Daily working/teaching rounds are held at 7:30-8 a.m. by Drs. Chung, Kardon, Thurtell, and Wall. These are attended by the fellow, resident(s) (usually two) who are taking a three-month rotation in neuro-ophthalmology, medical students and neurology or neurosurgery residents who are completing a one month rotation on the service. During neuro-ophthalmology daily rounds, the previous day’s clinic patients are discussed, including review and interpretation of visual fields, imaging of the eye and brain, and mechanisms of the disease causing the patient’s problem. Neuro-ophthalmology rounds are an integral part of our fellowship training and is followed by our Ophthalmology Department’s daily Grand Rounds (Monday-Thursday 8-8:45 a.m.). Fellows are expected to make regular interesting case presentations at Department Morning Grand Rounds. The Neuro-ophthalmology service also conducts monthly Neuro-radiology conferences with the Neuro-radiology faculty to discuss the most interesting cases from the previous month who had imaging studies relevant to their diagnosis.

During the fellowship period, the fellow sees patients daily with the residents from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Neuro-ophthalmology Clinic. This clinic is staffed by the neuro-ophthalmology faculty. Every patient is presented to staff and all charts are signed by staff, and the staff are the "doctors of record" for all patients seen in this clinic. The neuro-ophthalmology faculty will examine every patient and will discuss with the fellow each patient that they see. Time is usually allotted to pursue clinical research during the course of the year. 

Throughout the year, fellows are encouraged to improve their public speaking and teaching skills by presenting interesting cases to the entire department at morning rounds (see above; 8–8:45 a.m. daily) and at regularly scheduled neuro-ophthalmic demonstrations and inter-departmental conferences. The fellow will take neuro-ophthalmology call every other week with the faculty as back up. In general, it is unusual to be called in after hours.

Through the year, the fellow is required to undertake an investigative project which can be completed and submitted for publication before the fellowship is over. This is usually a new observation, a case series or report, a prospective study, or a review; it may be in any area of neuro-ophthalmology. The fellow usually presents this research at the annual North American Neuro-ophthalmology Meeting. 

The Neuro-ophthalmology Faculty are very active in research funded by the National Institute of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and spend a portion of their schedule on externally funded research. They are committed to enhancing the fellowship training experience by mentoring and guiding research investigations. 

The following links to our faculty provide further information about their current research, teaching and clinical interest areas, including external funding: 

• Sophia Chung, MD
• Randy Kardon, MD, PhD 
• Adriana Rodriguez-Leon, MD
• Edward Linton, MD
• Michael Wall, MD 
• Matthew J. Thurtell, MBBS, MSc, FRACP

Sophia Chung, MD

Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Clinical Professor of Neurology

• Laser speckle flowgraphy of the optic nerve
• Clinical neuro-ophthalmology

 

Randy Kardon, MD, PhD

Pomerantz Family Chair in Ophthalmology
Director, Iowa City VA Center of Excellence for Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

• Relationship of visual dysfunction to pupillomotor responsiveness to light
• Pharmacology of the central and peripheral pupillomotor pathways
• Autonomic disorders of pupillary function
• Risk factors in the pathogenesis of optic nerve diseases
• Multifocal electroretinogram in diagnosing visual loss
• Correlation of structure and function of the visual system
• Studies of the dynamics of the blood flow to the choroid and retina
• Optical imaging of retinal function

 

Adriana Rodriguez-Barrath, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology & Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Residency Program Director of Neurology

• Migraine and headache disorders
• Photophobia in migraine and non-migraine conditions
• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension and pulsatile synchronous tinnitus

 

Edward F. Linton, MD

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

• Smartphone perimetry without eye tracking
  • Limitations of using inexpensive available hardware to perform perimetry
  • Strategies to circumvent these limitations
  • Development of size-modulation perimetry strategy
  • Validation of an inexpensive open source VR perimetry platform
• ​Laser Speckle Flowgraphy in Carotid Cavernous Fistula
  • Non-invasive diagnosis
  • Correlation of velocity waveform in the eye to pressure waveform in the superior ophthalmic vein
  • Identification of biomarkers that predict vision loss

