announce that 21 physicians from the John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at WashU Medicine have been recognized as 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctors! This prestigious distinction is awarded to physicians who are nominated by their peers and rigorously vetted […]

Dr. Wexler Compares LASIK vs. Contact Lenses

Dr. Wexler Compares LASIK vs. Contact Lenses

If you’re tired of the hassle of contact lenses and want the freedom to see clearly from the moment you wake up, you’re not alone. In this video, St. Louis LASIK surgeon Dr. Stephen Wexler explains why LASIK may be a safer, more convenient long-term solution for many patients. Here, he compares LASIK surgery vs. […]

Apte honored for contributions to vision science (Links to an external site)

Apte honored for contributions to vision science

Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, the Paul A. Cibis Distinguished Professor and vice chair of innovation and translation in the John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the 2025 Retina Research Foundation’s Gertrude D. Pyron Award. The honor recognizes a vision scientist whose work […]

WashU Medicine Celebrates the Winners of the 2025 Winston Fellow Competition

WashU Medicine Celebrates the Winners of the 2025 Winston Fellow Competition

St. Louis, MO — May 30, 2025 — The John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at WashU Medicine proudly announces the winners of the 2025 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 […]

2025 Faculty vs. Residents Kickball Showdown

2025 Faculty vs. Residents Kickball Showdown

On Saturday morning, our faculty and residents traded scrubs for sneakers and gathered at Tower Grove Park for the 2025 Faculty vs Residents Kickball Showdown! The annual game brought out the competitive spirit in the best way, as colleagues turned teammates battled it out for bragging rights and the championship title. Faculty & Fellows Line-Up […]

Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, Named Snell Memorial Lecturer at University of Rochester’s Flaum Eye Institute

Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, Named Snell Memorial Lecturer at University of Rochester’s Flaum Eye Institute

ST. LOUIS, MO — May 27, 2025 — WashU Medicine Ophthalmology and Visual Science’s Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, Paul A. Cibis Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Innovation and Translation, has been named the 2025 Snell Memorial Lecturer at the University of Rochester’s Flaum Eye Institute. Apte delivered his keynote address on May 23, […]