Training

The Storm Eye Institute is a joint residency.  Incoming residents can elect to spend their internship in either a preliminary year with internal medicine or a transitional year with family medicine. In both programs, residents spend dedicated time on inpatient wards, as well as in areas of interest such as emergency medicine, outpatient clinics, consult services, and the ICU. 3 months of Ophthalmology is built into each resident’s schedule regardless of which internship they select.

Each of the subsequent years are divided into four 3-month rotations, each of which is designed to ensure sufficient exposure to every ophthalmic subspecialty and to develop the skills and knowledge to be an excellent comprehensive ophthalmologist.

The first year of residency at Storm Eye allows for breadth and depth of clinical and procedural skill development as well as early surgical training. PGY2 residents work one-on-one with experienced faculty, allowing for close mentorship and tailored learning.

• Cornea & Glaucoma: On this rotation, PGY2 residents gain experience diagnosing and treating corneal pathologies as well as medically managing glaucoma. Residents participate in refractive surgeries, IOL selection, and femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery. They perform YAG capsulotomies, SLTs, and conjunctivoplasties. The resident will also practice the steps of cataract surgery with the goal of completing an entire surgery from start to finish by the end of the rotation. Our cornea and refractive division is very innovative, therefore our residents become familiar with the newest intraocular lenses and cutting-edge technology.
• Oculoplastics & Comprehensive: This rotation provides comprehensive exposure to clinical and surgical oculoplastic care. Residents become proficient in diagnosing and managing a wide range of eyelid lesions
• and orbital pathologies. Residents perform eviscerations, enucleations and numerous blepharoplasties as well as assist in complex orbital cases and reconstructions. When not working one-on-one with experienced oculoplastics faculty, residents strengthen their skills in our comprehensive clinics.
• Retina & Neuro-ophthalmology: This rotation offers a diverse clinical experience with two days per week in neuro-ophthalmology clinic and two days per month in the oculoplastics OR. The remainder of the resident’s time is spent in retina clinic, where they gain confidence interpreting ophthalmic imaging, diagnosing and managing common retinal diseases, and performing more than one hundred intravitreal injections.
• Pediatrics & VA: On this rotation, PGY2 residents spend the majority of their time gaining proficiency in pediatric ophthalmology clinic. They spend an average of one day per week treating adults in their own comprehensive clinic at the VA. In addition, each Friday afternoon is spent in the resident-run procedure clinic at the VA where they perform YAG capsulotomies, SLTs, chalazion and lid lesion excisions, and botox injections.

The second year of residency fosters clinical autonomy and surgical development.

• VA: PGY3 residents function as independent comprehensive ophthalmologists (with staff supervision) at the VA continuity clinic. They see patients in clinic two days per week and have a half day dedicated to procedure clinic. They also spend two days in the OR, where they perform amass 20+ cataract surgeries.
• Retina: As a PGY3, residents experience all that vitreoretinal surgery has to offer. Residents diagnose and manage complex patients in clinic and perform many procedures, including pan-retinal photocoagulation, laser retinopexy, and another 100+ intravitreal injections. In the OR, residents perform core vitrectomies, scleral buckles and get to place sutured and anterior chamber IOLs. Because of our faculty, our residents get plenty of opportunities for primary vitreoretinal surgeries.
• Pediatrics: As a PGY3, residents perform a high volume of primary surgeries with an emphasis on strabismus surgery. They also assist in complex pediatric cases, including glaucoma and cataract surgeries. When not in the OR, the resident sees patients in pediatric ophthalmology clinic.
• Consults: PGY3 residents spend one rotation seeing adult and pediatric consults. During this rotation, the PGY3 performs a number of emergent bedside procedure and develops their ability to manage complex patients.

The PGY4 year concentrates on perfecting surgical skills.

• General & Uveitis: The PGY4 resident performs cataract surgery an average of two days per week on this rotation. They also perform daytime trauma cases. When not in the OR, the resident on this rotation gains expertise in general and complex uveitis clinics.
• VA Teaching: The PGY4 resident performs cataract surgeries on two dedicated surgery days per week. They also perform primary glaucoma cases and MIGS. In addition to honing their own skills as the primary surgeon, the PGY4 resident works directly with a PGY3 resident and our staff physicians to help guide them through their first 20+ cataract surgeries. When not in the OR, the PGY4 resident spends two days per week functioning as an independent ophthalmologist in comprehensive clinic and a half day per week in a dedicated procedure clinic. In the procedure clinic, the PG4 resident helps teach younger residents how to perform various laser and eyelid procedures, including botox injections.
• VA Comprehensive: The PGY4 resident functions as an independent comprehensive ophthalmologist in their own clinic and OR. They perform cataract surgery one to two days per week, run their own comprehensive continuity clinic two days per week, and have dedicated elective time to pursue their unique areas of interest.
• Glaucoma: The PGY4 resident is immersed in the medical and surgical management of complicated glaucoma patients. They spend two or three days per week in the OR, allowing them to operate as the primary surgeon on trabeculectomies, tube shunts, cataracts, and a wide variety of MIGS. Our glaucoma faculty are constantly at the cutting edge, meaning our residents are often the first in the country to implement new technology in the OR.

• Cataract Surgery: Average 260, range: 214-290
• Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery (FLACS): Average 10
• Refractive Surgery: Average 8, range: 7-10 (PRK, LASIK)
• Keratoplasty: 1-2 Primary/ 8 to 17 Assistant 
• Glaucoma Surgery: Average 15, range: 9-28 (Trabeculectomy, tube shunts)
• Retina Surgery: Average 35 (PPV), range:17-61 
• Strabismus Surgery: Average 25, range: 12-37
• Oculoplastic Surgery: Average 65, range: 52-90
• Open Globe Surgery: Average 8, range: 4-16. 
• Laser Surgery: Yage: Average 35, Panretinal Photocoagulation: 15, SLT: 100, LRI: 8,
• Intravitreal Injections: Average 70, range 43-120

Every Friday afternoon from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. is dedicated to academics with mandatory attendance by all residents except for the on-call team. These afternoons are filled with traditional in-person lectures, asynchronous lectures, and at least monthly skills transfer wet labs.

Weekly resident-led lecture which include faculty and senior resident presentation covering high-yield review material. 

Tuesdays at 7 a.m. in the 8th floor auditorium or virtually, these include presentations by attendings, researchers, and guest presenters. Residents are required to present two grand rounds per academic year

Once a month, residents, attendings, and members of the Charleston ophthalmology community come together for a fun night of dining and education. Typically, three articles are presented by residents for a socratic discussion in a social atmosphere. 

Invited speakers and our own faculty will provide update on cutting-edge research in ophthalmology. Second and third year residents will present mystery cases at Ultimate Grand Rounds. We welcome back our alumni for this special event. 

The Belinda C. Barker surgical training suite is a state-of-the-art wet lab equipped with two operating microscopes with integrated overhead flat screen displays to allow others to watch, learn, and instruct. 

There are several formal wet labs presented throughout the year led by senior residents and faculty. These include suturing, corneal transplantation, management of globe trauma, eyelid surgery, cataract surgery (including phaco and MSICS), placement of MIGS devices, placement of retinal trocars, and retinal lasering tutorials. 

In addition, the wet lab is available 24/7 for any interested resident to learn on their own. We have easy access to pig eyes as well as training models to hone your surgical techniques.