As a pioneer in ophthalmology and vision science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the Department has built a strong, world-class reputation for leading research, quality patient care in an academic setting and unique training programs for the doctors of tomorrow.
2017 Annual Report
See what 2017 was all about at the University of Wisconsin Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences within the School of Medicine and Public Health.
Team Overview
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences team of professionals have worked tirelessly at providing quality eye care education and clinical services since the department’s establishment in the 1920s. Our ophthalmologists are experts, providing students, patients and each other with a high quality experience incomparable with that of any other institution. We work with one another, as well as across campus and throughout the world to share knowledge and information to stop the progression of blinding diseases. We are all in this together. Let’s save sight for everyone.
Faculty
Michael M. Altaweel, MD
Professor; Co-Director of the Fundus Photograph Reading Center
Richard E. Appen, MD
Professor Emeritus
Barbara A. Blodi, MD
Professor, Medical Director of the Fundus Photograph Reading Center
Yasmin S. Bradfield, MD
Dr. John Doolittle Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Co-Chair International Ophthalmology Committee
Cat N. Burkat, MD, FACS
Professor, ASOPRS Fellowship Faculty, Co-Chair International Ophthalmology Committee
Matthew D. Davis, MD
Professor Emeritus; Founder of the Fundus Photograph Reading Center
608-262-1334
Paul L. Kaufman, MD
Ernst H. Bárány Professor of Ocular Pharmacology, Department Chair Emeritus
Marilyn C. Kay, MD
Vice-Chair of Education and Faculty Development, Associate Professor
Mark J. Lucarelli, MD, FACS
Program Director, Richard K. Dortzbach Professor of Ophthalmic Facial Plastic Surgery
Robert W. Nickells, PhD
FREDERICK A. DAVIS CHAIR OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND VISUAL SCIENCES PROFESSOR
Melanie Schmitt, MD
Assistant Professor, Director of the Pediatric Inherited Retinal Degeneration Clinic, Co-Director Ocular Genetics Program
Morton E. Smith
Visiting Professor
Kimberly E. Stepien, MD
Associate Professor; Director of the Adult Inherited Retinal Degeneration Clinic; Co-Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs; Co-Director of Ocular Genetics Program
Andrew T. Thliveris, MD, PhD
Vice Chair of Resident Education; Residency Director; Professor
Amy Walker, OD, MBA, FAAO
Clinical Optometrist; Co-Vice Chair Clinical Affairs; Scleral Contact Lens Specialist
Terri L. Young, MD, MBA
Peter A. Duehr Professor of Ophthalmology, Pediatrics and Medical Genetics; Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Administrative and University Staff
Jessica M. Arendas
Marketing Director
James M. Baliker
Senior Inform Proc Consultant
Nancy A. Barrett
Senior Research Specialist
Elizabeth A. Hennes Beean
Senior Research Specialist
Wendy K. Benz
Senior Research Specialist
Courtney Kay Blomme
Research Specialist
Scott Brandenburg
IS Comp Supp Tech I
Kelsey R. Brandt
Admin Program Specialist
608-263-9797
Linda R. Callow
Associate Dir, Bus Serv/m, Academic Staff
Krista Christensen
Assistant Scientist
Holly Cohn
Senior Research Specialist
Ellie Julee Ann Corkery
Research Program Manager II
Shirley A. Craanen
Senior Research Specialist
Mary Ann B. Croft
Dis Researcher
Dayna S. Dalton
Researcher
Lorraine G. Danforth
Research Program Manager I
Soesiawati R. Darjatmoko
Senior H Tech, Histology
Joel A. Dietz
Senior Research Specialist
Kristi L. Dohm
Senior Research Specialist
Amitha Domalpally, MD
Ophthalmologist; Research Director of the Fundus Photograph Reading Center
Ryan J. Donahue
Research Assistant
Tom W. Dugolenski
Senior H Tech, Ophthalmology
Debra Duren
Medical Coding Specialist
Andrew F. Ewen
Senior Research Specialist
Julie K. Ewing-Christensen
University Services Associate II
608-265-3934
Tony S. Fairbanks
Inform Process Consultant
Juliana Falero-Perez
Research Assistant
Mitra Farnoodian
Research Associate
Mary E. Fischer
Assistant Scientist
Debra L. Fisk
Research Specialist
Vonnie V. Gama
IS Resource Sup Tec E
Christopher J. Geier
Senior Inform Proc Consultant
Stephany Georgeson
Honorary Associate, Fellow
Ryan Gobel
IS Network Support Technician
Roberta Gonzalez
Medical Coding Specialist
Ashley M. Gossett
Associate Research Specialist
Lisa Grady
Research Specialist
Zafer Gurel
Associate Scientist
Kristen Hall
Research Specialist
Michael Hall
Software developer
Ashley M. Harris
Admin Program Specialist
Kathryn Hatchell
Student Assistant
Gregory L. Hermus, CPA
Assistant Director, Business Services; Research Finance Director
Kayla Horak
Assistant Researcher
Cynthia Hurtenbach
Senior Research Specialist
Nasim Jamali
Research Assistant
Tiffany K. Jan
Senior Research Specialist
Kristine A. Johnson
Univ Services Associate I
Andrea B. Johnston
Medical Pro Assistant Sen
Alexander W. Katz
Research Specialist
Gulpreet Kaur
Research Assistant
