BEST OF THE BEST: Our TOP DOCS of 2020

Dr. Michael Raizman, MD is truly Best of the Best.  He has been nominated as an NKCF Top Doc in previous years and this year his nomination came from his patient, CF, of Westborough, MA.  She wrote, “Dr. Raizman not only gave me back my life, as other doctors may have done, he also stayed by my side and comforted me through it all.”

Dr. Raizman is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School where he completed his residency in ophthalmology.  He then spent two additional years gaining advanced training as a fellow in cornea as well as a fellow in immunology and uveitis (infections of the eye) at Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary.  Following this, Dr. Raizman was awarded an NIH training grant to support his research activities as a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School.  In 1991, he was recruited by New England Eye Center / Tufts Medical School to serve as director of the cornea fellowship at that institution.  He continues in that role today and also serves as the co-chief of the cornea service and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Tufts.  He is a member of the adjunct faculty at Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital.  Dr. Raizman is also a member of the prestigious private practice, Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston where he sees patients at their Boston and Waltham offices.  Dr. Raizman is an international leader in clinical research and led crosslinking clinical trials for treatment of progressive KC.  He is a frequent lecturer and the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed articles.  He serves on several medical, advisory and editorial boards.  Of his selection as NKCF Top Doc for 2020, Dr. Raizman said, “The past decade has been one of the most gratifying times in my career, providing new vision-saving treatments to patients with keratoconus.  I am especially honored that my patient nominated me for this recognition.”

One name that comes up frequently when lists of keratoconus experts are compiled is Clark Chang.  Dr. Chang is Director of Specialty Lenses for the cornea service at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.  The mother of a 21-year-old patient, MR, of Bangor, PA wrote in her nomination, “My son was diagnosed with KC when he was 15; he never wore contacts so everything was completely new to him…  Dr. Chang always takes his time and speaks directly to my son.  Dr. Chang makes this disease bearable.”  Another patient, EA, from Lincoln, RI wrote, “Dr. Chang takes the time to know his patients, their goals, their struggles and incorporates those into their care.”

Dr. Clark Chang, OD, MSA, MSc, FAAO is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.  After graduation, he completed a year-long residency in primary care optometry and then completed another year of advanced training, this time focused on cornea and contact lenses under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Hersh, MD at the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute in Teaneck, NJ.  After his fellowship, he joined the CLEI staff and participated in keratoconus-focused research and clinical trials.  Dr. Chang is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and serves on the executive board of the International Keratoconus Academy.  He lectures extensively on management of keratoconus and innovative specialty contact lens technologies.  When informed of his selection as this year’s Top Doc, he told NKCF, “It is an extraordinary honor to have patients take time out to recognize the care you provide, but I am only able to leave an impression due to a team effort by the entire Cornea Service at Wills Eye Hospital.  They believe, as I do, that each keratoconus patient is unique and deserves customized treatment(s).  This award belongs to my entire Wills Eye family.”

In addition to these Best of the Best, 70 other doctors from 24 states were nominated by their patients.   Some of the doctors are university faculty members, others are members of private practices that specialize in the care of individuals with keratoconus.  Still others are primary care eye doctors who show kindness and empathy toward their patients.  One quality almost universally noted in the nominations was the ability to listen to their patients and work tirelessly to save or restore vision.  We salute these the Top Doc nominees for 2020.

CALIFORNIA

Anthony Aldave, MD                                      UCLA /Jules Stein Eye Institute,  Los Angeles

Brad Baggerly, OD                                          Claremont Optometry,  Claremont

Melissa Barnett, OD                                       UC Davis Health,  Sacramento

Jill Beyer, OD                                                   Stanford Univ. /Byers Eye Institute,  Palo Alto

Brian Boxer-Wachler, MD                              Boxer Wachler Vision Institute,  Beverly Hills

Annie Chang OD                                              Southern California College of Optometry,  Anaheim

Brian Chou, OD                                                Revision Optometry,  San Diego

Marjan Farid, MD                                             UCI /Gavin Herbert Eye Institute,  Irvine

Joanne Gronquist, OD                                    Santa Barbara Optometry,  Santa Barbara

John Hofbauer, MD                                         Beverly Hills Institute of Ophthalmology,  Beverly Hills

Jeanette Lee, OD                                             2020 Optometry of Silicon Valley,  San Jose

Barry Leonard, OD                                           Dr. Barry Leonard & Associates,  Panorama City

Vicki Lin, OD                                                      i-Sight Vision Care,  Fountain Valley

Somi Oh, OD                                                     Eye Boutique Optometry,  Santa Clara

Donna Weiss, OD                                             Boxer Wachler Vision Institute,  Beverly Hills

Jessica Yuan, OD                                             Rainbow Optometry,  Upland

CONNECTICUT

Catherine Gelinas, OD                                   Vision Associates of Prospect,  Prospect

