Natalie Afshari, is Stuart Brown MD Chair in Ophthalmology in Memory of Donald Shiley, Chief of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Vice Chair and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego. Prior to this she was Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Centers of Excellence at Duke University Eye Center. 

Dr. Afshari  received her medical degree from Stanford University and her residency and fellowship trainings at Harvard University, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Dr. Afshari is the recipient of the Life Achievement Honor Award and the Secretariat Award (twice) by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has been named a Gold Fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.  She has served on the program committee of ARVO and subspecialty day committee of AAO.  She has also been recognized by the American Medical Women’s Association as the 2019 recipient of its Women in Science award.

Dr. Afshari is the co-editor of a two-volume cornea book titled “Copeland and Afshari’s Principles and Practice of Cornea”. She has served on the editorial boards of multiple journals: American Journal of Ophthalmology, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Survey of Ophthalmology, and Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. She has also previously served on the editorial board of EyeWiki, EyeNet, Eye and Contact Lens, and Basic and Clinical Science Course Cornea and Lens textbook committees.  Dr. Afshari’s research laboratory investigates genetics, and stem cell regeneration of cornea as well as prevention of cataracts.