The Southern California Eye Institute (SCEI) is a comprehensive ophthalmology medical and surgical facility in the heart of Hollywood, California, that has gained a national reputation for treatment of eye disease. Serving both the medical needs and the aesthetic enhancement needs of patients in a pleasing, casual environment, SCEI offers the finest technology for diagnostics and surgery. The institute's director is Dr Rohit Varma, who founded SCEI as an independent private practice in 2001.
SCEI is the first medical group in Southern California to combine all aspects of ophthalmology into a single location. Dr. Varma and his experienced team offer advanced surgical techniques, comprehensive glaucoma management and fall prevention programs for at-risk patients in an ultra-modern environment that's convenient for patients in the Hollywood area. Dr. Rohit Varma, MD, is a Professor of Ophthalmology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar, served as the Director of Glaucoma Services for the Scheie Eye Institute, and currently directs the Glaucoma Division of Penn's Department of Ophthalmology. His current studies represent one of the most comprehensive efforts to determine the genetic susceptibility to developing common eye diseases. These studies will lead to a better understanding of the biology and genetics of eye disease and, ultimately, improved treatment options.
Department of Research
Rohit Varma is a professor and holds the McNair Medical University Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science at the University of Houston. He has pioneered several advances in glaucoma surgery that significantly improve patient care. With his colleague, Dr. James Trotti, Varma has developed a state-of-the-art model for glaucoma surgery education that emphasizes clinical reasoning and intraoperative testing to match the learning objectives in an efficient manner. As a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Varma mentors and trains new generations of young surgeons. Rohit Varma is at the forefront of vision science and the biology of the retina. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism, a Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Biomedical Innovation Award, Humanitarian Prize from the nation of Algeria, Vision in Prevention Award from Prevent Blindness America and, most recently, Aveda's Salma Hayek Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rohit Varma is a graduate of the University of Minnesota medical school program in ophthalmology, UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute residency in ophthalmology and completed his cornea fellowship at New York University's Langone Medical Center. Dr. Varma has published more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals and authored or co-authored three books: Handbook of Corneal Transplantation (2nd Edition), Atlas of Ophthalmic Imaging, and Contemporary Refractive Surgery Theory and Practice. Dr. Varma is the Editor-in-Chief of The Cornea, the Official Journal of the American Society He has performed numerous clinical trials, published papers in respected journals such as the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and served as a reviewer for various journals.
A board-certified ophthalmologist and international lecturer, Rohit Varma has over thirty years of experience in clinical and research work, and is an innovator in medical education. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Varma is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and specializes in diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, vascular diseases, pediatric uveitis and corneal disease.
Qualification & Leadership
USC Eye Institute director Rohit Varma, MD, MBA, has more than 30 years of experience in clinical diagnosis and management of patients with cataracts and glaucoma. Dr. Varma earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Bombay after moving with his family to Bombay, India at age 8. He earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he also received specialized training in glaucoma and corneal transplantation. Dr. Varma completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic before coming to USC in 1983 as an assistant professor of ophthalmology and preventive medicine;
A renowned eye surgeon, Rohit Varma was appointed vice-chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on stem cell therapy for treating macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness among Americans aged 65 and older. Varma is professor and chair of the department of ophthalmology at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary at the University of Illinois in Chicago, where he heads a team that develops innovative stem cell-based therapies for human disease. Varmas research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, American Health Dr. Rohit Varma, MD, completed his residency in ophthalmology at the internationally renowned Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, as well as earning a master of public health degree from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. MD Rohit's interest in glaucoma surgery began during an eye fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, where he observed a live surgical demonstration by famed surgeon Dr. David H. Chang. Rohit was intrigued, and upon completion of his glaucoma fellowship, he returned to India, where he practiced. Ultimately, he returned to the U.S., where he completed a residency in ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital and then a glaucoma fellowship at Keck School of Medicine of USC.