Eileen Hwang, MD, PhD, joined the John A. Moran Eye Center in October 2019. She specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of children and adults with retinal conditions.
This includes age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusions, myopic degeneration, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, retinal tears, retinal detachment, retinopathy of prematurity, Sticklers syndrome, Coats disease, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, and traumatic eye injury.
Hwang received her bachelor’s degree in physics from Princeton Ï㽶ÊÓƵ. She obtained her doctorate and medical degree at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed her ophthalmology residency at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah. She went on to complete a two-year fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin where she performed lensectomy, vitrectomy, scleral buckles, lasers, and injections in infants, children, and adults.
A seasoned researcher, Hwang received the VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation Research Award, the Randall J Olson Scholar Award from Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation, and an F30 fellowship from the National Institutes of Health – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. She was recently accepted into the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah’s Vice President’s Clinical & Translational (VPCAT) Research Scholars Program.
Her current research focuses on how the vitreous changes after birth, and how pediatric and age-related vitreoretinal diseases can be prevented or treated by altering the biochemistry and extracellular matrix structure of the vitreous. She is particularly interested in abnormalities of the vitreous in high myopia and Stickler’s syndrome and prevention of retinal detachment.
Hwang’s scientific and exploratory nature manifests in her other passions as well. She has worked as a ski patroller and emergency medical technician and spent a year as a park ranger in Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park. She is also an avid biker and rock-climber.
"Ophthalmology is a perfect fit for me. I really love learning and exploring new places, concepts, and ideas. I enjoy hands-on surgery and patient care," she said. "I’m so glad I chose to come to Moran as a resident and that they chose me, and I’m excited to be back here, working with patients and as a researcher. It’s the best of all worlds."
Hwang sees patients at Moran’s Redstone, Redwood, South Jordan, and Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah locations.