The Best Retina Specialists in Greater Houston | Retina Consultants of Texas (2024)

Posted on May 30, 2024By Retina Consultants of Texasin General

When it comes to eye health, finding the best care is crucial, especially for complex issues involving the retina. Houston, a city known for its medical excellence, boasts several top-notch retina specialists. Among these, the Retina Consultants of Texas stand out as the premier choice. Renowned for their expertise, cutting-edge technology, and compassionate care, they provide unparalleled services for all retinal conditions. Discover why the Retina Consultants of Texas are considered the best retina specialists in Houston and how they can help you achieve optimal eye health.

Awards Our Retina Specialists Have Received

Throughout their distinguished careers, our retina specialists have earned numerous awards and accolades, some of which include:

• The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Honor Award
• The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Honor Award
• The ASRS Senior Honor Award
• The AAO Senior Achievement Award
• Retina Hall of Fame Inductee
• Newsweek’s Best Doctor in America
• Texas Super Docs
• Thomas Heed Fellowship
• Hermann-Knapp Fellowship
• Ronald G. Michels Fellowship (the highest honor for a retina surgery fellow) in the U.S.
• American Association of Medical College’s Scholarship award
• National Medical Fellowship’s Resident Award
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

Patient Reviews for RCTX’s Houston Retina Specialists

Beyond accolades from their peers, our retina specialists are known throughout Houston for their exceptional, patient-centered care. Below are just a few testimonials from some of our patients who graciously shared their stories with us:

• Dr. Hasenin Al-khersan: “Highly recommend this place. My eyes were thoroughly examined and Dr. Al Khesan is an excellent doctor. I had a very good experience.”
• Dr. Matthew Benz: “I had surgery for floaters and I couldn't ask for any better doctor for the surgery, it went very smooth and healed in a very rapid pace. Dr. Benz was very attentive and had great bed side manners.”
• Dr. David Brown: “David Brown, M.D. is an outstanding doctor who treats me with care and diligence.”
• Dr. Eric Chen: “Have been with Dr. Chen for years. That says a lot about not only the doctor but the nurses and technicians at Retina Consultants. Would recommend this practice to my family and friends.”
• Dr. Kenneth Fan: “I am a patient of Dr. Fan's and every part of my diagnosis and surgery has been extremely smooth. He is very comforting, very smart, and genuinely cares about each patient of his. He will never let you walk out of his office feeling scared or anxious. Him and his staff go above and beyond. My surgery process with him was a 10/10 and I could not recommend Dr. Fan enough.”
• Dr. Richard Fish: “Dr. Fish is one of the smartest doctors and finest men I have ever known.”
• Dr. Christopher Henry: “I have been extremely pleased with the medical care I received from Dr. Henry and his staff. They are professional and very caring. In addition, I am grateful for the after hours emergency care the practice offers. They saved my vision in my left eye and for this I am truly grateful.”
• Dr. Rosa Kim: “Dr. Kim is the most amazing and very informative and caring doctor that I have ever been too. She is so knowledgeable of her field in retina surgery.”
• Dr. Kelly Larkin: “Highly recommended by an ophthalmologist that I trust very much, Dr Larkin is attentive, a clear communicator, professional and courteous. I've been seeing ophthalmologists all my life and this one is highly competent. You'd do well to put your trust in her.”
• Dr. James Major: “Greatest group of people ever assembled. I am grateful for all of the work and diligence Dr. Major and his staff have undergone to achieve this level of excellence, expertise and service to humanity.”
• Dr. Vy Nguyen: “Dr. Vy Nguyen is the world's best of the best eye doctor. She goes extra miles for her patients.”
• Dr. Sagar Patel: “Dr Patel has professionally treated my Dad this year for retinal occlusion. He is kind and courteous and knowledgeable about his condition. His treatments have improved his eyesight where he is able to once again read. His vision is better than it was 5 years ago. We are very pleased with Dr Patel and all of his staff who are professional and take great pride in the care of their patients.”
• Dr. William Pearce: “Dr Pearce was extremely informative and he made us feel like we were a part of his family We came from Livingston and went to Beaumont and called when we arrived home to check on us. I would highly recommend him to anyone that has retina problems.”
• Dr. Effie Rahman: “I was very impressed with Dr. Rahman! Very professional, great at explaining everything they are doing before and after she does it and great positive attitude! I highly recommend her and I've got a follow up visit scheduled with her. She was just a positive, intelligent, amazing doctor!”
• Dr. Amy Schefler: “Dr. Schefler goes above and beyond to explain the procedure and any other questions. Her staff and office take patient care to the next level. I could not ask for a better doctor or staff.”
• Dr. Ankoor Shah: “It is a pleasure to be in the care of Dr. Ankoor Shah. He is professional, kind, courteous and compassionate. He is honest in his assessments and I feel that I am getting the best possible medical care that he has to offer.”
• Dr. Patrick Starapoli: “Best experience at retina doctor I have ever had. Dr. Staropoli was great.”
• Dr. Tien Wong: “Dr. Wong is absolutely wonderful! He is very approachable, easy to talk to, and always answers my questions in a very satisfactory manner.”
• Dr. Charles Wykoff: “I know the quality of my vision would not be as excellent as it is now if it were not for Dr. Wykoff’s excellent care. I feel so blessed to have him as my doctor. I have always been treated with the utmost respect at his office and feel that I always have excellent care with every visit.”

