Scope of Clinical Practice
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences includes a comprehensive ophthalmology clinic and seven subspecialty clinics, each with exceptional depth of experience. The Department is the tertiary care center for the State of Michigan and serves as a major referral center for the region. Our patients come from across the country and around the world.
The Department is part of the University of Michigan Health System and shares its mission of excellence in clinical care, research, and education. Physicians at UMHS represent virtually every medical specialty and conduct some 1.5 million patient visits each year. The UM Medical School graduates 170 physicians annually, and, like the larger Health System, is consistently ranked as one of the top institutions in the nation.
Teaching Faculty
Listen to our residents talk about the teaching faculty at the U-M Kellogg Eye Center.
Clinical Practice
Jump to a section by selecting a clinical practice:
- Comprehensive Ophthalmology
- Cornea and External Ocular Disease and Refractive Surgery
- Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery
- Glaucoma
- Neuro-ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus
- Retina, Uveitis, and Ocular Oncology
Comprehensive Ophthalmology
The Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service conducts 9,200 patient visits each year, treating and acting as a triage unit for the full spectrum of ophthalmologic disorders and diseases, including traumas such as chemical burns, ruptured globes, and intraocular foreign bodies.
Faculty
- James L. Adams, M.D.
- Terry J. Bergstrom, M.D.
- Donald S. Beser, M.D.
- Jill E. Bixler, M.D.
- Theresa M. Cooney, M.D.
- Elizabeth Du, M.D.
- Jerome I. Finkelstein, M.D.
- Hilary M. Grabe, M.D.
- Ariane D. Kaplan, M.D.
- Harjeet Kaur, M.D.
- Donald G. Puro, M.D., Ph.D.
- Michael Smith-Wheelock, M.D.
- Susan S. Thoms, M.D.
- Joshua P. Vrabec, M.D.
- Adrienne L. West, M.D.
- Rebecca A. Wu, M.D.
Common Procedures
- Cataract extraction with implantation of IOL
- Surgery for ocular lacerations and ruptured globes
- Removal of corneal and conjunctival foreign bodies
- Removal of chalazion and other minor skin and eyelid lesions
- Laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retinal problems
- Punctal plugs for lacrimal system defects
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Routine eye examinations
- Cataract extraction with implantation of IOL
- Screenings for diabetic patients
- Ocular manifestations of systemic diseases and medications
- Glaucoma of all kinds
- Ocular trauma
- Blepharitis and lacrimal system problems
- Floaters and vitreous detachment
- Blurred vision
- Urgent and emergent ocular problems: corneal abrasions, corneal and conjunctival infections, iritis, vitreous and retinal hemorrhages, contact lens problems
Cornea and External Ocular Disease and Refractive Surgery
The Cornea Service specializes in corneal and external disease and refractive surgery with an emphasis on keratoplasty. Approximately 200 keratoplasties, including penetrating keratoplasty, lamellar keratoplasy, femtosecond laser assisted keratoplasty, and endothelial keratoplasty; and 400 cataract surgeries are performed each year. Cornea specialists conduct some 12,000 patient visits annually, and our contact lens clinic conducts 5,000 patient visits.
Faculty
- Theresa M. Cooney, M.D.
- Christopher T. Hood, M.D.
- Shahzad I. Mian, M.D.
- Roni M. Shtein, M.D.
- H. Kaz Soong, M.D.
- Alan Sugar, M.D.
- Maria A. Woodward, M.D.
Common Procedures
- Corneal transplants
- Cataract extraction with implantation of IOL
- Refractive surgery
- LASIK
- LASEK
- Intralase
- Wavefront
- PRK
- CK
- Corneal ring segments
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Corneal dystrophies
- Dry eyes
- Corneal infections
- Herpes simplex keratitis
- Cataract
- Myopia
- Hyperopia
- Keratoconus
- Corneal ulcers
- Ocular surface problems
- Corneal and conjunctival tumors
Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery
The Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery service conducts 4,900 patient visits a year at Kellogg and Mott Children's Hospital, treating children and adults for the whole range of ophthalmic plastic problems. We repair and reconstruct facial trauma, birth defects, skin cancer, ptosis, and orbital tumors. Over 250 orbital decompressions are performed annually, along with almost 600 blepharoplasties and nearly 500 tumor excision/lid reconstructions.
Faculty
- James L. Adams, M.D.
- Hakan Demirci, M.D.
- Raymond S. Douglas, M.D., Ph.D.
- Victor M. Elner, M.D., Ph.D.
- Alon Kahana, M.D., Ph.D.
- Christine C. Nelson, M.D.
- Terry J. Smith, M.D.
- Gregory L. Dootz, Ocularist
Common Procedures
- Enucleation
- Lacrimal system repair (traumatic and functional)
- Lid reconstruction
- Fracture repair
- Botox treatment (cosmetic and therapeutic)
- Ptosis repair
- Blepharoplasty (cosmetic and therapeutic)
- Orbital decompression
- Socket reconstruction (with mucous membrane or amniotic membrane)
- Dacryocystorhinostomy
- Removal of chalazion and other minor skin defects
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Orbital tumors (pediatric and adult)
- Blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm
- Graves eye disease
- Microphthalmos/anophthalmos
- Trauma (dog bites, MVAs)
- Lid lesions and malpositions
- Birth defects (blepharophimosis and other syndromes)
- Dermatochalasis
- Entropion/Ectropion
Glaucoma
Each year the Glaucoma Service conducts over 9,100 patient visits, treating people who have various types of glaucomas, as well as the full spectrum of anterior segment disorders, diseases, and trauma. Visual field testing, pachymetry, high resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy, and various disc imaging methods using HRT and OCT are used to evaluate our patients.
