At several national eye physician/surgeon conferences this fall, the scholarly works and career achievements of UNC Ophthalmology faculty and residents have been in the spotlight. Among them:
American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2025
UNC Ophthalmology Chair Don Budenz, MD, MPH, gave the Robert N. Shaffer Lecture: “Glaucoma at the Center of the Earth.” Interview: Dr. Budenz recaps his 30-year history of providing education and glaucoma and cataract services in Ghana.
Dr. Mohammad Soleimani presented & led multiple sessions at AAO 2025, including:
Instruction Courses
Tips and Tricks in Corneal Perforations and Descemetoceles
Mastering Corneal Infiltrations and Infectious Keratitis After Refractive Surgeries and CXL: From A to Z
Skills Transfer Labs
Limbal Relaxing Incisions in the Management of Astigmatism
Surgery for Severe Corneal and Ocular Surface Disease
Presentation (Eye Banking Forum (Cornea Subspecialty Day)
Deep Learning–Based Classification of Fungal and Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Scientific Papers
Utilizing Deep Learning and Smartphone Images for the Diagnosis of Microbial Keratitis
Infectious Keratitis in Children Under 2: Insights From a Tertiary Eye Institute
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy: A Tool for Monitoring Treatment and Differentiating Fungal Pathogens in Keratitis
Guided Venting Incision in Acute Corneal Hydrops: A Novel Use of Intracameral Vital Dye
A Sharp Impact: Exploring the Hazards of Self-Inflicted Ocular Trauma From Writing Instruments in Children
Inequities in Keratoconus Management: Socioeconomic and Demographic Influences
Eye Banking Forum (Cornea Subspecialty Day) Presentation:
UNC Corneal Disease 2025-26 Fellow Mubarik Mohamed, MD
“Deep Learning–Based Classification of Fungal and Acanthamoeba Keratitis” (added)
PGY2 Dr. Dhruv Shah & Professor of
Ophthalmology Dr. Mohammad Soleimani
Senior residents (PGY4) at AAO!
Dr. Soleimani & Corneal Disease Colleagues
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)
56th Annual Fall Scientific Symposium
PGY2 Dhruv Shah, MD
- Poster: Pediatric Oculofacial Injuries from Dog Bites: A Retrospective Analysis of Injury Patterns, Management, and Outcomes at a Level 1 Trauma Center
* Dhruv Shah, Mary Kaufmann, Iden Amiri, Jacob Craft, Daniel Rubinstein - Lecture: Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Chris Hwang, MD: Dysthyroid Optic Neuropathy in Pregnancy
North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons (NCSEPS)
Research Fellow
Iden Amiri, MD
PGY2 Dhruv Shah, MD
Research Fellow
Ikesinachi-Osuorah, MD
Research Fellow
Jaron Sanchez, MD
Corneal Disease
2025-26 Fellow
Mubarik Mohamed, MD
Research Fellow
Omar-Nusair, MD
UNC Ophthalmology Research Fellow Iden Amiri, MD, received 1st prize at the 2025 NCSEPS Annual Meeting (September 2025) for a retrospective study on ocular injuries associated with electric burns, in collaboration with the UNC Department of Surgery (trauma, acute care, burn service units). Title: Ocular Sequelae of Electrical Injuries: A 10-Year Review at a Level 1 Burn Center in the U.S.
Other UNC Eye research fellows and one resident also presented at the Fall 2025 NCSEPC meeting, including:
- Jaron Sanchez: “Nocardia Keratitis in a Tertiary Care Setting: An Analysis of Clinical Features, Microbial Characteristics, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility”
Jaron’s retrospective study highlights the clinical presentation, microbiologic features, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Nocardia-associated keratitis in a high-volume tertiary-care setting. - Ikesinachi Osuorah: “Internal Validation of the Gregory Ocular Severity Score in Stevens–Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis”
Ikesinachi evaluated the performance and reproducibility of the Gregory Ocular Severity Score in patients with SJS/TEN involving the ocular surface. - Omar Nusair: “Deep Learning-Based Classification of Fungal and Acanthamoeba Keratitis Using Confocal Microscopy”
Omar’s poster introduced an AI-driven approach for distinguishing fungal vs. Acanthamoeba keratitis using in vivo confocal microscopy images — advancing rapid, automated diagnosis of sight-threatening infections. - Omar Nusair: “An Overview of Keratitis Patterns in HIV Patients”
This study summarizes the etiologies and clinical patterns of keratitis in HIV-positive patients, emphasizing the need for tailored diagnostic and management strategies. - Omar Nusair: “Evaluating the Reliability of Large Language Models in Answering FAQs for Cataract Surgery”
This digital health project assessed how well large language models (LLMs) can respond to common patient questions about cataract surgery, with implications for patient education and clinical support tools. - Dhruv Shah, MD: “Ocular Burns During Thanksgiving Days”