Glaucoma Fellowship

Our glaucoma fellowship program is designed to take you from the completion of your residency into a clinical and surgical learning environment that consistently builds skill and confidence while emphasizing outstanding patient care, professionalism, interpersonal skills, and community service, all of which shape tomorrow’s highly effective and ethical ophthalmologists and glaucoma specialists.

We are strongly committed to education, a high degree of respect and rapport between our residents, fellows, and attendings. This fosters close mentorships furthering our commitment to clinical and academic excellence. Cooperation, work ethic, and friendships among our residents and fellows are equally impressive.

We believe our program is poised to develop into one of the top glaucoma fellowships in the world.

Storm Eye Institute offers one clinical glaucoma fellowship position annually.

Charleston also has a rich history of private practices specializing in glaucoma. The fellow will also spend time with the physicians at Glaucoma Consultants of Charleston & Center for Eye Research in nearby Mount Pleasant. By working with Drs. Elizabeth Sharpe and Alexander Kent, the fellow will medically manage glaucoma patients in clinic as well as surgically, in a private hospital setting. Through the hospital clinics and the private practice office setting, the fellow has the opportunity to determine which practice model they will purse when the fellowship is completed. There is also the opportunity to participate in clinical trials research with Dr. Sharpe.

Call is divided among the glaucoma fellow and two pediatric fellows and the clinical chief resident, with the attending physicians taking the remaining attending call. The glaucoma fellow also has clinics of their own, supervised by an attending available for consultation, should the need arise. The fellow spends one to two days per week in the operating room. There are no weekend clinics. The fellowship program emphasizes education through experience and the fellow’s role is hands-on.

All fellows may participate in research projects at Storm Eye and are encouraged to present original work at national meetings during the year with an available travel stipend.

The program director hosts a monthly Glaucoma Journal Club for the glaucoma fellow, current glaucoma resident, and any interested residents and attendings. The fellow and the glaucoma resident present research articles and cases for discussion. These events are designed to further the development of the Storm Eye glaucoma fellow's education and training. 

The glaucoma fellow will also participate with the clinical chief resident in didactic sessions for the residents as they prepare for their annual OKAP examination. This is an excellent opportunity for the glaucoma fellow to prepare for the board examination as well as to gain experience in lecturing and teaching to junior physicians.

Additionally, the fellow is expected to attend the weekly grand rounds sessions where attendings, residents, researchers, and invited speakers present lectures. Cases are presented and the faculty and residents are questioned about diagnosis and management of complex ocular conditions. The glaucoma fellow is expected to present one or two grand rounds during the year.