Natalie Afshari, MD, MA
Director, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellowship Program
Department / Division
Ophthalmology /
Corneal Ophthalmology
Address
DUMC 3802
Durham, NC 27710
Appointment Telephone
919-681-3937, 919-681-4089 (Vision correction)
Fax Telephone
919-681-7661
- MD, Stanford University School of Medicine (California), 1995
- Ophthalmology, Harvard University (Massachusetts), 1999
- Internal Medicine, Harvard University (Massachusetts), 1996
- Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Harvard University (Massachusetts), 2001
- MA, Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, 1991
Clinical Interests
Cataract and intraocular lens surgery, corneal transplantation, DSEK, Fuchs corneal dystrophy, keratoconus, Intacs, corneal/stroma ring, laser vision correction (LASIK, LASEK, PRK, Intralase femtosecond laser)
Research Interests
Natalie Afshari, MD, FACS, is a full-time faculty member at Duke University Eye Center, where she serves as both a clinician and a research scientist. Dr. Afshari’s achievement in cornea and refractive surgery and overall patient care has been recognized by her peers who have named her as one of “The Best Doctors in America” in Best Doctors, Inc.’s 2003-2004, 2005-2006 and 2007-2008, 2009-2010 editions. In addition, Dr Afshari was awarded the academic achievement award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sought Dr. Afshari’s expertise in evaluating ophthalmologic treatments, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recognized Dr. Afshari and her collaborators to scientific research by awarding them a sizable grant to study Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, a genetic disorder leading to corneal transplantation.
In her clinical practice, Dr. Afshari specializes in cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, descemets stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), intacs for keratoconus, laser refractive surgery, including LASIK, LASEK/Advanced Surface Ablation, PRK, PTK, and treating surgical and medical diseases of cornea. She is a highly skilled cataract surgeon and holds national positions on the professional committees of cataract specialists, including serving as the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s representative on the Council of the American Academy Ophthalmology. Dr. Afshari is also a recognized expert in corneal transplantation and refractive surgery and has successfully treated many complex cases referred to her by other leading surgeons.
In addition to her successes with patients, Dr. Afshari has published extensively in both medical journals and textbooks. While her textbook chapters focus on clinical skills, her journal articles report her innovations and findings in research. Her research has won her multiple honors, including the prestigious Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) award and the Heed Foundation Ophthalmic Award. Additionally, Dr. Afshari performs sight-restoring procedure using synthetic plastic based membrane as the cornea which has been featured nationally on television news programs.
Dr. Afshari’s dedication to research and clinical care also inspires her teaching. For her commitment to teaching and training ophthalmologists, she has received the Teacher of the Year award at Duke University Eye Center. She also has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally and is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Board-Certified Ophthalmologist). Dr. Afshari’s peers also elected her to the cornea program committee of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), which oversees the scientific program of the largest eye research association in the world.
Several scientific and scholarly journals have sought Dr. Afshari’s expertise and recognized her research leadership by naming her to their editorial boards or seeking her assistance in reviewing the work of other scientists. She serves on the editorial board of EyeNet magazine, a journal published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and as a reviewer for the scientific journals: Ophthalmology; American Journal of Ophthalmology; Archives of Ophthalmology; Cornea, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Molecular Vision, Experimental Eye Research; Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery; and Human Mutation.
When not researching or practicing at Duke, Afshari donates her time and surgical expertise as an international volunteer. She has traveled to West Africa, Central America, and Mexico to help patients who might otherwise go untreated. Before receiving her Duke appointment and joining the Raleigh-Durham community, Afshari completed her medical training at Harvard through the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, first as a resident and later as a fellow in Corneal and External Disease as well as refractive surgery. Dr. Afshari received her MD from Stanford University after earning bachelors and master’s degrees from UC Berkeley.
This physician (or a member of their immediate family) has a working relationship (i.e. consulting, research, and/or educational services) with the companies listed below. These relations have been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts.
- Allergan, Inc.
