Meet Dr. Wong
Dr. Wong grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Duke University. He received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Following a one year internship, Dr. Wong returned to the University of Pennsylvania for his residency in ophthalmology at the prestigious Scheie Eye Institute, where he received a research grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the biological mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration. He concluded his post-graduate medical training with a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
Dr. Wong specializes in the medical and surgical management of vitreoretinal diseases, including retinal detachment, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, macular puckers and holes, as well as ocular inflammatory diseases. On the leading edge of medical research since 1995, he is currently the Principal Investigator for a number of nationally recognized clinical research trials involving novel pharmaceutical and surgical treatments for vitreoretinal pathology. His current research focuses on how digital medicine impacts today’s healthcare environment.
Locally, he has helped organize free eye screenings for Austin musicians in conjunction with the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) and Prevent Blindness Texas. In addition to providing vitreoretinal care to the Central Texas community, Dr. Wong volunteered his expertise and skills on several medical missions throughout South America and Ghana from 2000 to 2006.
Dr. Wong is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retinal Specialists, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Diabetic Retinopathy Collaborative Research Network, Club Vit, Pacific Retina Club and is a founding member and program chair of the Third Coast Retina Club. In 2010 Dr. Wong was appointed by his peers to serve as President of the Austin Ophthalmological Society. Additionally, he has been recognized in Austin Monthly magazine’s “Top Doctors” as well Texas Monthly’s “Best Doctors” lists. Recently, in 2018, he was elected to the prestigious Retina Society.
He has authored over 35 published works in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters and currently serves as an editor for the journals Retina, the Journal of Vitreoretinal Diseases, and Retinal Cases & Brief Reports. His clinical research has allowed him to be a part of another 70+ scientific publications. He serves as Affiliate Faculty at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M Health Science Center, and in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He also serves as a mentor for the Health Career Mentorship Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
Before becoming a retina specialist, Dr. Wong made a living playing acoustic bass in a jazz quintet. These days, he enjoys playing golf, traveling, cooking, and raising his two daughters with his wife, Emily.
You may follow Dr. Wong on Twitter at @drwongsays.