Duke Eye Center

From scientific presentations, research and professional leadership, Duke Eye Center was well represented at the 2026 NCSEPS Annual Meeting.

Highlights included keynote presentations by Esen Akpek, MD, leadership from NCSEPS President Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD, and a first-place poster award for Cesar Estrada-Puente, MD, for his research on early retinal changes in children with USH2A. Adam Moses, director of the Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program, led EYEXchange Carolinas, a regional continuing education event for allied eye care professionals and ophthalmic medical personnel held in conjunction with the meeting.

Duke faculty also continue to serve in leadership roles within NCSEPS, including Divakar Gupta, MD, who serves as Member-at-Large for Durham, and Sharon Fekrat, MD, FACS, FASRS, who serves as Liaison to the North Carolina chapter of the American College of Surgeons.

Please join us in welcoming Ryan Nolan, MD, MBA, and Nkechi Nwabueze, MD, to Duke Eye Center in Winston-Salem!

Both completed fellowship training in oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Duke Eye Center and are now joining our faculty. Their expertise will expand access to advanced surgical care for conditions affecting the eyelids, orbit, tear drainage system, and surrounding facial structures for patients in Winston-Salem and the surrounding region.

We’re excited to have Drs. Nolan and Nwabueze at Duke Eye Center and look forward to the exceptional care they will provide to our patients.

Duke Eye Center faculty were recognized for their leadership and scientific contributions at the XXVIIth Biennial Meeting of ISER - International Society for Eye Research Society in Valencia, Spain.

Congratulations to Daniel Stamer, PhD who received the prestigious Ernst H. Bárány Prize and delivered the award lecture, and to Paloma Liton, PhD, FARVO who served as Meeting Chair for ISER 2026, helping lead one of the world’s premier vision research conferences.

Duke researchers also presented groundbreaking work spanning glaucoma, retinal disease, lens biology, ocular aging, and regenerative medicine, underscoring Duke Eye Center’s commitment to advancing vision science and improving patient care.

Read more at link in comments

Congratulations to Brandon Rogers, COA, of the Duke Eye Center Injection Lab, on receiving the BEE Award, which recognizes team members who exemplify Being Extraordinary Every Day.

Selected from 66 nominations, Brandon was recognized for the positive impact he has on patients. In their nomination, a long-term patient described how his calm approach and expertise helped make eye injection treatments more comfortable and less stressful.

Brandon is also a proud 2016 graduate of the Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program Program. Join us in celebrating this well-deserved recognition!

Full circle moment! Enjoyed a visit to our friends at Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital. Looking forward to future collaboration. Duke Health

For many people living in rural North Carolina — and in rural communities across the globe — accessing advanced surgical care is a challenge. Patients often face long travel distances, limited specialist availability and delays in treatment.

A Duke Bass Connections team, including Ryan McNabb, PhD explored how specialized surgery can be delivered beyond major medical centers in a safe, cost-effective way through a robotic laser surgery platform that can be operated by clinicians across surgical specialties.

Duke Engineering Duke University School of Medicine

How Can Robotic Surgery Improve Access To Specialized Healthcare in Rural Communities? | Bass Connections A Bass Connections team developed a robotic laser surgery platform that can be operated by clinicians across surgical specialties, delivering specialized surgical skills

Working from sunrise to sunset, the Duke Global Ophthalmology team performed 345 cataract surgeries during a recent outreach mission in Kingston, Jamaica, helping restore sight and improve quality of life for hundreds of patients.

Led by Lloyd Williams, MD, the team included Sheena Song, DO, MacGregor Hall, MD, Taylor Hardin, Kristen Lipsett, Alison Butler, Erin Russell, Thanh Dan, and Nikki Lowe. Working alongside physicians and staff at Kingston Public Hospital, the team provided sight-restoring care to patients who otherwise may have limited access to treatment.

The mission was supported by Zion Care International, Duke Health and Alcon - See Brilliantly

Together, these partnerships helped make vision-restoring care accessible to hundreds of individuals and reflect Duke Eye Center’s continued commitment to improving eye health worldwide.

https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news/duke-global-ophthalmology-team-provides-sight-restoring-care-during-jamaica-outreach-mission

We’re honored to be ranked #7 in the nation for ophthalmology by U.S. News & World Report, earning a place among the country’s Top 10 hospitals for eye care.

Based in part on surveys of ophthalmologists nationwide, this ranking recognizes hospitals that physicians trust to care for patients with the most complex eye conditions. Thank you to our alumni, friends, patients, donors, faculty, and staff for helping make this achievement possible.