Retinal Research Involvement

Through the TexasRetina Research Center, Retina Consultants of Texas has established itself as the home of the largest retinal research center in the country as well as a leading global center. Directed by Dr. Brown and Dr. Wykoff, our research center is dedicated to fighting blindness through cutting-edge clinical research and clinical trials. We have successfully led clinical research for over 20 years through a variety of clinical trial pathways.

In addition to serving as Director of Research, Dr. Wykoff is also the Chairman of the Research and Clinical Trials Subcommittee of Retina Consultants of America, as well as a member of multiple scientific advisory boards and global clinical trial steering committees. Beyond finding new and improved treatments for retinal and macular diseases, he is passionate about the clinical research process itself and is foundationally involved with entrepreneurial activities that focus on innovating the process from early to late-stage development, including improving efficiency and optimizing data collection.

Presentations & Publications

Our doctors are actively involved in academic and clinical research and together have authored hundreds of articles, book chapters, and presentations on a wide range of retinal, vision, and general health topics. They have been published in some of the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals and publications, including:

• The American Journal of Pathology
• The American Journal of Cardiology
• American Journal Ophthalmology
• Annal of Ophthalmology
• Annals of Thoracic Surgery
• Archives of Ophthalmology
• Blood
• British Journal of Cancer
• British Journal of Ophthalmology
• Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
• Cancer Cell
• Cancer Letters
• Cancer Research
• Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions
• Circulation
• Clinical Cancer Research
• Clinical Ophthalmology
• Cornea
• Current Opinion in Ophthalmology
• Current Surgery Reports
• Diabetic Eye Disease Consults
• Digital Journal of Ophthalmology
• Evidence-Based Ophthalmology
• European Journal of Ophthalmology
• Expert Review of Ophthalmology
• Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
• Graefes Ophthalmology
• Human Molecular Genetics
• International Ophthalmology Clinics
• Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
• JAMA
• JAMA Opthalmology
• Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
• Journal of the American College of Cardiology
• Journal of Biological Chemistry
• Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
• Journal of Clinical Investigation
• Journal of Clinical Oncology
• Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research
• Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection
• Journal of Pathology
• Journal of Refractive Surgery
• Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases
• Lasers in Medical Science
• Nature
• Neurosurgery
• New England Journal of Medicine
• Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
• Ocular Oncology and Pathology
• ​​Ocular Surgery News
• Oncogene
• Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
• Ophthalmic Surgery
• Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers, and Imaging
• Ophthalmology
• Ophthalmology Retina
• Ophthalmology Clinics of North America
• Practical Radiation Oncology
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
• Retina
• Retinal Cases & Brief Reports
• Retinal Physician
• Retinal Specialist
• Retina Today
• Science Translational Medicine
• Surgical Forum
• Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society
• Vitreoretinal Surgery and Technology

Additional Achievements

In addition to being exceptional doctors, our retina specialists are a diverse group of individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, including academia, research, and beyond. Below is a brief overview of some of our doctors' notable achievements.

