About Joan Miller, MD
Dr. Miller is Chair of Harvard Ophthalmology, Chair of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Miller is an internationally recognized expert on retinal disorders, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Over the last two decades, she and her colleagues at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy using verteporfin (Visudyne®), the first approved pharmacological therapy able to reduce and slow vision loss in patients with AMD. The group also identified the key role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ocular neovascularization, leading to the development of anti-VEGF therapies now administered to millions of children and adults with sight-threatening retinal diseases annually around the world. Dr. Miller’s current studies focus on the genetics of AMD, strategies for early intervention in AMD, neuroprotective therapies for retinal diseases, and MacTel and other maculopathies.
Dr. Miller is the first female physician to achieve the rank of Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and the first woman to chair the Department of Ophthalmology. She is also the first woman appointed as Chair of Ophthalmology at both Mass Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to her these roles and responsibilities, she also co-directs Mass Eye and Ear's and Frederick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory
As recognition for her contributions to the field of ophthalmology, Dr. Miller has received numerous prestigious honors and awards. Among them, she is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a co-recipient of the 2014 António Champalimaud Vision Award, the highest distinction in ophthalmology and visual science. In 2015, Dr. Miller also became the first woman to receive the Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; in 2018, she became the first woman awarded the Charles L. Schepens, MD, Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Recently, Dr. Miller was awarded the 2018 Lucien Howe Medal from the American Ophthalmological Society and the 2018 Gertrude D. Pyron Award from the American Society of Retinal Specialists.
Clinical Interests:
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Diseases of the retina and vitreous
- Photodynamic therapy
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass Eye and Ear
243 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-523-7900
Medical Education
- MD, Harvard Medical School
- Residency, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
- Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
American Board Certifications
- Ophthalmology, American Board of Ophthalmology
Research
Dr. Miller is Chair of Harvard Ophthalmology, Chair of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Brigham and Women?s Hospital. She also co-directs the Frederick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory, Laser Research Laboratory, and the Retina Research Institute at Mass Eye and Ear.
Dr. Miller?s clinical and research interests focus on retinal disorders, including age related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic eye disease, and macular telangiectasia (MacTel). She and her colleagues at Mass Eye and Ear pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using verteporfin (Visudyne?), the first pharmacologic therapy for AMD. Dr. Miller also identified the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ocular neovascularization, forming the scientific basis of current antiangiogenic therapies for intraocular vascular diseases (including neovascular AMD and diabetic eye disease). Dr. Miller continues investigations to elucidate the pathophysiology of vision loss and improve therapies for retinal diseases.
Publications
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Dr. Miller has published more than 230 peer-reviewed papers, 95 book chapters, review articles, or editorials. She is on the editorial board of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmology Retina, and serves as co-editor for Albert and Jakobiec's Fourth Edition Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology. Dr. Miller is an invited speaker at professional and academic events on a regular basis.