IKA Keratoconus Symposium

Dr. Belin attended Northwestern University (Evanston, Il) where he majored in Bio-Medical Engineering and received his medical degree from Rutgers Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at the Albany Medical College and fellowship in Cornea and External Diseases at the University of Iowa. He subsequently completed (by invitation) a traveling fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeon of England Foundation. Dr. Belin is Professor of Ophthalmology & Vision Science at the University of Arizona Department of Ophthalmology and Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System (Tucson, Arizona). He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Albany Medical College (Albany, New York) and the University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Canada). Dr. Belin holds an honorary Professorship at the Military Hospital #1, Shenyang, China.

Dr. Belin is a Past-President of the Cornea Society (2006-8) and Vice-President for International Development (2008-15). He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Ophthalmology. He served on the Board of Directors, the Medical Advisory Board and the Executive Committee of the Eye Bank Association of America. Michael is Past Chair of the American University Professors of Ophthalmology’s Fellowship Compliance Committee (AUPO-FCC). Dr. Belin is a past recipient of the AAO Honor Award, Senior Honor Award, Academy Service Award, the Achievement Award (x2) and the AAO Life Time Achievement Award. He is the 2024 Castroviejo Medal awardee considered the highest award in the field of cornea. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed articles and has presented over 250 papers at major national or international meetings.

Dr. Griffin Christenson is an optometrist, educator, and leader in applying artificial intelligence to evidence-based eye care. His clinical interests include myopia management, corneal disease, vision therapy, sports vision, and integrating advanced technologies into contemporary optometric practice.

A scholar-athlete, he earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University College of Optometry, a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, specializing in artificial intelligence for healthcare. Dr. Christenson is the only known individual to have simultaneously balanced the rigors of optometry school while playing NCAA collegiate football at the same institution.

As Medical Advisor for East Optical, Dr. Christenson has helped advance access to innovative myopia management technologies. He has served on AEG Vision's Optometric Leadership and Advisory Council and the American Optometric Association's evidence-based clinical practice guideline 'A-Eye' subcommittee, which focuses on developing and integrating artificial intelligence into applied data abstraction and optimizing clinical workflows. He also hosts Eye.Talk.Tech, a podcast featuring discussions on emerging technologies and the future of eye care.

Combining expertise in optometry and computer science, Dr. Christenson is dedicated to advancing precision eye care through artificial intelligence, evidence-based medicine, and technology-driven innovation. He is a sought out expert and speaker on healthcare applications of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Gelles is the Director of the Specialty Contact Lens Division at the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute and CLEI Center for Keratoconus in Teaneck, New Jersey. He serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Illinois College of Optometry, New England College of Optometry, and the State University of New York College of Optometry. His clinical and research focus is dedicated to keratoconus, specialty contact lenses, and corneal and ocular surface disease.

Dr. Gelles is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the Scleral Lens Society, the Contact Lens Society of America, the British Contact Lens Association, the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control, and is a PROSE clinical fellow. He has held leadership roles in multiple professional organizations, including the International Keratoconus Academy, the Intrepid Eye Society, Refractive Surgery Alliance, the American Academy of Optometry’s Innovations Council, and the Contact Lens Society of America. He was recognized by the National Keratoconus Foundation as the 2023 Top Doctor honoree.

Dr. Steven Greenstein is the medical director at the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute and the CLEI center for Keratoconus. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School’s Cornea, Refractive, and External Disease fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Prior to and during his professional ophthalmic career, Dr. Greenstein published a multitude of articles and wrote many book chapters on corneal crosslinking (CXL) for the treatment of keratoconus. He is a co-inventor of Corneal Tissue Addition Keratoplasty (CTAK), a novel surgical technique to treat Keratoconus.

Dr. Greenstein is board certified in Ophthalmology and is a board-certified fellow in refractive surgery. He is a clinical associate professor at Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School. He is currently a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Refractive Alliance, the Cornea Society, and the Society of Heed Fellows. Dr. Greenstein is also a team Ophthalmologist for the New York Jets Football team.

Jennifer S. Harthan, OD is a graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO). After completing a residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses at ICO, she became a full-time faculty member. Dr. Harthan is a Professor at ICO and Chief of the Cornea and Contact Lens Center for Clinical Excellence at the Illinois Eye Institute. Dr. Harthan is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), a Diplomate of the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies, a Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society, a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. She also serves on the advisory boards for many companies including the International Keratoconus Academy and Epion Therapeutics. Dr. Harthan is the Executive Director of the GP Lens Institute as of January 2025. Dr. Harthan is a founding member of the SCOPE (Scleral Lenses in Current Ophthalmic Practice Evaluation) research team. Dr. Harthan is the 2022 recipient of the Dr. Edward S. Bennett GPLI Educator of the Year Award, the 2022 AOCLE Dr. Lester E. Janoff Memorial Award, and the 2024 AOA Contact Lens and Cornea Section Achievement Award. Dr. Harthan is actively involved in ocular surface disease and contact lens research and lectures on these topics at national meetings. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 200 peer-reviewed abstracts. Dr. Harthan has also co-authored 2 book chapters (Specialty Contact Lenses, Chapter 4; Clinical Manual of Contact Lenses, 5th edition, Chapter 13).

