Duke Eye Center

At Duke Eye Center, we see every day how resilience and expert care can shape a child’s future. One shining example is Alexander Dodds, featured in our 2026 VISION magazine and honored as the Scheyer Family Kid Captain.

Born with X‑linked juvenile retinoschisis, Alexander gradually lost his sight by age nine. Thanks to the dedicated care of Sharon Freedman, MD, and Cynthia Toth, MD, he developed visual memories that continue to help him navigate the world, a powerful reminder of the impact of early, specialized pediatric eye care.

Read: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/0fa2e7615b.html /33

In the latest issue of VISION magazine, we reflect on the impact of Edward Buckley, MD.

After more than a decade as chair, his leadership has helped shape the growth of Duke Ophthalmology across clinical care, education, and research. He will step down later this year while continuing his work with patients and Duke-NUS Medical School.

Read the full story in VISION: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/0fa2e7615b.html /4

Duke Eye Center was well represented at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Denver, with more than 70 Duke‑led presentations.

We’re proud to celebrate Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD and Vadim Arshavsky, PhD for being inducted into the ARVO Fellows Class of 2026, recognizing their sustained contributions to global vision research.

It was also announced that W. Daniel Stamer, PhD, FARVO been elected the next Executive Vice President of ARVO, an exceptional acknowledgment of his leadership in the field.

Proud of all who represented Duke Eye Center on this international stage!

Read more: https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news/duke-arvo-2026

Duke Eye Center is launching the first large-scale, AI-powered diabetic retinopathy screening program, bringing fast, convenient eye screening directly into endocrinology clinics. Led by Majda Hadziahmetovic, MD, in collaboration with Duke endocrinology leaders David D’Alessio, MD, PhD, and Jyothi Rao, MD, this innovative program uses FDA-cleared AI technology to detect vision-threatening disease in seconds during a routine visit.

Made possible by generous support from The Robert M. Sinskey, M.D. Foundation, this program reflects Duke’s leadership in advancing patient care through innovation. Duke University School of Medicine Duke Endocrinology

Duke Launches First Large-Scale AI-Powered Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Program Duke Eye Center will launch its first organized, institution-wide implementation of AI-powered diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening in May 2026, marking a major milestone in the integration of artificial intelligence into routine clinical care. Supported by The Robert M. Sinskey, M.D. Foundation, the...

In a highlight from VISION Magazine 2026, we explore how the Duke Eye Center Glaucoma Division is expanding its legacy of excellence. As one of the largest and most respected glaucoma programs in the world, the division continues to drive innovation through groundbreaking research, exceptional training, and world‑class patient care.

From discoveries that reveal how immune cells regulate eye pressure to advances that have shaped modern glaucoma therapy, the division’s collaborative culture is fueling the next generation of sight‑saving breakthroughs.

Read the full story to see how Duke is shaping the future of glaucoma care and strengthening its impact for years to come: https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/glaucoma-division-seeks-expand-its-legacy-excellence

We’re proud to share that W. Daniel Stamer, PhD, FARVO has been elected the next Executive Vice President of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the world’s largest vision research organization. Dr. Stamer’s five‑year term begins at the 2027 ARVO Annual Meeting and reflects nearly two decades of leadership and service to the vision science community.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Stamer on this outstanding achievement and his continued impact on advancing vision research.

https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news/daniel-stamer-phd-farvo-elected-executive-vice-president-arvo

We’re excited to share a new blog post from Fellow Sheena Song, DO, reflecting on her recent trip to Sierra Leone as part of a long‑standing corneal transplant partnership led by Drs. Lloyd B. and Lloyd H. Williams.

Dr. Song joined the team in screening patients, performing sight‑restoring surgeries, and supporting training for the country’s growing eye‑care workforce, including its first ophthalmology residency program.

Read her powerful reflections on global ophthalmology, partnership, and sustainable impact.

https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/blog/tackling-corneal-blindness-and-building-systems-sierra-leone

Duke Eye Center will have a major presence at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Denver, with 70+ Duke‑led presentations across lectures, papers, posters, symposia, minisymposia, and collaborative sessions. Our faculty, trainees, and research teams will showcase Duke’s leadership across the full spectrum of vision science—from foundational discovery to clinical innovation.

We’re also proud to celebrate two Duke faculty members being honored in the ARVO Fellows Class of 2026: 
Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD — ARVO Gold Fellow
Vadim Arshavsky, PhD — ARVO Silver Fellow

Select Duke presentations will include:
Esen K. Akpek, MD – Roger W. Beuerman Award Lecture
Catherine Bowes‑Rickman, PhD – Complement Factor H Therapy for AMD
Eleonora (Nora) Lad, MD, PhD – Structure–Function Correlations in Atrophic AMD
Goldis Malek, PhD – Nuclear Receptors in Aging Retina and Disease Progression
Daniel Saban, PhD – In Vivo Human Ocular Immune Profiling Using Machine Learning

Read more and view full list of Duke presentations: https://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/news/duke-arvo-2026

We’re proud to share VISION 2026, highlighting the momentum and progress across the Duke Eye Center. In this issue, we honor Dr. Buckley for his extraordinary leadership over the past decade and showcase the clinical, research, and educational achievements shaping our impact.

VISION 2026 features pioneering discoveries, transformative care, and inspiring patient stories that reflect our shared commitment to advancing the future of ophthalmology.

Read: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/0fa2e7615b.html /1 Duke Health Duke University School of Medicine

We are grateful to Yvette for sharing her journey, her retinal specialist, Dr. Lejla Vajzovic, and to our Duke Eye Center research teams who make breakthroughs like this possible.