Meet your Ophthalmology surgical staff at VA Boston health care

Meet our Ophthalmic surgeons

Dr. Nicholas J. Butler [he / him / his / himself] is a Uveitis specialist, board certified in ophthalmology, Chief of Ophthalmology , Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

Sub Specialty: Uveitis

Medical School: McGill University Faculty of Medicine, 2005
Residency: Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Ophthalmology, 2009
Fellowship:  Oregon Health and Science University, Casey Eye Institute, Uveitis and Ocular Inflammatory
                           Disease, 2011
Board Certification: Ophthalmology

Dr. Butler's clinical interests include complex cataract surgery, uveitis and ocular inflammatory disease, and he has particular expertise in infectious uveitis and inflammatory macular edema. Outside of work, Dr. Butler enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, hiking/camping, skiing, and travelling.

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Dr. Kohanim is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD, 2007
Residency: Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Ophthalmology, 2011
Fellowship:  Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery, 2011
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Dr. Kohanim's clinical interests include cataract and cornea surgery, ocular surface tumors, dry eye syndrome, ocular pain, and immune-mediated ocular surface disease. 

 

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Dr. Daniel R. Lefebvre [he / him / his / himself] is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is a fellow of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)

Sub Specialty: Oculoplastic ophthalmology

Medical School: SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse -- 2005
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Internship in General Surgery, 2006; Nassau University Medical Center, Ophthalmology 2010
Fellowship:  Boston Medical Center / Boston University School of Medicine -- Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2011; Mass Eye and Ear / Harvard Medical School, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2012
Board Certification: Board Certified -- Ophthalmology:  

Dr. Lefebvre specializes in all forms of eyelid surgery, eyelid and periorbital trauma and cancer reconstruction, orbital fractures, endoscopic tear duct (DCR) surgery, and orbital diseases including thyroid eye disease.

 

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Dr. Matthew C. Leidl [he / him / his / himself] is a glaucoma specialist Board Certified in Ophthalmology, an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Boston University School of Medicine, and Director of Glaucoma and Site Director for Ophthalmic Education at VA Boston JP

Sub Specialty: Glaucoma

Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, MD, 2012
Residency: Nassau University Medical Center, Ophthalmology, 2016
Fellowship:  West Virginia University Eye Institute, Glaucoma, 2017
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Dr. Leidl's clinical interests include the medical and surgical management of glaucoma, cataract surgery, and resident and fellow education. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family and friends.

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Dr. David Moverman is an anterior segment specialist  Ophthalmic surgeon and assistant professor of ophthalmology Boston University of Medicine​​

Sub Specialty: Anterior Segment

Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine

Residency: Ochsner Medical Institutions, New Orleans LA

Fellowship: Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery, C​haim-Sheba Medical Center Israel

Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

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Dr. Steven Ness [he / him / his / himself] is a vitreoretinal surgery specialist Board Certified in Ophthalmology, Director of Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship, and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Boston University School of Medicine

Sub-specialty: Vitreoretinal surgery

Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2002
Residency: Boston University School of Medicine, Ophthalmology, 2006
Fellowship:  Boston University School of Medicine, Vitreoretinal Surgery, 2008
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Dr. Ness' clinical interests include the medical and surgical management of vitreoretinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, macular holes, and age related macular degeneration. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, especially skiing and fishing.

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Dr. Courtney Ondeck [she / her / hers / herself] is a glaucoma specialist board certified in ophthalmology, is an instructor in ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School.

Sub-specialty: Glaucoma

Medical School: Washington University in St. Louis, MD, 2013
Residency: University of California San Diego, Ophthalmology, 2017
Fellowship:  Duke University, Glaucoma, 2018
Board Certification: Board Certified in Ophthalmology


Dr. Ondeck has an interest of combining her background in engineering and polymer chemistry with her training in glaucoma to develop drug delivery techniques that could eliminate the need for daily eye drops. She is clinically interested in new surgical techniques for glaucoma; in her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and taking her dog on hikes.

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Dr. Vasiliki Poulaki is a vitreoretinal specialist in Ophthalmology  and an associate professor of ophthalmology Boston University School of Medicine and lecturer on ophthalmology Harvard medical school

Medical School: University of Athens School of Health Sciences
Residency:
Fellowship: Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Diseases at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Interests: Vitreoretinal disorders

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Dr. Allison R. Soneru is a glaucoma specialist board certified in Ophthalmology, and is a Glaucoma specialist at both the Veterans Affairs Boston hospital and at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and is an Instructor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.
 

Medical School: Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine (2012}
Residency: Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine (2016)
Fellowship: New England Eye Center at Tufts University (2017)
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Dr. Soneru's interests include Glaucoma and Cataracts, with special interest in medical outreach to underserved communities. In the surgeon's spare time, Dr. Soneru enjoys spending time with her family and her children

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Alanna K. Tisdale, MD, MPH, she / her / hers / herself,  is a Neuro-Ophthalmologist, is a candidate for certification

 

Medical School: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, MD, 2016
Residency: Boston University/ Boston Medical Center, Ophthalmology, 2020
Fellowship:  University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics, Neuro-Ophthalmology, 2021
Board Certification: Candidate for Board Certification in Ophthalmology 

Dr. Tisdale's clinical interests include optic neuritis and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. In the physician's spare time, Dr. Tisdale enjoys photography, cooking, and dancing. 

 

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Dr. Santiago Villazon, Jr. [he / him / his / himself] is a corneal and anterior segment specialist board certified in Ophthalmology and Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine

Sub Specialty: Cornea Anterior Segment

Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine, MD, 1992
Residency: Boston University School of Medicine, Ophthalmology, 1996
Fellowship:  Boston University School of Medicine, Cornea, Anterior Segment, Refractive Surgery, 1997
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Dr. Villazon's clinical interests include cataract, refractive surgery, cornea, and anterior segment surgery.

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Dr. Xiang Q. Werdich is board certified in American Board of Ophthalmology​ and Asst. Professor of Ophthalmology Boston University School of Medicine

Medical School: Peking University Health Science Center, 1997
Residency: Cleveland Clinic, 2012
Fellowship:  Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Boston Children’s Hospital, inherited retinal degenerations and pediatric medical retina, 2014; Moorfields Eye Hospital (UK), Medical Retina, 2017
Board Certification: Board Certification in American Board of Ophthalmology​

Medical retina, inherited retinal degenerations, cataract surgery

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Meet out advanced practice staff members

Ms Cakiner-Eglimez is a board certified nurse practitioner in Ophthalmology


Undergraduate School:   BSN: Florence Nightingale Nursing College, Istanbul, Turkey
Nursing or PA School:  Northeastern University, Bouve College of Health Sciences Boston, MA, 2008
Board Certification: Adult Nurse Practitioner, NP-C; Certified Ophthalmic Nurse, C RNO; Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist, COMT

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Education: Emmanuel College - Bachelors Science in Nursing
                  University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - Masters of Science in Nursing

Certification: Adult Nurse Practitioner - ANP-BC

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Breanna "Bre" Wells, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Undergraduate School:   Capella University, Bachelors of Science in Nursing, 2020; Hillsborough Community College, Associates of Science in Nursing, 2017; Jersey College, Licensed Practical Nurse, 2012

Nursing or PA School:  South University - Tampa 2022
Board Certification: FNP-C


 

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