Over almost a decade at UNC, gene and drug delivery expert Zongchao Han, MD, PhD, has conducted translational research focused on developing novel and alternative therapies to treat retinal diseases via biomedical nanoparticle applications. In March 2023, Gene Therapy* featured a study led by Dr. Han that achieved intact genomic nanoparticle delivery of rhodopsin DNA … Read more

Join UNC Department of Ophthalmology on April 1st, 2023, for the annual UNC Eye Symposium at the William & Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. This conference is designated for Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Ophthalmic Technicians, and Photographers. Please click on the registration links on this page to register early for the 2023 UNC Eye Symposium and … Read more

UNC Department of Ophthalmology is pleased to welcome Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Marc Booth, MD, as the newest faculty member to join the Comprehensive Eye Care team. Dr. Booth joins UNC Ophthalmology on the heels of 20 years in ophthalmology private practice with physician groups nationwide. He brings a broad fund of ophthalmic knowledge … Read more

March 23rd is World Optometry Day! Each year, the eye specialist community pauses to recognize optometrists worldwide and their critical role as highly trained providers of comprehensive eye care. Assistant Professor Michael Mendsen, OD, is a UNC Department of Ophthalmology faculty optometrist and Comprehensive Eye Care team provider at UNC Kittner Eye Center. Dr. Mendsen … Read more

When the 2020 pandemic made working remotely the new normal, millions of Americans found themselves adjusting to the home as their full-time workplace and. Displaced desk sitters spent extended periods in front of screens logging longer hours, and reports of suffering symptoms of digital eye strain became more common. A new era of remote workers … Read more

As a UNC freshman, Nicholas Ilgandi was a familiar face around UNC Kittner Eye Center. By graduation, the well-liked, motivated undergraduate’s primary role within the department had expanded to assisting a wide range of faculty-led clinical studies serving as a Clinical Research Assistant.  Nicholas is now a first-year medical student at Lincoln Memorial University (Harrogate, … Read more

Advanced-age adults who face increased odds of developing a degenerative eye disease frequently narrow their worries to conditions that are most in the spotlight and/or prevalent, such as the world’s two leading causes of blindness — cataract and glaucoma. Lost in this mix among senior Americans is adequate awareness of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In … Read more

A UNC Ophthalmology faculty-mentored, resident-led study published in the December 2022 Journal of Glaucoma assessed how well glaucomatous changes detected to the optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) parameters agree among them in pre-perimetric and early perimetric glaucoma, based on optical coherence tomography (Cirrus HD-OCT) normative database classification. … Read more

An adult who faithfully visits his PCP for annual well-checks shows no signs of mid-life worsening vision and falls short of scheduling a first-time comprehensive eye exam in his 40s. At age 50, he is diagnosed with glaucoma at an overdue screening, 10 years past the recommended age. The asymptomatic patient is shocked to learn … Read more

UNC Ophthalmology congratulates Department Chair and Kittner Family Distinguished Professor Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, for receiving the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)’s 2022 Life Achievement Honor Award. Among eight highly achieved ophthalmologists worldwide, Dr. Budenz was awarded this career honor at a ceremony held at the AAO’s Annual Meeting (AAO 2022) in October 2022. … Read more

  African American glaucoma patients who report medication non-adherence* and are exposed before clinic visits to the importance of question-asking during appointments are significantly more likely to inquire about their condition than those who do not receive pre-visit prompts. In a study published in the September/October 2022 Ophthalmology Glaucoma (Vol. 5/Issue 5), UNC Department of Ophthalmology … Read more

For the aging American population, a first-time, dilated ophthalmic exam to screen for and treat eye diseases early on that are related to gradually worsening eyesight is important. For the 30 million Americans living with diabetes, the need for a comprehensive eye exam yearly is critical. Approximately one-third of Americans with diabetes (Type 1, Type … Read more