 

Matthew Thurtell, MBBS, MSc, FRACP

The Captain Jim and Donnita Gross Fund Professor
Director, Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Professor of Neurology

• Eye-movement disorders and their treatment
• Eye movement kinematics
• Clinical neuro-ophthalmology
• Clinical neuro-otology

 

Michael Wall, MD

Director, Iowa Visual Field Reading Center
Professor of Neurology
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: Etiology and Treatment
• Mechanisms of perimetric variability
• Use of large sized perimetric stimuli
• New perimetric techniques
• Sensory visual system information processing with emphasis on the application of visual physiology and neural networks to development of new clinical visual tests.

Learn more about current research projects

Grand rounds are held Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. in the Braley Auditorium. All residents and staff attend unless operating or engaged in acute medical care. During rounds, residents and fellows develop their public speaking skills by making presentations. Discussion by the faculty and house staff follows each case.

The cases and discussions presented by Residents and Fellows at Grand Rounds are often further developed and published as case reports and tutorials on EyeRounds.org.

Afternoons are, in general, reserved for rotation-specific conferences. Neuro-ophthalmology holds "chart rounds" each day before Grand Rounds. These conferences focus on patients that may present that day. Discussions center on patient care but also cover other areas such as communication, ethics, and systems based care. 

Once a week during the academic year, didactic lectures on ophthalmology are presented. These two-hour lectures are organized to coincide with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Basic and Clinical Sciences Course. Lectures cover most aspects of basic and clinical ophthalmology. Once every 10 weeks these sessions include a journal club covering recent journal articles in that subject area to help develop skills in practice based learning.

Six, day-long clinical conferences are held during the academic year. Clinics are closed on these days. Ophthalmologists from throughout Iowa and Illinois attend and present challenging clinical problems for discussion by faculty and guests. These meetings feature a visiting professor who presents a lecture based on his/ her research interests. The day is balanced by the presentation of a more clinically oriented topic. This conference has contributed to the excellent rapport between practicing ophthalmologists and the ophthalmology staff at the university. 

Each year in June, alumni and other members attend a two- to three-day Iowa Eye Association meeting with invited speakers and a focus on a specific subspecialty topic.

Presentations of research are made annually during the Resident/Fellow Research Conference at the end of the academic year.

Ophthalmology Upcoming Event Calendar

Benefits

• Competitive Stipends
• Comprehensive medical, dental, hospitalization and pharmacy benefits for residents/fellows and their dependents
• Vacation each year: 3 weeks, for specific information Paid Time Off and Leave Information

Board Certification Requirements

• While Ophthalmology, as a specialty, is board certified, Ophthalmology subspecialty fellowships are not board certified. Visit the American Board of Ophthalmology for specifics on board certification requirements.

Neuro-ophthalmology patient volume

• Our patients represent all age groups and all socioeconomic strata and they present with virtually all acute and chronic conditions of the eye.
• University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is a tertiary care center and our department receives referrals for specialized services from Iowa and neighboring states. Some patients travel from outside the continent to be seen by our physicians.
• In an average year, the neuro-ophthalmology service sees approximately 3,000 patient visits.

What's so good about Iowa?

• Our faculty are really nice, and exceptionally dedicated teachers too.
• We have a diverse faculty with wide-ranging clinical and research interests.
• Some of our faculty are internationally known and have been with us for many years.
• We also have several bright young faculty who bring new interests and enthusiasm to the practice.
• All the subspecialties are represented in our training program.
• Our programs, clinical and teaching are consistently ranked in the top ten nationally.
• Our residents are great people and they make exceptional ophthalmologists.
• Iowa City is a highly intellectual community with premier arts events that are accessible to residents both in terms of cost and location.
• We have an outstanding school system for children in grades K-12.
• A great training program and a high quality of life.
• We want you to succeed.

