What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Home
United States
Madison, WI
UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

We are the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Overview
Chair – Terri L.

The Department is a global leader in sight saving discovery. We are proud of our strong research history, exceptional patient care and forward-thinking training for the ophthalmologists of tomorrow. Young, MD, MBA
Clinical Faculty – 35+
Research Faculty – 20+
Optometrists – 9
Endowed Professorships – 7

09/09/2026

Some of the most meaningful legacies begin quietly.

They are not built for recognition or accolades, but from the simple conviction that one person can make a difference. Over time, those quiet acts of service can transform communities, shape generations of learners, and improve countless lives.

Thirty years ago, Hugo Higa, MD, planted one such seed.

A 1996 ophthalmology alumnus from DOVS, Dr. Higa helped found what would become one of the department’s longest-running and most impactful community outreach initiatives: the Right to Sight Clinic.

Its story began with a deeply rooted desire to help people. With the support of faculty mentors Suresh Chandra, MD, and Guillermo de Venecia, MD—who also shared his commitment to underserved populations—Dr. Higa set out to build a clinic focused on patients in need in his community.

Working with local homeless shelters, free clinics, government agencies, and community organizations, Dr. Higa established a referral network and secured partnerships, including ones with Combat Blindness International (CBI) to assist with clinic expenditures and LensCrafters, to provide eyeglasses at no cost.

That original Right to Sight clinic from April 1995 was modest: two ophthalmology residents, one faculty physician, one technician, and approximately 10 patients each month.

Before graduating, Dr. Higa passed the program to the next class of residents—a tradition that has continued uninterrupted for three decades.

Today, the Right to Sight Clinic has grown into a comprehensive community-based program supported by UW Health and DOVS. Faculty, ophthalmology residents, medical students, technicians, schedulers, opticians, and community donors work together to provide care. Rather than a single monthly clinic, the program now operates as multiple clinics throughout the year, culminating in a large annual clinic capable of serving as many as 70 patients in a single day.

Learn more about Dr. Higa and the Right to Sight Clinic: https://www.ophth.wisc.edu/blog/2026/09/08/hugo-higa-hidden-hero-award/

09/04/2026

Our department was well represented by faculty, ophthalmology residents, medical students and alumni at the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) summer symposium in Monterey, CA. In addition to delivering a number of talks, faculty served in key leadership roles. Cat Burkat, MD, FACS was Program Co-Chair and Chair of the Abstract Committee. Anna Momont, MD serves on the WIO Board of Directors.

09/01/2026

Get to Know Dr. Monica Lieng!

From favorite hobbies to fun facts, read through to get to know our new Pediatric fellow a little better.

08/27/2026

From Hyderabad to Madurai, then to Chennai and finally to New Delhi, DOVS Chair Terri Young, MD, MBA recently spent two weeks traveling throughout India to strengthen partnerships and advance a shared global mission: eye research to advance eye health for all.

From July 21 through August 7, 2026, Dr. Young visited four major cities in India, delivering featured scientific lectures, touring clinics and research facilities, and meeting with institutional leaders to explore opportunities for new and continued collaborations in research, education, and patient care.

Learn more about Dr. Young's time in India: https://www.ophth.wisc.edu/blog/2026/08/26/terri-young-india-2026/

08/25/2026

Get to Know Dr. Evan Selzer!

From favorite hobbies to favorite food, read through to get to know one of our new retina fellows a little better.

08/13/2026

For Sanbrita Mondal, OD, FAAO, patient care and teaching have always gone hand in hand.

Whether she’s helping someone adapt to vision loss or mentoring the next generation of eye care professionals, her goal is the same: leave people better equipped than when they arrived.

Dr. Mondal is an optometrist at UW Health in Madison, WI and a clinical adjunct associate professor. In June 2026, she was honored as the department’s Distinguished Community Educator.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” Dr. Mondal said. “I like making connections to understand the individual behind the eyes. Every person’s visual needs are a puzzle we solve together. If I can help someone achieve even one important visual goal, that’s a win. When a patient leaves feeling more confident about living with the vision they have, I’ve accomplished something meaningful.”

