Pradeep S. Prasad

Pradeep S. Prasad, MD, MBA, serves as Associate Professor of Ophthalmology in the Retina Division at UCLA Stein Eye Institute and directs the Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship Program. A former Chief of Ophthalmology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, he specializes in diabetic retinopathy, complex retinal detachments, macular degeneration, and ocular trauma management.

His academic journey includes:

• MD from UCLA School of Medicine (2005), Alpha Omega Alpha inductee
• Ophthalmology residency at UCLA (2009)
• Vitreoretinal fellowship at Jules Stein Eye Institute (2011)
• MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management with healthcare operations focus (2017)

Dr. Prasad's research centers on diabetic retinopathy mechanisms, surgical innovations for retinal detachments, and ethnic variations in disease presentation. He leverages advanced imaging like optical coherence tomography to investigate treatment responses and disease progression, with growing emphasis on healthcare delivery optimization and diversity in clinical research. His work bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical applications to improve patient outcomes in retinal diseases.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant themes in diabetic retinopathy management (40% of articles), surgical outcomes in complex vitreoretinal cases (30%), and health system impacts on eye care delivery (20%). His research increasingly incorporates ultra-widefield imaging and explores socioeconomic factors affecting disease progression and treatment access.

His accolades highlight dual excellence in clinical practice and education:

• Super Doctors Southern California (2023-2025)
• Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2023, 2024)
• Faculty & Fellow Teaching Awards (2011, 2015)
• Bausch and Lomb Retina Research Award (2011)
• Robert E. Christensen Research Award (2009)

As Fellowship Program Director, Dr. Prasad mentors future vitreoretinal surgeons while leading multi-center clinical trials as principal investigator. His grant-funded research focuses on novel anti-VEGF therapies and surgical pathway optimization, including expedited pre-operative anesthesia protocols that reduce costs by 22% in county healthcare systems. He actively serves on journal review panels and professional society committees.

Within the Stein Eye Institute's Retina Division, Dr. Prasad collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. His clinical operations research directly informs workflow improvements for diabetic eye disease management, with future work targeting health disparity reduction through community-based screening initiatives.