Explore more about Iowa City and Iowa at the UI GME site.

• GME Home 
  • Benefits
  • Stipends
  • General information regarding fellowships
  • About Iowa
  • Housing
  • and more may be found at the GME site
• Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences 
  • EyeRounds.org
  • Gonioscopy.org
  • Eye Resources on the Internet
• Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
• Iowa Board of Medicine  
• The University of Iowa

Links for Neuro-op Fellow Candidates

• The H. Stanley Thompson Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
• Introduction and History of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
• Program Requirements for Fellowship Education in Neuro-Ophthalmology (AUPO)
• SF Match/Central Application Service
• Application Form (PDF)

We invite qualified candidates to a one-day interview. We begin holding interviews during the summer and continue during the Fall. 

Orientation for new fellows begins July 1, so you must be available for that start date and be licensed in Iowa by June 30.

What should I expect on the interview day?

Interview day begins with the candidate attending our daily 7:30-8 a.m. Neuro-ophthalmology morning rounds in our staffing room of the Neuro-ophthalmology clinic, where the important patients from the previous clinic day are discussed by faculty, residents, fellow and student. 

The Neuro-ophthalmology clinic is located in the Ophthalmology Department at the Eye Institute (First Floor of UIHC's Pomerantz Family Pavilion). Following Neuro-ophthalmology morning rounds, the Ophthalmology Department conducts grand rounds with case presentations Monday through Thursday each week, which we attend with the fellowship candidate. 

We suggest business attire for your interview day. 

The components of the interview will include an overview of the program, a brief tour of the facility, individual meetings with faculty and fellows on the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service and spending time with the faculty seeing patients during part of the day. If there is a specific person you would like to visit with or location you would like to see, please do not hesitate to ask for this to be included in your itinerary.

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The Department of Ophthalmology is located on the first floor of the Pomerantz Family Pavilion at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Listed below are some websites to give you more information

How to get to Iowa City

• Travel Directions 
• Nearby airports
  • The Eastern Iowa Airport near Cedar Rapids, IA - approximately 20 miles
  • The Quad Cities Airport in Moline, IL - approximately 60 miles
• Driving Directions   

Where to Stay

• Motel and hotel listings in Iowa City and Coralville

General information about the Iowa City area

• Community
• Iowa City Housing
• A fun video about Iowa City and The University of Iowa

The University of Iowa campus  

Maps, Parking, and Transportation

• University of Iowa Campus Maps
• University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics map:  (UIHC building map)
• Parking Maps
• Public Transportation 
• Cambus 

Jaffer Naqvi, MD

Education:

• Residency, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brooke University
• MD, SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine

Recent Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship Graduates

2024

Yehudit Brody, MD

Lindsay Chun, MD, Private Practice, Los Angeles, CA

2023

Salma Dawoud, MD, Oculoplastics Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

Meet Dr. Salma Dawoud (video coming soon)

 

Natasha Gautam, MBBS, MS, Glaucoma Fellowship, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Meet Dr. Natasha Gautam (video coming soon)

2022

Edward Linton, MD, Faculty, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

Meet Dr. Edward Linton (video coming soon)

 

Adriana Rodriguez Leon, MD, Neurology Faculty, University of Iowa, VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA

Meet Dr. Adriana Rodriguez Leon (video coming soon)

2021

Luis Andre Leal Ferman, MD, Clinique Neuro Rive-Sud Hopital Charles-Le Moyne, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
 Meet Dr. Luis Leal

Alanna Tisdale, MD, MPH, Boston University, Boston
 Meet Dr. Alanna Tisdale

2020

Nitsan Duvdevan-Strier, MD, Haifa, Israel (Research Fellow)

2019

Nitsan Duvdevan-Strier, MD, Haifa, Israel

Melanie Truong, DO, OD, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

2018

Jane A. Bailey, MD, Health Partners/Park Nicollet, Edina, Minn.

Lael J. Stander, MD, Colorado Springs Neurological Associates, Colorado Springs, Colo.