• Dr. Al-khersan was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society while attending University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He also completed his ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which is recognized as the nation’s #1 eye hospital. He was subsequently selected as Chief Resident and Co-Director of the Ocular Trauma Service.
• Following his fellowship, Dr. Benz served as chief resident and instructor at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Benz was a full-time faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine prior to joining Retina Consultants of Texas, and continues to have an appointment as a clinical assistant professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor.
• Dr. David M. Brown is a world-renown Medical and Surgical Retina Specialist and clinical trial specialist. He is the only Texas Medical and Surgical Retina Specialist elected to all three retina honor societies (Retina Society, Macula Society, and Club Jules Gonin).
• Dr. Brown serves as the consultant retina specialist for NASA for all ongoing and long-term space flight astronauts.
• Dr. Fish is a clinical associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College and has served as a past President of the Houston Ophthalmological Society.
• At Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr. Fish is one of the longest-tenured Medical and Surgical Retina Specialists on the medical staff and is a physician member of the Center for Performing Arts Medicine (CPAM), lecturing regularly on “Eye Diseases of Visual Artists” and “Blind Musicians.” He is the author of a comprehensive book on the medical, musical, and historical aspects of the latter subject, "The Blind Musician".
• Dr. Henry is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, as well as an Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology with Houston Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine.
• Dr. Kim graduated from Stanford Medical School where she was honored as a Stanford Medical School Scholar. Her research at Stanford included studying factors affecting retinal detachments.
• Dr. Major served on the Bascom Palmer faculty as chief resident and co-director of Ocular Trauma. A licensed falconer and passionate bird lover, Dr. Major is also known as a bird ophthalmology expert and has diagnosed, treated, written about, and presented findings about birds of prey.
• Dr. Nguyen is actively involved in leadership and advocacy activities at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Advocacy Ambassador Day and Midyear Forum. Dr. Nguyen also has a strong interest in global health as evidenced by her externship in the Public Health and Development Program in South Africa followed by the National Medical Fellowship in Ghana. She was also involved in the Boston University Ophthalmology International Immersion Rotation in Lesotho.
• Dr. Patel has trained at numerous highly ranked hospital systems, including Parkland Hospital, John Peter Smith Hospital, LA County-USC, North Texas VA, UT Southwestern, Roski Eye Institute, Children’s Hospital of LA, and the Retina-Vitreous Associates has given him exposure to diverse patient populations and a strong foundation in the diagnosis and management of many vitreoretinal subspecialty areas. He also has a passion for international medicine and has worked previously in Haiti, Panama, Mexico, Guatemala, and India on medical mission trips.
• While in Savannah, Dr. Pearce practiced surgical retina in a high-volume, consultative, multi-specialty service. He also covered emergency and trauma services at a Level 1 trauma center serving southeast Georgia, South Carolina, and North Florida.
• Dr. Rahman has trained at some of the highest surgical volume academic centers in the country. She recently won the first annual American Society of Retina Specialists Surgical Retinal Detachment Debate in 2021, winning the Golden Eye Award.
• Dr. Rahman is also a classical cellist who has won numerous state-level competitions and has performed at Carnegie Hall. She continues to play cello in the Texas Medical Center Orchestra.
• Dr. Schefler is an Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College/Houston Methodist Hospital and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and serves as the principal mentor for training in eye tumors for the medical students, residents, and fellows at these institutions.
• Dr. Schefler is a renowned researcher in eye cancer, and has published over 70 peer-reviewed publications, 18 book chapters, and given over 90 national and international meeting presentations. In addition, she serves as a reviewer for 20 major ophthalmic journals. She participates in all of the major currently enrolling multicenter clinical trials in eye cancer in the U.S., including Aura, COOG2, trials in radiation retinopathy, and trials in retinoblastoma.
• Dr. Shah has authored over 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers, book chapters, and presentations at national meetings.
• Dr. Staropoli is the only doctor in history to win a NASCAR race, and he has used the motorsports platform to advocate and fundraise for community and healthcare issues including breast cancer and celiac disease. He is also the National Spokesperson for the Drive Pink Campaign & National Spokesperson for the Beyond Celiac Foundation
• Dr. Wykoff serves as the elected Deputy Chair of Ophthalmology for the Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital.
• Dr. Wykoff is also active on the ASRS Board of Directors where he serves as Chair of the Practice Management Committee. He was President of the Vit-Buckle Society from 2021 to 2023. He is also an elected member of the Retina Society and Macula Society and was a founding member of the Ophthalmology Retina Editorial Board.

Trust RCTX for the Best Retina Specialist Care in Houston, TX

At Retina Consultants of Texas, saving your vision is our mission. As the best retina specialists in Greater Houston, we're dedicated to providing exceptional care and innovative treatments to preserve your sight. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and experience the highest standard of retinal care.

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