Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine is a world-class center of clinical and scientific innovation, dedicated to preserving, restoring, and enhancing human vision. Guided by a mission to eliminate blindness and treat complex eye diseases, the department integrates premier, compassionate patient care with groundbreaking laboratory research and elite medical education.

The clinical and academic home of the department is the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford, a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary facility designed to provide comprehensive, patient-centered eye care. In partnership with Stanford Health Care opens in a new tab and Stanford Medicine Children's Health opens in a new tab (Lucile Packard Children's Hospital), Stanford Ophthalmology manages the full spectrum of vision disorders, translating scientific discoveries directly from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.

Academic and Clinical Training Pathways

The Department of Ophthalmology is committed to preparing the next generation of academic clinicians, surgeons, and scientific investigators through highly competitive training programs:

• Ophthalmology Residency Program: A premier, ACGME-accredited residency program that offers comprehensive, hands-on surgical and clinical training. Residents gain extensive exposure to diverse patient populations at the Byers Eye Institute, the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.

• Subspecialty Clinical Fellowships: Offering elite post-graduate fellowship training across all major subspecialties of eye care, including:

  • Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery

  • Glaucoma

  • Neuro-Ophthalmology

  • Ophthalmic Plastic, Reconstructive, and Orbital Surgery

  • Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

  • Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery

  • Uveitis and Ocular Inflammatory Disease

• Medical Student Education and Clerkships: Providing fundamental lectures, advanced clinical electives, and research mentorship to Stanford medical students exploring career pathways in vision science and eye surgery.

• Postdoctoral and Graduate Research: Mentoring PhD candidates and postdoctoral scholars in basic and translational vision science within the department’s state-of-the-art laboratories.

Clinical Specialties and Research Frontiers

Consistently recognized as a powerhouse of visual science research, the department leads pioneering investigations, molecular therapies, and clinical trials aimed at reversing vision loss. Key clinical specialties and research frontiers include:

• Optic Nerve Regeneration and Glaucoma: Developing novel neuroprotective and regenerative therapies—including gene therapy, growth factors, and electrical stimulation—to protect and regrow damaged optic nerve fibers.

• Retinal and Macular Diseases: Advancing treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and inherited retinal degenerations through stem cell therapies, novel drug delivery systems, and gene editing.

• Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health: Leveraging machine learning, deep neural networks, and tele-ophthalmology to automate early screening for blinding diseases, optimize diagnostic accuracy, and expand access to eye care globally.

• Corneal and Refractive Surgery: Innovating in corneal transplantation techniques (such as DMEK and DSAEK), dry eye treatments, and laser vision correction technologies.

• Ophthalmic Plastic and Orbital Surgery: Leading advanced surgical interventions for orbital tumors, thyroid eye disease, facial trauma, and aesthetic or reconstructive eyelid surgery.