Oculoplastics: Building on an Extraordinary Legacy

The Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery Service at Kellogg provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment of conditions of the eyelids, orbit, and lacrimal (tear drainage) system arising from diseases, malignancies, congenital abnormalities, trauma, or aging. In addition to providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary oculoplastics care, the program is known internationally for excellence in research and education.

The physician team includes Section Lead Vinay Aakalu, M.D., M.P.H., Victor Elner, M.D., Ph.D., Denise Kim, M.D., Christine Nelson, M.D., and ocular oncology specialist Hakan Demirci, M.D. To continue to meet a large and growing clinical volume, two additional oculoplastics surgeons, Brittany Simmons, M.D., and Elaine Downie, M.D., joined the team in 2023.

The Oculoplastics program continues to benefit from consultation with Terry J. Smith, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Internal Medicine. Dr. Smith’s game-changing translational research led to the development of teprotumumab—the first FDA-approved drug to treat thyroid eye disease.

Faculty members guide trainees of all levels, including medical students, ophthalmology and plastic surgery residents, oculoplastics and ocular oncology fellows, research post-docs, and international research fellows and observers. In 2023,

The team’s newest members are also emphasizing teaching alongside clinical practice. Dr. Downie plans to receive faculty training to develop as an educator, and Dr. Simmons is involved in building a resident education curriculum in oculoplastics.

“Kellogg is now home to one of the largest and most comprehensive oculoplastics programs in the country,” says Dr. Aakalu. “We are the region’s high volume referral hub.”

The expansive program includes specialty care for patients with rare and debilitating conditions such as congenital anophthalmos—a syndrome in which a baby is born without one or both eyes. Dr. Nelson has led groundbreaking research into the condition, and developed a regional referral program, in collaboration with Kellogg’s recently expanded Ocular Prosthetics Service.

Another example of the program’s depth is multidisciplinary ocular surface reconstruction, available to patients with severe chemical or thermal eye injuries, or advanced cicatrizing keratoconjunctival disorders such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Graft vs. Host Disease. Dr. Kim works closely with other experts at Kellogg, including cornea specialist Nambi Nallasamy, M.D., Steven Archer, M.D., from the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service, Karen DeLoss, O.D., from the Optometry, Corneal, and Contact Management Service, and rheumatologist April Marquardt, M.D., to restore the damaged ocular surface using complex techniques available in very few centers around the country.

“With volume comes experience,” he adds.

“Patients and referring physicians can be confident that, no matter how complex or rare the symptom profile, someone on our team has dealt with it before.”

Header image caption: Elaine Downie, M.D., and Brittany Simmons, M.D.