Cataract

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Ophthalmology has seven American Board of Ophthalmology-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologists who provide consultative/diagnostic and procedural care for patients with routine and complex cataracts.

Donald L. Budenz, MD
Kittner Family Distinguished Professor and Chair of UNC Department of Ophthalmology Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH centers his practice around the diagnosis, treatment and management of cataracts, and glaucoma. Dr. Budenz provides consultative/diagnostic care to cataract patients at UNC Kittner Eye Center and at Person Memorial Hospital in Roxboro. He performs cataract surgery at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus and Person Memorial Hospital in Roxboro.

David Fleischman, MD, MS, MACS
Associate Professor David Fleischman, MD, MS, MACS is the Perioperative Medical Director for UNC Hospitals Hillsborough and Ocular Trauma Director for the UNC Department of Ophthalmology.  Dr. Fleischman provides consultative/diagnostic care to cataract patients at UNC Kittner Eye Center, UNC Eye Holly Springs and UNC Specialty Care at Pittsboro. He performs cataract surgery at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus and UNC Chatham Hospital.

Meredith R. Klifto, MD
Assistant Professor Meredith R. Klifto, MD, specializes in treating cataracts, adult glaucoma and ocular trauma. Dr. Klifto provides consultative/diagnostic care to cataract patients at UNC Kittner Eye Center and UNC Health Eye Care at Cary. She performs cataract surgery at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus.

Sinthu Ranjan, MD
Assistant Professor Sinthu Ranjan, MD, specializes in treating cataracts, intraocular lens, corneal disease and complex anterior disease. She performs cataract surgery, intraocular lens exchange, and complex anterior segment surgery at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus and and offers consultative/diagnostic care to cataract patients at UNC Eye Roxboro.

Rodolfo Bonatti, MD
Assistant Professor Rodolfo Bonatti, MD, is a glaucoma expert who also specializes in medical consults for cataracts at the UNC Kittner Eye Center. He surgically treats adult & pediatric patients for glaucoma, as well as cataracts and oculoplastics at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus and offers  consultative/diagnostic care to cataract patients at UNC Health Eye Care at Cary.

Mohammad Soleimani, MD, FICO, Professor of Ophthalmology Mohammad Soleimani, MD, is specialized in complex cases of cataract surgery, with or without femtolaser, multifocal and toric lenses, and anterior chamber reconstruction. Dr. Soleimani is experienced in combined surgeries with cataract, including keratoplasty, IOL exchange, iris prosthesis, as well as phakic IOLs and secondary IOLs and performs surgeries at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus.

David Belyea, MD, MBA, FAAO, FACS
David Belyea, MD, MBA, FAAO, FACS, joined UNC Department of Ophthalmology faculty after serving as Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at The George Washington University.  A retired U.S. Army Colonel with over three decades of military service, he has been recognized nationally for his leadership, teaching, and research in glaucoma and cataract surgery. Dr. Belyea offers consultative care in non-surgical management of early cataracts, as well as surgical treatment of cataracts, at UNC Health Eye Care in Cary.

To read more about causes, types and symptoms of cataracts, visit the American Association of Ophthalmology (AAO)’s “What Are Cataracts?” page or the NIH National Eye Institute (NEI)’s At a Glance: Cataracts page. To learn more about Cataracts Surgery, watch the below AAO video.