SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, FARVO, incoming chair of Duke Eye Center, was honored with the 2026 Heed-Gutman Award, one of ophthalmology's most prestigious recognitions, during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Presented by the Society of Heed Fellows, the Heed-Gutman Award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to ophthalmology through leadership, education, research, and service. Dr. Sadda was selected in recognition of his extraordinary career advancing retinal imaging, artificial intelligence, clinical research, and ophthalmic education.
Dr. Sadda currently serves as Director of Artificial Intelligence & Imaging Research at the Doheny Eye Institute and professor of ophthalmology at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. He will assume the role of chair of ophthalmology at Duke in November 2026.
An internationally recognized retina specialist and clinician-scientist, Dr. Sadda's research has helped shape the field of retinal imaging and image analysis. He founded the Doheny Image Reading Center and has authored more than 950 peer-reviewed publications, contributed 20 book chapters, and delivered more than 700 presentations worldwide. His work has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health, including multiple National Eye Institute grants.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sadda has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as president of the Doheny Eye Institute, the International Retinal Imaging Society, the Macula Society, and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). He currently serves as executive director of the global RIMR AMD Consortium.