Faculty
- Denise A. John, M.D.
- Paul P. Lee, M.D., J.D.
- Paul R. Lichter, M.D., FACS
- Sayoko E. Moroi, M.D., Ph.D.
- Joshua D. Stein, M.D., M.S.
- Tiffany N. Szymarek, M.D.
- Jennifer S. Weizer, M.D.
Common Procedures
- Cataract with implantation of IOL
- Filtration surgeries including trabeculectomy, thermal sclerostomy, and posterior lip sclerectomy
- Drainage angle surgeries including trabeculotomy and goniotomy
- Glaucoma drainage implants
- Bleb revisions
- Laser procedures including trabeculoplasty, iridotomy, and both external and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation
- Cyclodialysis cleft closures
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Ocular hypertension
- Normal tension glaucoma
- Open-angle glaucoma including pigmentary and pseudoexfoliation
- Angle-closure glaucomas including nanophthalmos
- Complex glaucomas due to neovascularization, epithelial downgrowth, uveitis, steroids, carotid/dural cavernous fistulas, corneal dystrophies, trauma, and tumors
- Congenital glaucoma
- Glaucoma associated with syndromes, including aniridia, Marfan's Syndrome, Sturge-Weber/Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome, Rieger's Anomaly, neurofibromatosis
Neuro-ophthalmology
The Neuro-ophthalmology Service conducts 3,900 patient visits each year, treating the full range of neuro-ophthalmologic disorders and diseases, as well as ocular complications associated with systemic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, lupus, intracranial tumors, and seizure disorders.
Faculty
Common Procedures
- Botox injections for chronic headaches and migraine
- Temporal artery biopsy
- Lumbar puncture
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Diplopia
- Hydrocephalus
- Optic neuropathy
- Migraine
- Arteritis
- Parkinson's disease
- Papilledema
- Cranial neuropathies
- Pseudotumor cerebri
- Unexplained visual loss
- Bell's Palsy
- Traumatic brain injury
- Craniosynostosis
- Gaze palsies
- Benign essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm
- Progressive supranuclear palsy
- Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia
- Visual hallucinations
Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus
The Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service conducts 8,400 patient visits each year, treating the full spectrum of pediatric diseases and disorders, as well as adult strabismus patients. Given the large geographic area we serve and the tertiary referral nature of our practice, we see a high frequency of unusual cases, such as Duane syndrome, restrictive strabismus, Graves eye disease, slipped and lost muscles, neurofibromatosis, and craniofacial syndromes. The service is also staffed by four orthoptists who run an orthoptics training program of national reputation.
Faculty
- Steven M. Archer, M.D.
- Monte A. Del Monte, M.D.
- Christopher Gappy, M.D.
- Jennifer A. Kozak, M.D.
- Sudha Nallasamy, M.D.
- Gary S. Sandall, M.D.
- Bruce A. Furr, C.O.
- Ida L. Iacobucci, C.O.
Common Procedures
- Adjustable sutures
- Dermoid cysts
- Pediatric cataract extraction and IOL implantation
- Pediatric strabismus surgery
- Complex adult strabismus surgery
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Retinopathy of prematurity
- Congenital cataracts
- Congenital glaucoma
- Strabismus (pediatric and adult)
- Amblyopia
- Birth defects, syndromes
- Retinoblastoma
- Trauma
- Nystagmus
- Hemangiomas
- Botox for strabismus
- Graves eye disease
- Cranial nerve palsies
- Nasolacrimal duct obstruction
- Failed school screening examinations
Retina, Uveitis, and Ocular Oncology
The Retina and Uveitis Service conducts 10,400 patient visits each year, treating the full spectrum of retinal disorders and diseases like macular degeneration, CMV retinitis, diabetic retinopathy, sickle cell retinopathy, cystoid macular edema, choroidal melanoma, trauma, and retinal detachment. The service receives referrals for unusual cases such as Stargardt's syndrome, Coats disease, retinoschisis, and angiomas. The Department is home to the Retinal and Macular Dystrophy Center, a world-renowned research facility, which carries on numerous collaborations with the retina clinicians.
Faculty
- Grant M. Comer, M.D.
- Susan G. Elner, M.D.
- Thomas W. Gardner, M.D., M.S.
- John R. Heckenlively, M.D.
- K. Thiran Jayasundera, M.D.
- Mark W. Johnson, M.D.
- Stephen J. Saxe, M.D.
- David N. Zacks, M.D., Ph.D.
Common Procedures
- Vitrectomy
- Laser photocoagulation
- Scleral buckle
- Membrane peel
- C3F8 injection/Silicone oil placement
- Steroid injection, periocular/intravitreal
- Pneumatic retinopexy
- Photodynamic therapy
Snapshot of Patient Pool
- Retinal detachments
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Uveitis, anterior/posterior
- Central/branch retinal vein occlusion
- Cystoid macular edema
- Trauma
- Macular holes
- Scleritis
- Vitreous hemorrhage
- Endophthalmitis
- CMV retinitis
- Sickle cell retinopathy
- Myopic degeneration
- Ocular melanoma
- Retinoblastoma
- Retinal dystrophies





