The Shiley Eye Institute is the only academic eye center in the region offering the most advanced treatments across all areas of eye care.

San Diego, CA
Joined January 2009
SEI had the recent privilege of welcoming Glaucoma Fellowship alumni Nikhil Dhall, MD back as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology. He is also the Director of the Glaucoma Service at the VA Hospital in La Jolla. Get to know him here: shileyeye.ucsd.edu/profile/n…
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SEI is proud to welcome Shagun Bhatia, MD, MSCR as an Assistant Professor in the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology. She also is a pediatric ophthalmologist & Section Chief of Ophthalmology at Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego. Get to know her: shileyeye.ucsd.edu/profile/s…
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Wonkyu Ju, PhD, SEI faculty, led a study with research fellow Tonking Bastola, PhD, as first author investigating the role of AKAP1 in protecting retinal ganglion cells & preserving vision in patients with glaucoma. The study is published in Advanced Science.
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SEI Chief of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Natalie Afshari, MD, shared her expertise in the MedPage Today article “ Eyeball Tattoo Goes Sideways — Irritation began after a swim in the Mediterranean.” Find out what Afshari thinks here: medpagetoday.com/casestudies…
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SEI Faculty, Robert N. Weinreb, MD, hosted the 43rd annual Glaucoma Update in the Viterbi Family Vision Research Center. Weinreb, Interim Chair Christopher Girkin, MD, Alex Huang, MD, PhD and Derek Welsbie, MD, PhD gave presentations on their latest research advancements.
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Many SEI Faculty, Fellows & Residents attended the 2026 AAO annual meeting. Current Oculofacial fellow Sarah Cheng, MD, PhD, was named the recipient of Bart Frueh Award for Best YASOPRS Presentation & fellowship alumna Marissa Shoji, MD for the Marvin Quickert Thesis Award.
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Today, in honor of White Cane Safety Day check out these tips on what you can do when you interact with a person who is blind or visually impaired here: rehab.va.gov/PROSTHETICS/bli… #UCSD #UCSDHealth #Ophthalmology #WhiteCaneSafetyDay #Blindness #VisuallyImpaired #ShileyEye
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SEI faculty Linda M. Zangwill, PhD was named an American Glaucoma Society (AGS) Clinician Scientists Lecturer Honoree for their annual meeting in March 2027. To learn more about her visit: shileyeye.ucsd.edu/profile/l…
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Just published - Robert N. Weinreb, MD, senior study author, research findings suggest that statin use is associated with a lower risk of developing open-angle glaucoma. Find out more here: today.ucsd.edu/story/statins…
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Congratulations to SEI faculty member Napoleone Ferrara, MD for being named the recipient of the 2026 Yergin Family International Prize for Biomedical Research, in honor of his discovery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
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Today is World Teacher’s Day! SEI is proud to have a legacy of training residents, fellows, UC San Diego School of Medicine students & post doctoral research scientists who go on to become global leaders in ophthalmology - thanks to our dedicated & skilled faculty educators.
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The STRIVE Summer Internship Program at SEI is accepting applications from future ophthalmologists for the 2027 internship program. To learn more & apply visit: shileyeye.ucsd.edu/research/…
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Today in recognition of National Women’s Health & Fitness Day, take time to learn about how visual impairment & blindness can uniquely impact women, along with tips for women to keep their eyes healthy here: nei.nih.gov/sites/default/fi…
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September is Sports Eye Safety month, designated by Prevent Blindness. This year, they are highlighting eye injuries & preventive action for the sport of pickleball. To learn more visit: preventblindness.org/2026-sp…
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As we step into fall, we are reflecting on the inspiring experiences & collaborations from this past summer. A particular highlight was the visit to the San Diego Braille Institute Center by our incoming residents during their SEI welcome bootcamp sessions.
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It is Fall Prevention Awareness Week, designated by the National Council on Aging. Getting an eye exam is one of the many precautionary actions you can take to prevent falls. For more fall prevention tips visit: health.ucsd.edu/care/emergen…
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SEI celebrates Postdoc Appreciation Week and recognizes the accomplished & dedicated postdoctoral trainees whose work advances sight saving research every day! Find out more about the fellowship offered at SEI here: shileyeye.ucsd.edu/physician…
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Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. Did you know that the eyes & Alzheimer’s disease is connected? The retina and optic nerve in the eye are direct pathways to the brain. Alzheimer’s can alter how the brain interprets visual input. Learn more at AAO aao.org/eye-health/diseases/…
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It is Latinx Heritage Month! Find out how you can participate in the UC San Diego celebrations here: blink.ucsd.edu/HR/policies/d…
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SEI recognizes September as Healthy Aging Month! As people age their vision can change, but there are things they can do to protect their eyes & overall health. To learn about how eyes change with age & what you can do to protect your vision visit: aao.org/eye-health/tips-prev…
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