2017

Johanna D. Beebe, MD, Nicollet Hospitals, Minneapolis, Minn.

Shira S. Simon, MD, MBA, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, Ill.

2016

Rachel Mercer, MD, Midwest Eye Care, Omaha, Neb.

2015

Enrique Rivera, MD, Caguas, Puerto Rico

2014

John J. (Joey) Brinkley, MD, LSU Health-Shreveport, Shreveport, La.
John J. Chen, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

2013

Kimberly Winges, MD, VA Medical Center/Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Ore.

2012

Alethia Pantazis, MD, Vitality Medicine, Ocala, Fla.

2011

Yanjun "Judy" Chen, MD, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.
Scott Haines, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Va.

2010

Travis C. Rumery, DO, Kellogg Eye Center, Madison, Wis.

2009

Mansoor S. Mughal, MD, Rutgers Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
Fabiana C. Policeni, MD, Iowa City, Iowa

2008

Michael C. Johnson, MD, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Colin J. Scott, MD, Illinois Eye Center, Peoria, Ill.
N. Troy Tagg, MD, Olney, Md., Washington, District of Columbia

All Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellow Alumni

Adeyinka Ashaye, MD, Ibadan, Nigeria—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1984-1985)

Pinar F. Aydin, MD, PhD, Ankara, Turkey—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1989-1990)

Paul Babikian, MD, Des Moines, Iowa—Neuro-Ophthalmology (-1984)

Jane A. Bailey, MD, Minneapolis, Minn.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2017-2018)

Jason J. S. Barton, MD, PhD, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1990-1991)

Raymond A. Bell, MD, FRCS(C), Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1976-1977)

Oliver Bergamin, MD, Tschugg, Switzerland—Neuro-Ophthalmology Research Fellow (2000-2002)

Pierre Bourgon, MD, Fort Myers, Fla.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1976-1977)

John J. Brinkley, MD, Shreveport, La.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2013-2014)

Jonathan C. Calkwood, MD, Golden Valley, Minn.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1992-1992)

Bong Leen Chang, MD, Seoul, South Korea—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1976-1976)

John J. Chen, MD, PhD, Rochester, Minn.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2013-2014)

Yanjun Judy Chen, MD, PhD, Madison, Wis.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2009-2011)

Fiona E. Costello, MD, Calgary, Alberta, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2000-2002)

Terry A. Cox, MD, PhD, Columbia, S.C.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1979-1981)

Jan S. C. Czarnecki, MD, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1975-1976)

Kathleen B. Digre, MD, Salt Lake City, Utah—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1985-1987)

Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, Nashville, Tenn.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1993-1994); Pediatric Ophthalmologty (1994-1995)

F. Jane Durcan, MD, Spokane, Wash.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1986-1986)

Nitsan Duvdevan-Strier, MD, Haifa, Israel—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2018-2019, Research Fellow 2019-2020)

Julie Falardeau, MD, Vancouver, Wash.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2001-2002)

Aldo Fantin, MD, West Bloomfield, Mich.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1991-1992)

Syndee J. Givre, MD, PhD, Chapel Hill, N.C.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1998-2000)

Steven L. Goldin, MD, Berkeley, Calif.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2002-2003)

Scott R. Haines, MD, Richmond, Va.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2010-2011)

Gerard L. Hershewe, DO, Reno, Nev.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1989-1990)

Sung-Pyo Hong, MD, Daegu, South Korea—Neuro-Ophthalmology Visiting Research Fellow (1997-2000)

Daniel M. Jacobson, MD—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1986-1987)

Luke Qi Jiang, MD—Ocular Pathology (1981-1982); Neuro-Ophthalmology (1982-1984)

Mei-Qi Jiang, MD, Philadelphia—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1984-1987)

Michael C. Johnson, MD, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2007-2008)

Aasim Kamal, MB, BS, Phoenix, Ariz.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1999-2000)

Randy H. Kardon, MD, PhD, Iowa City, Iowa—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1987-1989)

