Glaucoma Fellowship

Glaucoma Fellowship Program at Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans

The Section of Glaucoma in the Department of Ophthalmology at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans offers an Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) Fellowship Compliance Committee (FCC) one-year fellowship. The fellowship’s goal is to provide an excellent opportunity for an ophthalmologist wishing to develop an expertise in the clinical and surgical management of glaucoma.

Our program is recognized for its diverse patient population and wide clinical spectrum of disease severity. Our fellow is given graded responsibility in clinic and surgery, as well as the experience of a team-based approach to clinical and surgical care of patients.

Our faculty and leadership are strongly committed to our fellow’s personal and professional growth.

During training, our fellow should expect to:

Master clinical skills specific to glaucoma.
Perform outpatient laser surgery.
Operate 1 to 2 days per week, and develop surgical expertise in a wide variety of surgical procedures.
- Perform filtration surgery.
- Insert glaucoma drainage devices.
- Have experience with Cyclophotocoagulation: diode and micropulse laser.
- Have experience with microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices (e.g., iStent®, Kahook Dual Blade®, Hydrus®, Xen®, and Omni®).
Experience exposure to pediatric glaucoma, surgical revisions, and reoperations.
Meet/exceed national surgical averages of AUPO FCC programs.
Have ample time to study for Board Certification.

Evaluation and care of the patients on the glaucoma service
Teaching residents and medical students
Organizing and supervising a monthly glaucoma conference
Assisting residents in answering glaucoma consults and referrals on patients admitted to the Ochsner Medical Center
Staffing the glaucoma clinic at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, LA

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
OMC-Clinic	OMC-Clinic	OMC-Surgery	LJCMC-Clinic	LJCMC 1,3 Surgery
		5PM Grand Rounds		OMC 2,4,5 Clinic

OMC = Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans

LJCMC = Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center

Lead Journal Club with faculty, residents, and medical students.
Participate in Ochsner and Louisiana State University (LSU) Grand Rounds.
Participate in research activities such as peer review for glaucoma manuscripts, projects resulting in publication or presentation, and presentation at regional ophthalmology meetings.
Earn the opportunity to attend the Duke Glaucoma Fellows Course.

Jonathan Nussdorf, MD
- Chairman, Glaucoma Fellowship Program Director
Katherine Loftfield, MD
- Faculty
Casey Cahill, MD
- Faculty
Denise Capps, MD, MSc
- Faculty

Sara J. Coulon, MD
- Faculty

Current Fellow

Zachary Davis, MD

Medical School
- Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Internship
- University of Miami-Holy Cross Hospital
Ophthalmology Residency
- Louisiana State University New Orleans

Recent Alumni

The Ochsner Glaucoma Program has trained 35 fellows since its inception in 1980.

Adam Luka, MD
- 2021-2022 Private Practice Chattanooga, TN

Denise Capps, MD
- 2020-2021 Ochsner Health
Edward Washington, MD
- 2019-2020 University of Louisville, Kentucky Lions Eye Center
Osemelu Aburime, MD
- 2018-2019 Eye Specialty Group, Tennessee
Brian Herst, MD
- 2017-2018 Eye Physicians & Surgeons Chicago
Miriam Habiel, MD
- 2016-2017 Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Ana Shi, MD
- 2015-2016 Monterey Bay Eye Center
Shalin Shah, MD
- 2014-2015 Eye Physician & Surgeons, Pc, Georgia

Alumni Comments

"5 years out of fellowship, I realize more and more how excellent my training was surgically and clinically with Dr. Loftfield and Dr. Nussdorf. After fellowship, I entered a complex academic practice and because of my training and the mentorship I received I felt prepared clinically and surgically dealing with a variety of anterior segment and complex glaucoma patients. Thankful for my experience and time at Ochsner."

- Miriam Habiel, MD | 2016-2017 Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

"The Ochsner Glaucoma Fellowship prepared me for rigorous clinical practice in urban and rural environments. I gained valuable surgical skills and confident clinical decision making at their outpatient facilities within Jefferson and Houma, Louisiana. Dr. Nussdorf and Dr. Loftfield are my lifelong mentors and were wonderful clinical and surgical teachers. I learned the intricacies of glaucoma surgery. I increased surgical cases in Ahmed tube, Baerveldt tube, trabeculectomy, goniotomy, Xen gel stent placement and micropulse/CPC laser surgeries. The staff and faculty of Ochsner are professional, caring and understanding of residents, fellows and patient needs. I recommend Ochsner Glaucoma fellowship for future academics and private practice physicians."

- Edward Washington, MD | 2019-2020 University of Louisville, Kentucky Lions Eye Center

Interested applicants should register for the match at the SFMatch website.

Contact Information:

Katherine Cunningham
Phone: 504-842-3917
E-Mail: kcunningham@ochsner.org