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Jennifer Luckie, OD                                        Eye Doctors of Washington

Jay Lustbader, MD                                          Georgetown Univ. /Washington National Eye Center

FLORIDA

Vasilios Diakonis, MD                                     Eye Institute of West Florida,  Largo

Stephen Heiden, OD                                        Heiden & Heiden,  Hollywood

David Leach, MD                                             Tampa Eye Clinic,  Tampa

Leticia Sandoval, OD                                       Lake Nona Eye Care,  Orlando

Justine Siergy, OD                                            Hunter Vision,  Orlando

ILLINOIS

Matt Goren, MD                                              Goren Eye Associates,  Des Plaines

Jennifer Harthan, OD                                      Illinois College of Optometry,  Chicago

Timothy McMahon, OD                                 UIC /Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary,  Chicago

Adam Sobin, MD                                              Gailey Eye Clinic,  Decatur

INDIANA

Francis Price, MD                                             Price Vision Group,  Indianapolis

KENTUCKY

Renee Reeder, OD                                           Univ. of Pikeville College of Optometry,  Pikeville

MARYLAND

Albert Jun, MD                                                  Johns Hopkins /Wilmer Eye Institute,  Baltimore

MASSACHUSETTS

Michael Raizman, MD                                    Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston,  Waltham

MICHIGAN

Leonard Silverman, OD                                 Okemos Optometry,  Okemos

MISSOURI

David Seibel, MD                                              Vision Care Consultants,  St. Louis

NEVADA

Jamison Engle, MD                                          Nevada Eye Consultants,  Reno

Stephanie Woo, OD                                         Contact Lens Institute of Nevada,  Las Vegas

NEW JERSEY

John Gelles, OD                                             CLEI Center for Keratoconus,  Teaneck

Steven Greenstein, MD                                 CLEI Center for Keratoconus,  Teaneck

NEW MEXICO

Steven Berry, OD                                             Albuquerque Vision Care,  Albuquerque

NEW YORK

Lori Arbital, OD                                                Arbital Vision Care,  Hicksville

Suzanne Bellante, OD                                    Union Square Eye Care,  New York City

Elizabeth Cohen, MD                                      NYU /Langone Health Eye Center,  New York City

Ken Dickerson, OD                                           University of Rochester Eye Institute,  Rochester

Eric Donnenfeld, MD                                      Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island,  Garden City

Robert Eden, MD                                              Cornea Consultants of Albany,  Slingerlands

Michael Endl, MD                                             Fichte, Endl and Elmer Eye Care,  Amherst

David Libassi, OD                                              SUNY /University Eye Center,  New York City

Sharon Park, OD                                               SUNY /University Eye Center,  New York City

Susan Resnick, OD                                           Farkas, Kassalow, Resnick & Associates, New York City

John Seedor MD                                               Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital,  New York City

Bryan Wolynski, OD                                         Glasses on First,  New York City 

OHIO

Ross Collins, OD                                            Collins Vision Care,  Vandalia

Patrick Dollenmayer OD                               Columbus Eye Associates,  Columbus

Chantelle Mundy, OD                                    OSU /Havener Eye Institute,  Dublin

Loretta Szczotka-Flynn, OD                          CWRU /University Hospitals,  Cleveland

OREGON

Bala Ambati, MD                                              Pacific Clear Vision Institute,  Eugene

Win Chamberlain, MD                                    OHSU /Casey Eye Institute,  Portland

PENNSYLANIA

Clark Chang, OD                                              Wills Eye Hospital,  Philadelpia

Ifikhar Chaudhry MD                                       IC Laser Eyecare  Ben Salem

Laurie Ann Roba, MD                                      UPMC Eye Center,  Pittsburgh

Darin Spingola, OD                                           Obyron Eye Associates,  DuBois

SOUTH CAROLINA

Thomas Weshefsky, OD                                Carolina Forest Eye Care,  Myrtle Beach

TEXAS

Randy Charrier, OD                                         Family Vision Solutions,  Houston

Melanie Frogozo, OD                                      Alamo Eye Care,  San Antonio

Greg Gemoules, OD                                        Laser Fit Contact Lenses,  Coppell

Linda Jackson, OD                                          UT-Southwestern,  Dallas

Maria Walker, OD                                             U Houston College of Optometry,  Houston

UTAH

Mark Mifflin, MD                                            Univ. Utah /Moran Eye Institute,  Salt Lake City

WASHINGTON

Joseph Dolezal, OD                                        Innovations in Eye Care,  Centralia

Nicholas Gubler, OD                                       Mid-Columbia Eyecare Center,  Pasco

WISCONSIN

Brad LaVallie, OD                                              BayCare Clinic,  Green Bay

WYOMING

Jamie Hazen, OD                                               Mud Springs Vision Clinic,  Wheatland

Names in BOLD have been nominated as Top Doc in a previous year.