Aki Kawasaki, MD, La Mont, Switzerland—Neuro-Ophthalmology Visiting Research Fellow (1993-1993)

Sachio Kawashima, MD, PhD, Okayama, Japan—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1994-1995)

Sonalee Kulkarni, MD, Arlington, Va.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2003-2004)

Reid A. Longmuir, MD, Nashville, Tenn.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2006-2007); Glaucoma (2007-2008)

Shannon C. Lynch, MD, Omaha, Neb.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2004-2005)

Timothy J. Martin, MD, Winston-Salem, N.C.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1990-1991)

Charles E. Maxner, MD, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1985-1986)

Patricia J. McNussen, MD, Urbana, Ill.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1987-1989)

John H. Mensher, MD, Seattle, Wash.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1968-1969) — Glaucoma (1978-1979)

Aditya Mishra, MD, FRCS, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1992-1993)

Mansoor S. Mughal, MD, New Brunswick, NJ—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2008-2009)

Michael L. Murphy, MD, Oconomowoc, Wis.—Oculoplastics (1994-1996); Neuro-Ophthalmology (1996-1997)

Richard K. Neahring, MD, Salem, Ore.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1993-1994)

Alethia H. Pantazis, MD, Ocala, Fla.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2011-2012)

Anil D. Patel, MD, FRCSC, Oklahoma City—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1996-1998)

Mary Lucy Pereira, MD, Pinecrest, Fla.—Neuro-Ophthalmology & Glaucoma (2000-2002)

Sydney F. J. Pilley, MD, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1974-1975)

Fabiana C. Policeni, MD, Iowa City, Iowa—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2008-2009)

Jane Z. Portnoy, MD, Narberth, Pa.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1981-1982)

Michael J. Price, MD, Malden, Mass.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1982-1983)

Sandeep Randhawa, MD, Livonia, Md.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2005-2006)

Enrique J. Rivera, MD, Puerto Rico—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2014-2015)

Johane M. Robitaille, MD, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada—Pediatric Ophthalmology (1994); Neuro-Ophthalmology (1995)

Jacinthe Rouleau, MD, Montreal, Quebec, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2006-2007)

Travis C. Rumery, DO, Madison, Wis.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2009-2010)

Paul C. Rutkowski, MD, Harrison, N.Y.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1971)

Colin J. Scott, MD, Peoria, Ill.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2007-2008)

Vinay A. Shah, MD, Oklahoma City—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2005-2006)

Shira Simon, MD, MBA, Chicago—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2016-2017)

Peter H. Spiegel, MD, Palm Desert, Calif.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1995-1996)

Lael J. Stander, MD, Colorado Springs, Col.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2017-2018)

N. Troy Tagg, MD, Olney, Md.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2007-2008)

Denise Taylor, MD, St. Louis—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1980-1981)

Melanie Troung, DO, OD, Dallas—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2018-2019)

Joel M. Weinstein, MD, Hershey, Pa.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1978-1979)

William N. White, II, MD, Perry, N.Y.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1993-1994)

Kimberly Winges, MD, Portland, Ore.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (2012-2013)

David H. Zackon, MD, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1981-1982)

Ronald M. Zahoruk, MD, FRCS—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1971)

Thomas J. Zweifel, DO, Sheboygan, Wis.—Neuro-Ophthalmology (1978-1979)

Mailing Address:

Sophia Chung, MD 
Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship Director 
Department of Ophthalmology 
200 Hawkins Dr. Iowa City, IA 52242-1091 

E-Mail:

Ramona Weber, Fellowship Coordinator
email: ramona-weber@uiowa.edu
telephone: (319)356-1951

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Ophthalmology Fellowship Director

Alina Dumitrescu, MD, FACS
University of Iowa Health Care
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242-1091

Email: alina-dumitrescu@uiowa.edu 

Ophthalmology Fellowship Coordinator

Vikki Bell
University of Iowa Health Care
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242-1091

Email: vikki-bell@uiowa.edu 
Phone: 319-356-0382