Dr. Leo Kim is a retina surgeon and a full time member of the Retina Service who has extensive experience in the management of retinal diseases associated with neovascularization or angiogenesis. These include diseases such as retinal vein occlusions, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. He sees patients at two locations-at Mass Eye and Ear's main campus on Charles Street and at the Mass Eye and Ear Retina Consultants office at 1 Montvale Ave. in Stoneham.

After obtaining his MD/PhD from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Kim attended University of Southern California/Doheny Eye Institute for his ophthalmology residency, where he was recognized with the Doheny Resident Research Award for two consecutive years. He also was awarded the Lillian and Henry Nesburn Award for Research Excellence and was chosen to participate in the 2008 Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Residents Retreat, an honor extended to only the top residents in the United States demonstrating exceptional potential in academic ophthalmology. Following residency, Dr. Kim continued at Doheny Eye Institute as a vitreoretinal surgery fellow and was recognized by the Heed Foundation with a highly prestigious fellowship grant.

As a clinician scientist and a member of the K12 Harvard Vision Clinical Scientist Development Program, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute, Dr. Kim focuses his research on understanding the mechanisms of vitreoretinal disease. He is particularly interested in the mechanisms of retinal toxicity associated with the use of systemic medications such as tamoxifen. In addition, he performs research on the molecular mechanisms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, evaluating the cell biology of fibrovascular membranes and the genetics of PDR. He also performs translational research on the prognosis of non-exudative age-related macular degeneration.

In addition to providing clinical and surgical supervision to residents and fellows, Dr. Kim also supervises and trains laboratory members. He teaches during the annual, national Mass Eye and Ear Vitrectomy Course and has presented on topics such as retinal surgery and tamoxifen toxicity both nationally and internationally.

Clinical Interests

Retinal diseases associated with neovascularization or angiogenesis, including diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration