Dr. Shady Awwad obtained his medical degree with the Alpha Omega Alpha award, completed an internship in general surgery, and a residency in ophthalmology (1999-2002) all at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). He then pursued a double fellowship in corneal diseases and surgery and refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, Corrective lens implantation) (2002-2006) and a fellowship in ophthalmic pathology (2005-2006), all at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He is currently an associate professor, director of the laser refractive surgery center, and the head of the cornea and refractive surgery division at AUBMC. He is recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology achievement award.
Dr. Awwad’s main clinical and surgical focus is on refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, wavefront and topography guided surgeries, phakic corrective lenses, presbyopic surgeries), corneal surgery (keratoconus intracorneal ring segments, all types of corneal transplantation, corneal cross-linking, and others), and cataract surgery and anterior segment diseases and surgeries. Together with Dr. Nada Jabbur, he started the first presbyopic corneal inlay surgeries in the Middle-East, performed at AUBMC since 2011.
For this, he has been actively conducting research aimed at better understanding and treating visual errors and corneal diseases, a dedication reflected in his extensively large research portfolio. He has to date more than 60 publications in major international peer-reviewed high-impact ophthalmology journals, and more than 120 presentations in major international ophthalmology meetings such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the Association for Research & Vision in Ophthalmology, and the World Ophthalmology Congress. He received the American Academy of Ophthalmology achievement award in 2010 based on his continuous academic and research contributions. His research focuses on laser vision correction technology (refractive surgery), wavefront technology, optics, and visual metrics in refractive surgery, intraocular lens calculations for cataract surgery after refractive surgery, keratoconus, and corneal topography.
On the educational level, Dr. Awwad is actively involved in teaching at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. In addition, he has organized and has contributed to many transfer of skills and surgical courses presented at all the major international meetings such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. He has also been a panelist and moderator in numerous scientific sessions held during those meetings, and a peer-reviewer for many ophthalmology journals.
American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
American Academy of Ophthalmology
International Society of Refractive Surgery
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (Since 1998)