Priyatham S. Mettu, MD
Ophthalmologist, Retinal Specialist
My Locations
About Me
As a medical retina specialist, I am passionate about providing state-of-the-art care to patients with age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and other macular diseases. I approach each patient as an individual and strive to provide care that addresses his or her unique needs and goals. For each of my patients, I carefully consider exam findings and results of advanced retinal imaging studies and use this information to design a personalized treatment strategy. In my role as a physician, I enjoy most the enduring relationships that I build with patients and their families, and the opportunities that I have to make a lasting positive impact on their lives. In addition to patient care, I maintain an active clinical and laboratory research program. I am actively involved in clinical trials of new treatments for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, and in studies of new imaging technologies for improved diagnosis and monitoring of macular diseases. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and children.
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Retinal Disease
- Retinal Vein Occlusion
- Macular Edema
- Macular Disease
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Macular Degeneration
Ratings and Reviews
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
I am a translational clinician-scientist within the Duke Center for Macular Diseases, where I fully embrace our mission to “Discover. Invent. Transform.” My scientific research program is focused on understanding the role of inflammation in the development of severe wet macular degeneration, which affects up to 40% of patients and is difficult to treat with available medications. In the laboratory, we are using specialized disease models to identify the specific mechanisms of this disease, with the explicit goal of discovering novel targets for future therapies. I am passionate about opportunities to innovate, and our group of clinician-scientists is actively collaborating with Duke engineers to develop novel imaging devices and with Duke chemists to invent new drugs, for improved diagnosis and treatment of macular diseases. Finally, I am an active clinical researcher. In addition to participating in industry-sponsored clinical trials of novel drugs for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, I lead “home-grown” studies (originating here at Duke) to develop new treatment approaches and biomarker technologies to transform the care of patients with macular diseases.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- Eclipse Life Sciences
- Iveric Bio
- Pulsar Life Sciences