Dr. Maria Paula Fernandez, M.D.
Retina Specialist
Dr. Maria Paula Fernandez is a board-certified medical and surgical retina specialist with expertise in complex eye conditions. Having graduated from Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, she honed her skills through an intensive Ocular Pathology fellowship at The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Her commitment to excellence was further solidified during her ophthalmology residency training at Louisiana State University where she also served as chief resident showcasing her leadership and surgical skills. She then pursued a vitreoretinal fellowship at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, solidifying her advanced training in the field of vitreoretinal surgery.
Driven by her commitment to enhancing patients' quality of life, Dr. Fernandez remains deeply passionate about leveraging state-of-the-art surgical methodologies combined with compassionate patient care. Her fluency in English and Spanish enables her to effectively communicate and connect with patients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring they receive the highest quality of care tailored to their individual needs.
Her research efforts have significantly impacted the field, with a focus on various eye conditions, such as retinopathy of prematurity, inherited retinal diseases, and retinal tumors like retinoblastoma. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts, some of which have been published in renowned journals such as the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Retina, American Journal of Ophthalmology, JAMA and Ophthalmology, among others. Her work has significantly advanced the understanding and treatment of various eye conditions, demonstrating her commitment to advancing medical knowledge and patient care.
In addition to her research contributions, Dr. Fernandez has actively participated in the academic community, serving as a reviewer for multiple publications, including the Basic and Clinical Science Course Book Series from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Journal of Vitreo-Retinal Diseases.
Dr. Fernandez's unwavering dedication to her field, coupled with her remarkable research and academic work, has solidified her reputation as a meaningful contributor in the field of ophthalmology.