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Expert list · Last reviewed April 17, 2026

Best Ophthalmologists for Retinal Diseases in Arizona

Leading ophthalmologists for retinal diseases in Arizona, with research focus, hospital affiliations, and what to ask before your first visit.

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Arizona has a small but deep bench of ophthalmologists for retinal diseases, with fellowship-trained retina surgeons practicing across Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, and Flagstaff. This list is where to start if you need care for macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, or a rarer condition of the back of the eye.

The retina is the layer of light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye, and diseases that affect it — age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, macular holes, uveitis — often require sub-specialist care. Every doctor below practices in Arizona, treats retinal disease as a primary focus, and has published peer-reviewed research on the conditions they treat. Most operate out of teaching hospitals like Banner University Medical Center, Mayo Clinic Arizona, or St. Joseph's in Phoenix, which matters when a complex case needs imaging, labs, or a second opinion on short notice.

Cameron Javid

Cameron Javid, M.D.

Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Arizona College of Medicine

St Josephs Hospital And Medical Center

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Dr. Cameron Javid practices retina surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and operates through St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center. He treats macular holes, retinal detachment, diabetic eye disease, and eye tumors, and patients in southern Arizona often see him for second opinions on complex vitreoretinal problems. His work on complications of macular hole surgery 3 is still referenced by surgeons planning repairs, and he has helped document uncommon causes of sudden vision loss, including ocular syphilis hiding behind a negative blood test 5 and retinal vasculitis that worsens despite treatment 4. He has also contributed to research on levodopa and wet macular degeneration 1 and radiation planning for eye tumors 2.

Sachin Mehta

Sachin Mehta, M.D.

Banner University Medical Center Phoenix

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Dr. Sachin Mehta is a retina surgeon affiliated with Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn, and Havasu Regional. He focuses on retinal detachment, macular disease, and the surgical side of retinal care. His comparison of vitrectomy alone versus vitrectomy combined with a scleral buckle for detached retinas 7 gave surgeons clearer guidance on which operation suits which eye. He has also published on rare cases of corneal inflammation tied to tuberculosis 10 and on lens proteins that influence cataract formation 6.

Alan Gordon

Alan Gordon, MD

Banner University Medical Center Phoenix

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Dr. Alan Gordon is a retina specialist with admitting privileges at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, St. Joseph's, and HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn. He treats macular holes, retinal detachment, and age-related macular degeneration. He was part of the early group that tested vitrectomy with transforming growth factor-beta 2 as a way to close full-thickness macular holes without stripping the retinal membrane 11, and he helped show how angiogram imaging predicts which holes will seal after surgery 12. Patients often find him when a previous retina procedure didn't fully work and a more experienced hand is needed.

Neal Palejwala

Neal Palejwala, MD

Banner University Medical Center Phoenix

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Dr. Neal Palejwala is a vitreoretinal surgeon practicing in Phoenix with hospital affiliations across Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, St. Joseph's, and Banner Desert. He focuses on surgical retina, inflammatory eye disease, and inherited retinal conditions. His widely cited review on how lupus affects the eye 14 is a go-to reference for rheumatologists and eye doctors coordinating care. He has also published detailed imaging work on Stargardt-like macular dystrophy 16 and on APMPPE, a rare inflammatory condition sometimes triggered by viral infection 17, as well as research on chorioretinal folds 15 and glaucoma bleb revision 18.

Odette Houghton

Odette Houghton, MD

Mayo Clinic Arizona

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Dr. Odette Houghton is a retina specialist at Mayo Clinic Arizona in Scottsdale. She sees patients with macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, vein occlusions, and uncommon choroidal disorders. Her work on automated OCT analysis of fluid pockets inside the retina 20 helped make monitoring easier for conditions like cystoid macular edema, which drives vision loss in diabetes. She has also characterized focal choroidal excavation tied to polypoidal vasculopathy 22 and studied ultra-widefield imaging in macular degeneration 24, both of which shape how retina specialists read scans today.

Henry Kwong

Henry Kwong, MD

HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center

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Dr. Henry Kwong is a retina specialist practicing out of northern Arizona with additional affiliations at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn and Yavapai Regional. He covers a wide range of retinal disease, including rarer emergencies that general eye doctors don't see often. He has reported on macular damage from laser pointers 25, which matters for parents of children who've pointed one at their eye, as well as vitreoretinal lymphoma 26, implant migration after vitrectomy 27, and retinal vasculitis linked to antiphospholipid syndrome 28. His work leans toward making sure serious problems at the back of the eye get recognized and treated quickly.

