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Find the latest news and events for the Department of Ophthalmology at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Department News


Department of Ophthalmology Launches Technician Training Program

Applications are now being accepted for a one year certificate training program that will combine didactics and practical experience working in eye clinics. There is currently a shortage of skilled ophthalmic technicians nationwide.

The Ophthalmic Technician Training certificate is a year long program of hands on training and lectures with the expectation that the student will gain the knowledge and experience needed to sit for the Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) exam. Students will enroll through IUPUI and will be considered IUPUI students. They will follow the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Technician Training textbook curriculum. The students will have an opportunity to rotate through pediatrics and adult clinics at Riley Hospital for Children, Glick Eye Institute, and Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.


Faculty members fighting glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in the United States, with the number of cases expected to rise to 6.3 million by 2050, according to the National Eye Institute.

This age-related condition occurs when fluid builds up within the eye, causing high pressure and irreversible damage to the optic nerve. The disease progresses slowly, so many patients don’t notice the earliest signs. Unfortunately, vision loss caused by glaucoma can’t be undone.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology specializes in glaucoma research, treatment and prevention. Get to know the faculty members leading these efforts. 

News and Blogs Hub

Get a glimpse into the working and learning environment of IU School of Medicine.

Newsroom and Blogs

New research aims to develop novel therapeutic for glaucoma

INDIANAPOLIS—Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are using a novel approach to hopefully develop a new therapy for glaucoma, a complex disease that eventually leads to blindness, thanks to a new five-year, $2 million R01 grant from the National Eye Institute.

IU School of Medicine  |  Jan 04, 2024

Faculty News

Dr. Amir Hajrasouliha Receives 2023 Falk Trust Catalyst Award

Dr. Amir Hajrasouliha Receives 2023 Falk Trust Catalyst Award. Congratulations on this prestigious recognition!

IU School of Medicine  |  Nov 28, 2023

Researchers discover therapeutic target to aid in glaucoma treatment

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified a new therapeutic target that could lead to more effective treatment of glaucoma.

IU School of Medicine  |  Mar 10, 2023

Grad Student Life

New vision science course starting in spring 2023

Biology of the Visual System (OPHT-V783) is an elective course focused on the biochemical, molecular and cell biological basis of vision.

IU School of Medicine  |  Nov 08, 2022

Researchers take aim at vision loss with nano technology

Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine and the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI are developing a solution for those experiencing vision impairment, thanks to a new $450,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

IU School of Medicine  |  Sep 14, 2022

Faculty News

Faculty member helps make diagnostic children's book a reality

The Curious Eye is available to download for free at the Children's Eye Foundation, making it widely available to clinicians and parents. Gavin Roberts, MD, an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at IU School of Medicine, served as the medical advisor for the project.

Caitlin VanOverberghe  |  Feb 10, 2022

Department awarded RPB grant

The Indiana University School of Medicine has been granted a Challenge Grant by Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) in the amount of $75,000 a year for four years to support eye research conducted by the Department of Ophthalmology.

This funding has been awarded based on a thorough review of criteria, including the department's research activities, laboratory environment, and clinical and scientific staff, as evaluated by RPB's renowned Scientific Advisory Panel. RPB Challenge Grants encourage growth for emerging eye research programs and recently appointed department chairs. The funds will be deployed at the discretion of the department chair, to provide opportunities for creative planning and research program development that go beyond the scope of restricted project grants.

Indiana University School of Medicine holds one of five RPB Challenge Grants nationwide.

Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled more than $387 million into eye research. As a result, RPB has been identified with nearly every major breakthrough in vision research in that time. For information on RPB's grants program, listings of RPB institutional and individual grantees, and findings generated by these awards, go to www.rpbusa.org.