Joseph Louis Demer

Joseph Louis Demer is the Arthur L. Rosenbaum Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine. He serves as Chief of the Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Division and Director of the Ocular Motility Laboratories at Stein Eye Institute. His research integrates biomechanics, biomedical engineering, and ophthalmology to study extraocular muscle anatomy, optic nerve disorders, and eye movement dynamics.

• Education:
  • MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1983)
  • Internship & Residency, Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine (1987)
  • Fellowship, Pediatric Ophthalmology/Strabismus, Texas Children's Hospital (1988)

Dr. Demer’s research interests span ocular biomechanics, strabismus, glaucoma, and orbital anatomy, with a focus on tissue responses to eye movements and surgical interventions. His recent publications highlight MRI-based modeling, finite element analysis, and deep learning applications in extraocular muscle segmentation.

He has received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) and Bielschowski Award Lectureship (2020). His work is federally funded, emphasizing biomechanical contributions to optic neuropathies and improved surgical outcomes for ocular motility disorders.