What to look for in an ophthalmologist for retinal disease

  • Board certification in ophthalmology from the American Board of Ophthalmology
  • Fellowship training in vitreoretinal disease or medical retina
  • Affiliation with a teaching hospital or academic medical center where imaging and subspecialty support are on site
  • Experience with your specific condition — ask how often they see it
  • Availability for follow-up on short notice, since many retinal problems progress quickly
  • Insurance compatibility and whether they're taking new patients

Questions to ask before your first appointment

  • How many patients with my condition do you treat each year?
  • Do you do both medical and surgical retina care, or just one?
  • If I need surgery, where would it be done, and who covers post-op emergencies?
  • What imaging will you run at the first visit, and how soon will I get results?
  • What treatment options are available beyond the standard first line?
  • If my vision changes suddenly, how do I reach the on-call retina doctor?

The bottom line

If you or a family member has been told there's something wrong with the retina, see a fellowship-trained retina specialist — not a general ophthalmologist — and do it quickly. The Arizona doctors above each combine active clinical practice with published research on the conditions they treat, which is a reasonable proxy for depth. Use this list as a starting point, confirm with your insurance and primary eye doctor, and ask for a referral to an academic center if a case is complex or a treatment isn't working.

Sources

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    Levodopa Positively Affects Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration — The American Journal of Medicine, 2020. DOI
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    Rapid and progressive decline despite early intervention in a case of bilateral hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis — American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports, 2020. DOI
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    Presentation of Ocular Syphilis in a HIV-Positive Patient with False-Negative Serologic Screening — Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, 2019. DOI
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    Enhancement of Chaperone Function of α-Crystallin by Methylglyoxal Modification — Biochemistry, 2003. DOI
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    Pars plana vitrectomy versus combined pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckle for primary repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment — Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, 2011. DOI
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    Bilateral disciform keratitis as the presenting feature of extrapulmonary tuberculosis — British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2010. DOI
  11. 11.
    The Effect of Pars Plana Vitrectomy and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 2 without Epiretinal Membrane Peeling on Full-thickness Macular Holes — Ophthalmology, 1993. DOI
  12. 12.
    Fluorescein Angiographic Characteristics of Macular Holes Before and After Vitrectomy With Transforming Growth Factor Beta-2 — American Journal of Ophthalmology, 1994. DOI
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    The Lower Palaeozoic rocks around Glenluce, Wigtownshire — ERA, 1962.
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    Ocular Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Review of the Literature — Autoimmune Diseases, 2012. DOI
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    Chorioretinal Folds: Associated Disorders and a Related Maculopathy — American Journal of Ophthalmology, 2014. DOI
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    INSIGHTS INTO AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT STARGARDT-LIKE MACULAR DYSTROPHY THROUGH MULTIMODALITY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING — Retina, 2015. DOI
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    Long-term multimodal imaging in acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy and association with coxsackievirus exposure — PLoS ONE, 2020. DOI
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    Single Needle Revision of Failing Filtration Blebs: A Retrospective Comparative Case Series with 5-Fluorouracil and Mitomycin C — European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2010. DOI
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    Automated Segmentation of Intraretinal Cystoid Fluid in Optical Coherence Tomography — IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2012. DOI
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    5-HT<sub>2A</sub>receptors stimulate mitogen-activated protein kinase via H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>generation in rat renal mesangial cells — American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, 2000. DOI
  21. 21.
    Focal Choroidal Excavation Associated With Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy — Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina, 2013. DOI
  22. 22.
    Enrichment of transiently transfected mesangial cells by cell sorting after cotransfection with GFP — American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, 1999. DOI
  23. 23.
    Ultra-widefield fundus autofluorescence in age-related macular degeneration — PLoS ONE, 2017. DOI
  24. 24.
    Laser pointer induced macular damage: case report and mini review — International Ophthalmology, 2012. DOI
  25. 25.
    Vitreoretinal Lymphoma: Changing Trends in Diagnosis and Local Treatment Modalities at a Single Institution — Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma & Leukemia, 2012. DOI
  26. 26.
    Intravitreal Implant Migration Into Anterior Chamber in a Post-Vitrectomy Eye With Central Retinal Vein Occlusion and Persistent Macular Edema — Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina, 2013. DOI
  27. 27.
    Bilateral occlusive retinal vasculitis in a patient with primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome — Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, 2012. DOI
  28. 28.
    Ion Beam Analysis Of Silicon-Based Surfaces And Correlation With Surface Energy Measurements — AIP conference proceedings, 2011. DOI

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