The Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology

Sheila West visits with patients in africa

The Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, founded by Alfred Sommer, M.D., M.H.S., is a leader in global and domestic research on blindness prevention and the only World Health Organization collaborating center in the United States. Our center guides research-based programmatic activities and educates future leaders to alleviate unnecessary blindness worldwide

Our faculty includes ophthalmologists, epidemiologists, statisticians, programmers, project coordinators and administrative personnel. Together, our mission is to prevent avoidable visual disability and blindness around the globe by conducting valuable research, using sound public health policies and programs, and training the next generation of leaders in public health ophthalmology.

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About the Dana Center

Our Research

Research at the Dana Center focuses on national and international public health prevention of blinding eye disease.
Our History

For over 25 years, the Dana Center has contributed to the understanding, prevention and treatment of major eye diseases.

Our Team

Megan Collins, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Barriers in access to eye care, Epidemiology of Pediatric Eye Disease and the Impact of Refractive Error on Academic Performance.
Ann-Margret Ervin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and the School of Medicine (Joint)
Research Interests: Epidemiology; Clinical trials; Clinical trials methodology; Visual impairment; Eye disease; Ophthalmology; Optometry; Bioethics; Research ethics
Joanne Katz, M.S., Sc.D.
Professor of International Health (Primary), Biostatics (Joint) and Epidemiology (Joint)
Research Interests: Epidemiology; Biostatistics; Micronutrients; Maternal health; Neonatal health; Child health; Adolescent pregnancy; Reproductive health; Respiratory infections; Ophthalmology; Blindness and visual impairment
Xiangrong Kong, Ph.D.
Associate Scientist of Epidemiology and Biostatics (Joint)
Research Interests: Longitudinal and correlated data analysis; Causal inference; Survival analysis; HIV/AIDS; STI; Program impact evaluation; Ophthalmology; Physical therapy
Beatriz Munoz M.S., Associate Professor of Opthatalmology
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Epidemiology, Trachoma
Pradeep Y. Ramulu, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Visual Disability and Rehabilitation; Dry Eye; Glaucoma; Aging and Vision
Oliver D. Schein, M.D., M.P.H.
Burton and Miriam Grossman Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Epidemiology; Technology assessment; Cataract; Corneal infection; Contact lens; Dry eye; Quality and safety.
Bonnielin Swenor, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Associate Faculty Member at the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health
Research Interests: Aging; Low vision; Epidemiology
Harry A. Quigley, M.D.
A. Edward Maumenee Professor of Ophthalmology, Director, Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Causes of vision loss in glaucoma; New imaging technology in the diagnosis of angle closure glaucoma; Neuroprotective treatments for glaucoma; Evaluation of surgical operations for glaucoma; Research into solutions to glaucoma treatment worldwide
Sheila West, Ph.D., PharmD.
El-Maghraby Professor of Preventive Ophthalmology Vice Chair for Research, Wilmer Eye Institute Professor of Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Trachoma; Cataracts; Diabetic Retinopathy; Vision and Function in Older Drivers
Robert Wojciechowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and the School of Medicine (Joint)
Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology; Genetics; Genomics; Vision; Visual impairment; Blindness; Psychophysics; Ophthalmic imaging; Refractive error; Myopia; Glaucoma; Retina