Dr. Aziz A. Khanifar, MD

Expert Publications

• Evaluating retinal abnormalities in patients with multiple sclerosis.
• Age-related macular degeneration: choroidal ischaemia?
• Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of endogenous fungal endophthalmitis.

Media Releases

Get to know Ophthalmologist Dr. Aziz A. Khanifar, who serves patients in Maryland.

The only full-time Hispanic retinal surgeon in the D.C. area, Dr. Khanifar has been in practice with The Retina Group of Washington since August of 2010. He sees patients at the offices in Clinton and Silver Spring, Maryland.

The physicians at The Retina Group of Washington offer several hundred years of collective experience in diagnosing, treating, and performing surgeries on the full range of retinal and macular diseases. They are acknowledged to be among the finest in the field and are frequently recognized with professional awards or asked to write articles or make presentations on a variety of industry subjects.

With offices conveniently located in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., The Retina Group of Washington is the leading provider of indigent retinal and macular care in the entire Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This philanthropic approach, combined with the physicians’ support of resident and fellowship education, reflects the practice’s commitment to help those less fortunate—and to advance the retinal/macular field by offering training and learning opportunities for qualified physicians.

“It’s equally important to follow and absorb the science—and listen to and devote sufficient time and attention to the patient. One ensures you’re providing the best possible medical care while the other is essential to developing the sort of relationship that promotes good communication and helps facilitate the best possible outcome” expressed Dr. Khanifar.

Affiliated with numerous national and international professional societies and organizations, he is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Fellow), the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Vit-Buckle Society, the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the Washington DC Metropolitan Ophthalmological Society.

After earning a Bachelor of Engineering degree (with honors) at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Khanifar attended the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California where he earned his medical degree in 2002. He continued his post-doctoral training with an internship in internal medicine at Los Angeles County General Hospital, a residency in ophthalmology at Vanderbilt Eye Institute, a fellowship in medical retina and research at Duke Eye Center, and a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. Through a NIH-sponsored K30 award, he also earned a Certificate in Clinical Investigation from the Clinical & Translational Science Center at Weill Cornell. 

Prior to joining The Retina Group of Washington, he completed a fellowship at Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México (APEC/Assoc. to Prevent Blindness in Mexico) through the Paul Kayser International Travel Scholar Award. It is given by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology.

Licensed to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, Dr. Khanifar is board-certified in ophthalmology by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). The ABO is an independent, nonprofit organization responsible for certifying ophthalmologists (eye physicians and surgeons) in the United States. 

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine and surgery, which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. Ophthalmologists are experts in the diseases, functions, and anatomy of the eye. They may provide routine care such as vision testing, as well as prescribe and fit eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, ophthalmologists are also surgeons. They repair traumatic injuries to the eye and perform cataract, glaucoma, and corneal surgery.

Based on his research interests in retinal imaging and age-related macular degeneration, Dr. Khanifar is a leading presenter at national and international meetings. He has authored a number of articles, book chapters and other works, and serves as a reviewer for the journals Retina and The Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. He is held in the highest regard by his medical colleagues, having been chosen one of the area’s top ophthalmologists in the annual Washingtonian “Top Doctors” rankings by his peers.

On a more personal note, Dr. Khanifar is fluent in English and conversant in Spanish.

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