Dr. Hema Ramkumar was born and raised in Los Angeles. She completed her undergraduate education at Northwestern University with dual degrees in Developmental Neurosciences and International Studies with Honors. She obtained her medical degree at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine with Honors in Research. During medical school she received the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholarship at the National Eye Institute. Dr. Ramkumar selected the University of California, San Diego to complete her residency where she received the resident research award and was selected by peers and faculty to serve as Chief Resident. She completed sub specialty fellowship training in vitreoretinal surgery at Shiley Eye Institute and Jacobs Retina Center at UCSD, where she received the Thrasher Foundation Early Career Award.<\/p>\n
She is a specialist in macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, complex retinal tears and detachments, floaters, ocular inflammation, macular holes, and retinal imaging. Her training also included the treatment of intraocular tumors, complex uveitis, inherited retinal diseases, and pediatric retinal diseases.<\/p>\n
In addition to her clinical interests, Dr. Ramkumar has an extensive background in retinal research. She has over ten years of research experience investigating molecular causes, vitamin combinations, retinal imaging, and treatments for macular degeneration. Dr. Ramkumar has been published in over 30 peer reviewed articles in the top journals in the field and presented at numerous national and international meetings. As a reviewer of the most important peer-reviewed retinal journals and active investigator of clinical trials, Dr. Ramkumar critically evaluates and offers her patients the latest technology and advanced treatments.\u00a0 She is the principal investigator in grant-funded clinical trials evaluating omega-3 fatty acid metabolism in retinal diseases, retinal imaging technologies, and new macular degeneration treatments.<\/p>\n
Dr. Ramkumar is a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology, Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and member of societies including the American Society of Retina Specialists and Orange County Society of Ophthalmology, Women in Ophthalmology, and Women in Retina. She is fluent in Spanish, Hindi,\u00a0 and Tamil, in addition to English. She is a wife and mother of two daughters. Her other interests include dancing, traveling, music, and hiking.<\/p>\n
Specialties:<\/p>\n
Macular Degeneration | Diabetic Retinopathy | Complex Retinal Tears & Detachments | Floaters | Ocular Inflammation | Macular Holes | Retinal Imaging<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Publications<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ramkumar HL<\/span><\/strong>, Nguyen B, Bartsch D, Saunders L, Muftuoglu IK, You Q, Freeman WR. Reduced ganglion cell volume on optical coherence tomography in patients with geographic atrophy. In press, <\/span>Retina <\/span><\/em>2017.<\/span><\/p>\n Verma R. Chen K, <\/span>Ramkumar HL<\/strong><\/span>, Goldbaum M, Shields C. Optic Nerve Head Problem. <\/span>Survey of Ophthalmology<\/span><\/em>. In press, 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n Muftuoglu IK, <\/span>Ramkumar HL<\/strong><\/span>, Bartsch DU, Meshi A, Gaber R, Freeman WR. <\/span>QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INNER RETINAL LAYER THICKNESSES IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION USING CORRECTED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY SEGMENTATION.<\/span><\/a><\/span> Retina<\/span><\/em>. 2017 Jun 23.<\/span><\/p>\n Reply.<\/span><\/a><\/span> Muftuoglu IK, Alam M, You QS, Gaber R, <\/span>Ramkumar HL<\/strong><\/span>, Mendoza N, Meshi A, Freeman WR. Retina. 2017 Sep;37(9):e110-e112. PMID:28820853 PMID: 28650925<\/span><\/p>\n You QS, Gaber R, Meshi A, <\/span>Ramkumar HL<\/span><\/em>, Alam M, Muftuoglu IK, Freeman WR. <\/span>HIGH-DOSE HIGH-FREQUENCY AFLIBERCEPT FOR RECALCITRANT NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.<\/span><\/a><\/span> Retina<\/span><\/em>. 2017 Jun 9. PMID: 28604541<\/span><\/p>\nScholarly Bibliography: Publications by Dr. Ramkumar<\/h2>\n