Meet the Teaching Faculty

Comprehensive

Eliza Barnwell, MD

Hometown: Charleston, SC
Undergrad: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Fellowship: Global Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: comprehensive, cataract, global ophthalmology

Ethan Joseph, MD (Trauma Co-chief)

Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergrad: Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA
Medical School: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
Residency: Internal Medicine – Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Ophthalmology – Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: comprehensive, cataracts, ocular trauma, systemic diseases & eye

Joseph M Lally, MD

Hometown: New Jersey
Undergrad: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Medical School: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
Residency: UMDNJ, Newark, NJ
Fellowship: Cornea, Manhattan Eye & Ear, New York, NY
Clinical Focus: cataracts

Lynn Poole Perry, MD, PhD

Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Fellowship: Ophthalmic Pathology, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Clinical Focus: comprehensive, cataracts, ophthalmic pathology, uveitis

Elise Steinberger, MD (Trauma Co-chief)

Hometown: Wichita, KS
Undergrad: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Medical School: Tufts University, Boston, MA
Residency: Dean McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
Clinical Focus: comprehensive, cataracts, ocular trauma

Cornea

Karen B Fernandez, MD

Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Medical School: De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
Residency: Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
Fellowships: Cornea – Mount Sinai University, New York, NY; Dry Eye – Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: cataract, corneal transplant, dry eye disease

Karolinne M Rocha, MD, PhD (Fellowship Program Director)

Hometown: Londrina, Brazil
Medical School: Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
Residency: Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
Fellowships: Cornea & Refractive Disease, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; Cornea & Refractive Disease, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA
Clinical Focus: cataract, corneal transplantation, laser vision correction, intraocular and phakic lenses, keratoconus

Glaucoma

Jella A An, MD, MBA (Fellowship Program Director)

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Undergrad: McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Medical School: McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Residency: McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Fellowship: Glaucoma, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Clinical Focus: cataract, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, laser glaucoma surgery

Tala M Kassm, DO

Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergrad: University of Texas, Austin, TX
Medical School: A T Still University, Mesa, AZ
Residency: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Fellowship: Glaucoma, Storm Eye Institute, MUSC, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: complex cataracts, glaucoma, improving quality of life for patients by optimizing vision and education

Matthew J Nutaitis, MD

Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Undergrad: George Mason University
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Fellowship: Glaucoma, Storm Eye Institute, MUSC, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: resident teaching, glaucoma

Neuro-Ophthalmology

Eric L Berman, MD

Hometown: Suburban New York City, NY
Undergrad: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Medical School: SUNY Downstate, Brooklyn, NY
Residency: SUNY Downstate, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship: Neuro-ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Clinical Focus: idiopathic intracranial hypertension, optic nerve diseases, blepharospasms, hemifacial spasms

Ocular Oncology

George N Magrath IV, MD, MBA

Hometown: Conway, SC
Undergrad: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Fellowship: Ocular Oncology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: orbital and ocular oncology

Oculoplastic Surgery

Susannah L Brown, MD (Assistant Residency Program Director)

Hometown: Milton, MA
Undergrad: Bates College, Lewiston, ME
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Fellowship: Oculoplastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Clinical Focus: orbital surgery, cosmetic surgery

Andrew S Eiseman, MD (Department Chair)

Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Undergrad: United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Residency: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
Fellowship: Oculoplastic Surgery, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: orbital trauma, tearing, eyelid reconstruction, thyroid eye disease

Pediatric Ophthalmology

James Bowsher, MD (Residency Program Director, Fellowship Program Director)

Hometown: Dover, OH
Undergrad: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
Residency: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Fellowship: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Clinical Focus: pediatric cataract and glaucoma, retinopathy of prematurity, strabismus, global pediatric ophthalmology

Larissa Gouvea, MD

Hometown: Manaus, Brazil
Medical School: Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
Residency: Eye Hospital of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil
Fellowships: Cornea – University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Pediatric Cornea – Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Pediatric Ophthalmology – Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: adult and pediatric cornea, pediatric ophthalmology, keratoconus

M. Millicent Peterseim, MD

Hometown: Lexington, VA
Undergrad: Duke University, Durham, NC
Medical School: Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Residency: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Fellowship: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Duke Eye Center, Durham, NC
Clinical Focus: pediatric ophthalmology, adult strabismus, pediatric vision screening, genetics of eye diseases, international ophthalmology

M Edward Wilson, MD (Chair Emeritus)

Hometown: Charleston, SC
Undergrad: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Fellowship: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Clinical Focus: strabismus, pediatric cataract, global pediatric ophthalmology

Vitreoretinal Surgery

Jeffrey Blice, MD

Hometown: New Jersey
Undergrad: Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
Medical School: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Surgery & Ocular Oncology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: ophthalmic imaging, telehealth

Mauricio D Pereira, MD, PhD

Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Medical School: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Residency: Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fellowships: Vitreoretinal Surgery, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil; Vitreoretinal Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
Clinical Focus: adult retina and vitreous disorders, diabetic retinopathy, complications from cataract surgery, surgical treatment of macular disorders

Peter H Tang, MD, PhD (Fellowship Program Director)

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Fellowships: Vitreoretinal Surgery & Ocular Oncology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL; Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Clinical Focus: pediatric & adult retina, ocular oncology, secondary intraocular lenses, ophthalmic innovation, medical education

Ralph Johnson Charleston VA Medical Center

Charles Beischel, MD, PhD (Chief of Ophthalmology)

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Undergrad: Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: veterans care, comprehensive, cataracts, global ophthalmology

Edward W Cheeseman, MD

Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ
Undergrad: United States Naval Academy, Naval Academy, MD
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Residency: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Fellowship: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Clinical Focus: comprehensive, cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity

Sudeep Das, MD

Hometown: Rock Hill, SC
Undergrad: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: cataracts, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, oculoplastic surgery, comprehensive

Jan A Kylstra, MD

Hometown: Durham, NC
Undergrad: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Medical School: Duke University, Durham, NC
Residency: Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Surgery, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Clinical Focus: medical retina

Laura K Magnuson, MD, MPH

Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Undergrad: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Medical School: Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Residency: Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Fellowship: Glaucoma, Storm Eye Institute, MUSC, Charleston, SC
Clinical Focus: glaucoma, cataract, comprehensive

Robert Peyser, MD

Hometown: Charleston, SC
Undergrad: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Medical School: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Residency: George Washington University, Washington, DC
Fellowship: Ocular Oncology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Focus: comprehensive

Elizabeth D Sharpe, MD

Hometown: North Augusta, SC
Undergrad: Converse College, Spartanburg, SC
Medical School: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Fellowship: Glaucoma, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Clinical Focus: medical and surgical management of glaucoma