Henry A. Ferreyra, M.D. is an Assistant Clinical Professor with the UCSD Department of Ophthalmology at the Shiley Eye Center. His early interest in the molecular basis of disease led him to major in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He obtained his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. After medical school, he did a general surgery internship at the University of California, San Francisco. His interest in microsurgery led him to complete a residency in ophthalmology and fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Ferreyra then studied electroretinography and retinal dystrophies at the University of Michigan with Dr. John Heckenlively, an internationally renowned authority in the field.

Dr. Ferreyra has diverse clinical interests ranging from age-related macular degeneration to retinopathy of prematurity. In the fall of 2007, Dr. Ferreyra will found and direct the Retinal Dystrophy Clinic at the Shiley Eye Center, making it the only such clinic in the San Diego area. The clinic will integrate electrophysiological studies with the most advanced imaging technologies. Like others in the field, he believes that our increasing understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of retinal diseases will allow gene therapy and stem cells to be used to treat conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, and even macular degeneration.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ferreyra is an active researcher and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Ferreyra is an investigator in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2), a multi-center clinic trial studying the benefits of lutein and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for AMD. Dr. Ferreyra recently appeared on San Diego’s NBC affiliate KNSD discussing routine eye care. He was the recipient of the Pan American Association of Ophthalmology International Travel Scholar Award and was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award by the ophthalmology residents.

Dr. Ferreyra is bilingual in Spanish, a skill appreciated by his Spanish-speaking patients. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Ferreyra believes in giving back to the community. He has worked with under-represented students interested in pursuing a medical career by mentoring them and starting a clinical preceptor program with the Post-Baccalaureate program.