UK Ophthalmology Alumni

Meet our new interns! 👋 During their integrated PGY-1 year, they’re rotating throughout the hospital, but we’re lucky to have them on the ophthalmology service for three months each. We can’t wait for you to get to know them—and for us to get to know them even better!

This time weekend, UK Ophthalmology joined several community organizations for a Back-to-School Extravaganza serving local children. Together, we performed 45 eye exams and provided 26 pairs of free glasses to help kids start the school year seeing their best!

Events like this are just one example of how our UK Global Ophthalmology residents, like Jaycob Avaylon , live out a commitment to service—caring for patients both here in Kentucky and around the world.

PGY1-4 holding down the fort on call!

Can you spot the Leigh Light ™️?

It turns out enough call nights, cataracts, and “papilledema checks” can eventually earn you a diploma. Join us in congratulating our PGY4s and fellows!

PGY4s
• Diana Khair, MD → Cornea Fellowship at University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY
• Cody Blanchard, MD → Comprehensive Private Practice in Savannah, GA
• Ryan Harpole, MD → Comprehensive Private Practice in Paducah, KY
• Kevin Wang, MD → Cornea Fellowship at Bascom Palmer in Miami, FL

Fellows
• Anna Beth Harris, OD
• Mennatullah Elfwwal, MD → Pediatrics at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN
• Janice Hernandez, MD → Oculoplastics at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, TX
• Tejaswini Matsyaraja, MD → Medical Retina at Emory University in Atlanta, GA
• Maela Hyder, MD → Glaucoma, Private Practice in Pensacola, FL
• Paras Vora, MD → Vitreoretinal Surgery, Private Practice in Roanoke, VA

Congrats, grads — thanks for making this program brighter, funnier, and only mildly chaotic. Wildcats for life!

Representing at the GME resident and fellow committee!

Proud of our for receiving the 2025 Resident Excellence Award by the

‘Celebrating Excellence in Ophthalmology! The ASCRS Foundation is proud to recognize the recipients of the 2025 Resident Excellence Awards- outstanding ophthalmology residents who have demonstrated exceptional performance in research, patient care, leadership, and education.’

Orbital Extravaganza 🎉 with Dr. Michael Yoon, Oculoplastics Harvard Medicine 👀

Thank you Dr. Capoor for hosting the cornea journal club at your beautiful house. We love the greenhouse 💚🍀🌿

UKGO outreach clinic.

A team of 30 residents, attendings, medical students, and technicians made the 150-mile drive down to Bowling Green on Saturday to run a free pediatric eye clinic for uninsured and refugee children. The clinic offered screenings as well as complete dilated eye exams, refractions, and optical fittings. Dr. Higgins’ famous portable phoropter setup was also featured. A total of nearly 170 children were screened, and over 110 glasses prescriptions were written. Free prescription glasses will be mailed to each child. The outreach was sponsored by the UK Global Ophthalmology program, a unique feature of our residency. We’re grateful the program allows us to have such a big impact on eye care in Kentucky, especially for underserved populations!

Pgy3s in Philly for the Wills Eye Review Course. Fun week filled with learning and discovering a new city!