Julie A. Kiland
Researcher
Charlene Kim
Associate Scientist
Aaron W. Kolb
Senior Research Specialist
Sarah Lamartina
Research Specialist
Kristine M. Lang
Senior Research Specialist
Inna V. Larsen
Research Specialist
608-262-8055
Daniel L. Lawrence
Senior Research Specialist
Kristine E. Lee
Dis Researcher
Zach J. Lind
Associate H Tech, Ophthalmology
Allie Lippitt
Administrative Assistant - Oculoplastics/Neuro-Ophthalmology
608-263-4832
Jason Liu
Associate Researcher
608-265-3719
Hannah Lloyd, MA
Fellowship Coordinator and International Ophthalmology Initiatives (IOI) Coordinator
608-263-4157
Melissa De Lombaert
Margaret Elizabeth Maes
Research Assistant
Jana C. Martin
Admin Program Specialist
608-263-0131
Sean M. Martin
Senior Research Specialist
Jared P. McDonald
Research Program Manager II
Kimberly B. McIntyre
Senior Research Specialist
Stacy M. Meuer
Dis Researcher
Bradley J. Meyers
Accountant
Esther Mezhibovsky
Research Specialist
Mary Elizabeth Mohr
Associate Research Specialist
Anne E. Mosher
Senior Research Specialist
Gregory S. Moy
Senior Inform Proc Consultant
Daniel P. Murach
Senior Programmer Analyst
Chelsea E. Myers
Assistant Researcher
Dawn J. Myers
Research Program Manager I
David M. Nondahl
Researcher
James A. Onofrey
Senior Admin Program Specialist
Gabriel Padilla
IS Network Sup Tech S
Jeong Won Pak
Research Program Manager I
Majiedah Pasha
Research Administrator
Adam J. Paulsen
Associate Researcher
Brian Payne
Associate Research Specialist
Juliana Falero Perez
Research Assistant
Aaron A. Pinto
Researcher
Jenniffer R. Priebe
Univ Services Associate II
608-265-6546
Carol A. Rasmussen
Researcher
608-263-5125
Mary A. Rechek
Senior H Tech, Ophthalmology
Susan B. Reed
Research Program Manager I
James L. Reimers
Senior Outreach Specialist, Senior Research Specialist
Lisa K. Richardson
Hr Assistant Adv
608-262-9093
Vicky L. Rogness
Histology Tech-Senior
Monica M. Sauter
Assistant Scientist
Heather M. Schmitt
Research Assistant
Carla R. Schubert
Researcher
Ruth A. Shaw
Senior Research Specialist
Yong Seok Song
Research Assistant
Rebecca Swearingen
Associate Research Specialist
Maria K. Swift
Senior Research Specialist
Christina Thomas-Virnig, PhD
Translational Research Facilitator
Stuart W. J. Tompson
Associate Scientist
Ralph Moller Trane
Assistant Researcher
Theodore S. Tweed
Senior Clin Audiologist
Becca Raven Uminowicz
Administrative Coordinator
Pamela J. Vargo
Senior Outreach Specialist
Emily R. Virnig
IS Tech Senior Prof
Kristen Wallner
Medical Coding Specialist
H.L. Ingolf Wallow
William R. Walters
Senior Research Specialist
Shoujian Wang
Associate Scientist
Kelly J. Warren
Senior Research Specialist
Sheila Watson
Senior Research Specialist
Mary K. W. Webster
Senior Research Specialist
Tanya L. Webster
Optical Shops Manager
Jo Marie Welsch
Senior H Tech, Ophthalmology
Kristina N. Whisenhunt
Research Specialist
Tien Yin Wong
Visiting Professor
Ismail S. Zaitoun
Associate Scientist
Training and Education
We are proud to provide an exceptional educational program with translational, multidisciplinary collaborations at its core.
Our mission of improving vision-related quality of life includes a commitment to transmitting and applying knowledge. The department’s clinical and research faculty are highly regarded experts in their fields, as well as talented educators with a passion for creating and sharing knowledge.
Our educational programs are designed to reach YOU—friends of the department, professional learners, clinical and research professionals and patients.
Recent Publications
Our program has been cited as the top academic ophthalmology department in publication productivity per faculty member out of all ophthalmology departments in the US and #5 overall in publication output.
Periocular Triamcinolone vs. Intravitreal Triamcinolone vs. Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant for the Treatment of Uveitic Macular Edema: The PeriOcular vs. INTravitreal corticosteroids for uveitic macular edema (POINT) Trial.
Oct 03 2018 // PubMed ID: 30269924 Author(s): Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial Research Group; Writing Committee:, Thorne JE, Sugar EA, Holbrook JT, Burke AE, Altaweel MM, Vitale AT, Acharya NR, Kempen JH, Jabs DA. Periocular Triamcinolone vs. Intravitreal… Read More
Hearing Impairment and Type 1 Diabetes in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) Cohort.
Sep 27 2018 // PubMed ID: 30254082 Author(s): Schade DS, Lorenzi GM, Braffett BH, Gao X, Bainbridge KE, Barnie A, Cruickshanks KJ, Dalton D, Diminick L, Gubitosi-Klug R, Kramer JR, Lachin JM, Larkin ME, Cowie CC; DCCT/EDIC Research Group.… Read More
American Geriatrics Society and National Institute on Aging Bench-to-Bedside Conference: Sensory Impairment and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults.
Sep 25 2018 // PubMed ID: 30248173 Author(s): Whitson HE, Cronin-Golomb A, Cruickshanks KJ, Gilmore GC, Owsley C, Peelle JE, Recanzone G, Sharma A, Swenor B, Yaffe K, Lin FR. American Geriatrics Society and National Institute on Aging Bench-to-Bedside… Read More