Antonio Capone, Jr., M.D.

After completing his Fellowship in 1991, Dr. Capone joined the faculty at Emory University, where he was a tenured Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Emory's Vitreoretinal Fellowship Training Program.  He joined Associated Retinal Consultants in Royal Oak, MI in 2000.  He is a board certified ophthalmologist whose special interests include pediatric vitreoretinal diseases, complicated retinal detachment, ocular oncology and macular disease.   

Dr. Capone is an internationally recognized clinician, surgeon and educator.  He has authored or co-authored over 300 publications in peer-reviewed medical journals, book chapters, and publications from clinical trials.  He is currently a Professor of Ophthalmology at Oakland University William Beaumont Hospital School of Medicine.  He served as Co-President of ARC from 2015-2021, and currently serves as Chairman of the Medical Executive Board for EyeCare Partners and President of the Pediatric Retina Research Foundation.  He has been dedicated to education throughout his career, has served as Director/Co-Director of the Associated Retinal Consultants Vitreoretinal Fellowship Training Program, and has trained many domestic and international thought leaders in adult and pediatric retinal diseases and surgery.   

Dr. Capone is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Retina Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, Macula Society, Retina Society, Association for Research in Vision in Ophthalmology, and the International Society for Eye Research, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Retina Society.

Tarek S. Hassan, M.D.

Tarek S. Hassan, M.D. is Professor of Ophthalmology at Oakland University  William Beaumont School of Medicine and Director of the Vitreoretinal Fellowship  Training Program and Partner at Associated Retinal Consultants in Royal Oak,  Michigan. He is the President of the Retina World Congress (RWC), President of  the Retina Hall of Fame (RHOF), Past President of the American Society of  Retina Specialists (ASRS), and Past President of the Foundation of the ASRS.  He served 12 years on the Executive Committees of the ASRS and the  Foundation of the ASRS and has been on the ASRS Board of Directors for 22 years. He was Program Chairman of two ASRS Annual Meetings and two Retina  Subspecialty Day Meetings at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).  He is a Founder and the current President of the Retina Fellows Forum, Club Vit, RWC, and RHOF.  

He has been an investigator in more than 150 national trials and has authored  more than 230 peer-reviewed papers and 9 books and book chapters. He  presently serves as Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of Vitreoretinal  Diseases and as an editor of several other leading journals. He has given over 750 national and international podium presentations on numerous retinal topics.  He has been awarded the AAO Achievement Award, ASRS Senior Honor Award,  and AAO Senior Achievement Award, and was elected as an inaugural member  of the RHOF. He has been honored to train 54 clinical and 25 international  research vitreoretinal fellows in his active academic clinical practice.

Alon Kahana, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Kahana is a surgeon-scientist with a clinical focus on oculoplastic and orbital surgery. His basic and translational research interests over a 30-year academic career have ranged from epigenetics to embryogenesis to stem cells to cancer to inflammation. His current research focus areas are: (1) the role of nuclear receptor ligands as mediators of orbital inflammatory conditions, particularly thyroid eye disease; (2) the biology and treatment of cicatrizing conjunctival disorders (e.g. ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, Stevens Johnson Syndrome); and (3) basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids and orbit.

Dr. Kahana completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at Brandeis University, graduating Summa Cum Laude and with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Dr. Kahana received his M.D. (with Honors) as well as a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology from The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Ophthalmology and fellowship in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In 2007, completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at Brandeis University, graduating Summa Cum Laude and with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Dr. Kahana received his MD (with Honors) as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology from The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his residency in ophthalmology and a prestigious ASOPRS fellowship in oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Wisconsin under the preceptorship of Dr. Mark Lucarelli. He simultaneously completed a facial cosmetic surgery fellowship under the preceptorship of Dr. Bradley Lemke. Dr. Kahana’s fellowship thesis won the prestigious Marvin Quickert Award from the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS).

In 2007, Dr. Kahana was recruited to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, where he rose up the ranks to Associate Professor with Tenure. At the University of Michigan, Dr. Kahana led a research lab studying embryonic development of the eye and orbit, cancer stem cells and inflammation, using a zebrafish model alongside a primary human tissue culture model. A recipient of multiple grants from the National Eye Institute, Institutes of Health, as well as Research to Prevent Blindness and other philanthropic organization, Dr. Kahana has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, multiple book chapters and reviews, and has given >100 lectures throughout the United States and internationally, including several endowed lectures and visiting professorships. Dr. Kahana also completed a major prospective clinical trial on the treatment of advanced orbital and periocular basal cell carcinoma.