In 2018, she became the first optometrist within DOVS to receive clinical adjunct faculty status. She credits that innovative change with opening the door for future eye doctors to learn the significance of optometry, vision rehabilitation, and the importance of referring to those services as standard of care.

“We’re facing a critical national shortage of ophthalmology providers, and the need for ophthalmologists and vision rehabilitation specialists continues to grow,” she said. “I hope my teaching inspires more learners to pursue these careers so we can continue providing timely, high-quality care for patients.”

Appointed director of low vision services, Dr. Mondal built the program from the ground up, creating a comprehensive vision rehabilitation service to meet the growing needs of her patients. She was promoted to Chief of Vision Rehabilitation Services in 2022.

She believes that spirit of collaboration is one of DOVS’ greatest strengths.

“I am very proud to be a member of the DOVS community,” she said. “Our department is one of the few in the nation that truly values the partnership between ophthalmology and optometry. Together, we provide the best possible care for our patients.”

Learn more: https://www.ophth.wisc.edu/blog/2026/08/06/sanbrita-mondal-distinguished-community-educator/

08/11/2026

Get to Know Dr. Olivia DiGioia!

From favorite hobbies to fun facts, read through to get to know one of our new PGY1 residents a little better.

08/07/2026

In the span of just a few months, Terri Young, MD, MBA passed one national leadership baton and picked up another— placing her at the forefront of two of ophthalmology’s most influential organizations.

In early 2025, Dr. Young, chair of UW DOVS, began her term as president of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO). AUPO is an organization of department chairs, residency program directors, medical student educators, and administrators from academic ophthalmology training and research programs.

Dr. Young served in this role through the February 2026 annual meeting.

Just weeks later, in May 2026, Dr. Young assumed the presidency of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. With nearly 12,000 members from more than 60 countries, ARVO convenes a global community of scientists, students, and allied professionals dedicated to advancing vision research.

Looking ahead, Dr. Young expects vision research to focus increasingly on developing new methodologies that reduce reliance on animal testing. Emerging technologies such as stem cell-derived tissues and retinal organoids offer promising alternatives.

She also sees artificial intelligence as a transformative tool for the field. “We need to look at how we apply AI to real-world clinical circumstances, especially to improve clinical workflows and to digest and analyze increasingly large global data sets,” she said. “The ultimate goal is not only discovery, but providing patients with information that is personalized, impactful, and timely.”

Dr. Young will serve as ARVO president through the close of the 2027 annual meeting.

08/05/2026

Get to Know Dr. Shayan Massoumi!

From favorite hobbies to fun facts, read through to get to know one of our new PGY1 residents a little better.

08/03/2026

On July 1, 2026, Amitha Domalpally, MD, PhD, was appointed as the inaugural Wisconsin Reading Center (WRC) Professor in Imaging Innovation.

A national and international leader in retinal image biomarkers and Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Domalpally currently serves as the director of the WRC, co-chair of the 2025-26 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Retina Program Committee, and Scientific Chair of the Society for Artificial Intelligence in Vision and Ophthalmology. Earlier this year, she received the ARVO Gold Fellow award for her contribution to research, professional service, and mentorship within the field.

Dr. Domalpally’s career has been anchored around three areas of focus in retinal imaging research: improving measurement methods for retinal diseases, evaluating new therapies, and incorporating new technologies into research. For nearly 20 years with the WRC, she has refined image evaluation processes and modernized the Center’s clinical research. One such example was the establishment of the A-EYE research unit in 2021, under her leadership.

During her five-year tenure, Dr. Domalpally intends to continually improve how retinal diseases are measured and study how new technologies such as AI are integrated into clinical research. In an educational scope, she will seek to develop training opportunities to prepare future ophthalmologists for an AI-enabled healthcare environment.

Having served the WRC since 2007, Dr. Domalpally is widely respected by her peers and mentees in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. This professorship is a testament to her leadership and innovation in the pursuit of saving sight.

Address

2828 Marshall Court
Madison, WI
53705

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://www.eyes.wisc.edu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences:

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Madison?