Fellowship Programs - Duke Eye Center

Program Director

Clinical Specialties

Fellowship Programs

Terry Kim, MD

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

Associate Director, Corneal and External Disease Service

Refractive Surgery Service

Background

Terry Kim, MD, received his undergraduate and medical school degrees from Duke University and completed his residency and chief residency in ophthalmology at Emory University. He continued with his fellowship training in Cornea and External Disease and Refractive Surgery at Wills Eye Hospital. He was then recruited to Duke Eye Center, where he is a full-time faculty member of the Corneal and Refractive Surgery Services. Dr. Kim serves as principal investigator on a major research grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate innovative corneal adhesives and wound healing. He was formerly the Director of the Residency Program and now serves as the Director of Fellowship Programs.

Dr. Kim's academic accomplishments include his extensive publications in the peer-reviewed literature, which include close to 100 journal articles and textbook chapters. He is also co-author and co-editor of 2 well-respected textbooks on corneal diseases and cataract surgery.

Dr. Kim has delivered well over 200 invited lectures both nationally and internationally. His clinical and research work has earned him honors and grants from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), National Institutes of Health, Fight for Sight/Research to Prevent Blindness, Heed Ophthalmic Foundation, Alcon Laboratories, and Allergan. He is also listed in Best Doctors in America, Best Doctors in North Carolina, and America's Top Ophthalmologists. Dr. Kim is on the Annual Program Committee for the AAO and on the Cornea Clinical Committee for the ASCRS. He serves as consultant to the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the FDA and sits on the Editorial Board for the journals Cornea, Ocular Surgery News, Eyeworld, Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, and Review of Ophthalmology. As Consultant Ophthalmologist for the Duke Men's Basketball Team, Dr. Kim provides ophthalmic care for the players and coaches and has performed surgical procedures which have been featured on nationally televised programs like the Discovery Channel.

Research Interests

Kim's clinical and basic science research areas focus on two projects, both of which receive NIH/NEI funding. The first project involves the potential clinical applications of new corneal adhesives known as biodendrimers. These new and unique molecules are developed and synthesized by Dr. Mark Grinstaff of the Chemistry Department at Boston University. They are then tested in in-vitro (human eyebank eyes) and in-vivo (chicken eyes) settings to study adhesive behavior and effectiveness. Some biodendrimers have already been tested and found to have many advantages over traditional cyanoacrylate adhesives as well as conventional sutures. Hopefully, these new biodendrimers will offer a new approach to the repair of corneal wounds, including clear corneal cataract incisions, corneal lacerations, LASIK flaps, and corneal transplants.

The second focus involves investigating potential anterior segment applications of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, a new modification developed by Dr. Joseph Izatt of Duke's Pratt School of Engineering. Specifically, Kim has used this new real-time technology to examine LASIK flaps as well as changes that occur in the eye during accommodation. He is also applying this new imaging technology to examine corneal wound morphology after cataract surgery as well as tube shunt movement in the anterior chamber.