In 2020, Dr. Kahana left the University of Michigan to join the Department of Ophthalmology at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine as Professor. In 2022, Dr. Kahana was named Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Ophthalmology.

Tamer Mahmoud, M.D., Ph.D.

Tamer Mahmoud, MD, PhD joined Associated Retinal Consultants/Beaumont hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan in September 2017 and is a professor of Ophthalmology at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. He moved from North Carolina where he was the program director of the vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at the Duke University Eye center and a tenured associate professor at Duke. He has developed many surgical techniques including the use of subretinal air to displace submacular hemorrhage and developed and performed the first human autologous retinal transplantation. He also introduced chandelier buckles to the United States and developed the ILM retracting door technique for macular holes. In 2019, he developed the Nanovitreoretinal Surgery Platform.

Dr. Mahmoud graduated Valedictorian from Ainshams University, finished his internship, residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at the Duke University Eye Center. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Club Jules Gonin, the Macula Society, the Retina Society, and the United States Masters Swimming Association. He is a reviewer for many Ophthalmology journals and a principal investigator on many clinical trials sponsored by the industry and the National Eye Institute. He has been invited as a guest speaker all over the world. Dr. Mahmoud is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is licensed in the states of California, Michigan, and North Carolina.

Dr. Mahmoud received the Edward K. Isbey, Jr., M.D. Resident Award for "Excellence in Clinical Care, Ethics, and Research" from the Duke Eye Center, the Retina Research Foundation/"Joseph M. and Eula C. Lawrence" award from ARVO, the "Senior Honor Award" from the American Society of Retina Specialists, The “Achievement Award” from the AAO, the prestigious Robert A. Machemer research award from the Duke Eye Center, the "Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award" from the Kresge Eye Institute and the “Golden Globe Award” for residents’ education from the Duke Eye Center.

Dr. Mahmoud has been on the list of Best Doctors in America since 2009 and Castle Connolly Top Doctors in Ophthalmology. He was the program director of the Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship at the Kresge Eye Institute in Michigan before moving back to Duke in 2011 to join the retina faculty. Wayne State University-Kresge Eye Institute established the "Tamer H. Mahmoud, MD endowed fellowship research award" in 2012. This award is bestowed yearly to the fellow presenting the best paper.

Dr. Mahmoud is a co-founder of the Arab-African Society of Retina Specialists (AASRS), and founder of the Duke Surgical Rounds Courses launched at national and international conferences in 2013. He served on the national Therapeutic Safety Committee (TSC) for monitoring of drugs and devices, and founded the North Carolina Retina Club (NCRC) in 2012 to allow interaction and collaboration between retina specialists in the state of North Carolina.

Rajesh Rao, M.D.

Dr. Rajesh Rao is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and section Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.  Dr. Rao completed his medical training at the University of Michigan, followed by residency at Jules Stein Eye Institute/UCLA Medical Center, then fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at University of Wisconsin.  He has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and participates in clinical research projects, including national multi-center trials.  

He teaches ophthalmology residents from Beaumont Eye Institute, Henry Ford Hospital, and Kresge Eye Institute, and has won the resident teaching award from Beaumont.  His clinical interests include the practice of comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology, including conditions such as strabismus, amblyopia, tear duct obstructions and pediatric cataracts.  He has a special interest in the management of complex strabismus, including adult strabismus and double vision.  He is a member of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Michigan Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  Dr. Rao and his wife have two children.  He enjoys playing tennis and golf, and is an avid football fan and proud University of Michigan alumnus.

Alan Ruby, M.D.

Dr. Ruby received his undergraduate and medical degree with high honors from the University of Michigan. In his residency he served as Chief Resident of the Department of Ophthalmology at Northwestern University. He was a Heed Fellow during his retinal fellowship training at Washington University. Dr. Ruby is currently Clinical Assistant Professor of Biomedical Science at Oakland University.

Dr. Ruby has a special interest in diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. He is actively involved in a wide array of both basic science and clinical vitreoretinal research studies, and currently serves as principal investigator for multiple NEI studies.

Dr. Ruby has been named to The Best Doctors in America is actively involved in fellow and resident education. He is a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists, Retinal Society, The Michigan Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, American Medical Association, Michigan State Medical Society, and Oakland County Medical Society, and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Kimberly Drenser, M.D., Ph.D.

Clinical Associate Professor

Bruce Garretson, M.D.

Clinical Associate Professor

John Hart, Jr., M.D.

Clinical Associate Professor

George Williams, M.D.

Clinical Professor