Dr. Caitlin Morrison is a cornea and contact lens residency-trained optometrist and owner of In Focus, a specialty contact lens-only practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. After earning her degree from the New England College of Optometry, she completed a Cornea and Contact Lens Residency at the SUNY College of Optometry and worked in the cornea department at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. Dr. Morrison is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) and the Scleral Lens Society (FSLS), a recipient of multiple contact lens excellence awards, and a frequent lecturer, writer, and consultant in the field of specialty contact lenses.

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Dr. Natalie Noble, originally from Allegheny Township, PA, graduated from Kiski Area High School in 2002, Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology in 2006, and The New England College of Optometry in Boston in 2010. She is a 4th generation optometrist and had the unique opportunity to practice with her uncle and grandfather, Doctors Arthur G. Duppstadt and Arthur O. Duppstadt, in Leechburg for over five years.

Dr. Noble is a medical optometrist and enjoys treating patients of all ages. She is particularly interested in keratoconus, specialty contact lenses, and myopia control for children. When not in the office, Dr. Noble can be found on skis at Seven Springs, playing beach volleyball in the summer, and looking forward to the first day of trout season each year.

Marc is a New York native and a graduate of Columbia College (AB) and Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons (MD). He interned in Internal Medicine at Yale’s Danbury Hospital before completing his residency at Columbia’s Harkness Eye Institute. He then completed a two-year fellowship at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, sub-specializing in Cornea and External Disease. Marc has experience in both private and academic practice and is currently an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Virginia where he practices clinical ophthalmology specializing in Refractive Surgery. As former Medical Director for Visx, Inc., he played pivotal roles in developing and commercializing the excimer laser and the femtosecond laser. He currently consults for multiple companies in corneal and refractive surgery, presbyopia correction and dry eye disease. Marc is the Chief Medical Officer for TearSolutions, Inc. a Charlottesville, VA-based startup conducting clinical trials for a new drug developed for Sjogren's and dry eye disease.

Leyla Yavuz Saricay, MD, MSc, FEBO is an adult and pediatric cornea specialist and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center. She also serves as a Pediatric Cornea Specialist at Boston Children's Hospital and Instructor in Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Yavuz Saricay completed fellowships in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Genetics at Boston Children's Hospital, and Ocular Immunology and Cornea Research at Tufts Medical Center. Her clinical expertise includes pediatric and adult keratoconus, corneal collagen cross-linking, corneal transplantation, pediatric corneal diseases, neurotrophic keratopathy, limbal stem cell deficiency, ocular surface reconstruction, inherited corneal disorders, and advanced anterior segment surgery. She performed the first epi-on corneal collagen cross-linking procedure in the United States in pediatric hospital setting, expanding access to minimally invasive treatment for patients with keratoconus.

Her research focuses on translational corneal imaging and regenerative therapies, with particular interest in in vivo confocal microscopy, neurotrophic keratopathy, limbal stem cell deficiency, pediatric corneal disease, keratoconus, and ocular surface reconstruction. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, received multiple national and international research awards, and is an invited speaker at major ophthalmology meetings. Her work aims to advance imaging biomarkers, innovative surgical techniques, and regenerative therapies to improve outcomes for patients with complex corneal disease.

Dr. Christine W. Sindt is a 1994 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Optometry. She completed a disease-based residency at the Cleveland VA Medical Center. Dr Sindt joined the Faculty of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in 1995, where she is a Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director of the Contact Lens Service. Dr Sindt is also the Director of Clinical Research for Oculus and a Board member for BioConnect Iowa. Dr Sindt is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and Faculty for the AAO Clinical Investigator Course. She serves as an advisory board member for the GPLI, is the 2010-2011 AOA CLCS Chair, Past President of Women of Vision, Past President and co-founder of the Scleral Lens Education Society, and recipient of the AAO CCLRT Founders Award in 2025. Dr Sindt is an avid researcher and innovator, holding 8 patents and the founder of several start-up companies, including EyePrint Prosthetics, Custom Impression Scleral Lenses, and S5G Therapeutics.

Uri S. Soiberman, M.D., joined the Cornea faculty at the Wilmer Eye Institute in 2016 and currently serves as Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Cornea Fellowship. His clinical and research interests focus primarily on keratoconus, and his work has been supported by the National Eye Institute and Research to Prevent Blindness.

Dr. Soiberman offers advanced surgical treatment for keratoconus, including deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), which he performs regularly, and other corneal transplantation procedures. He also specializes in endothelial keratoplasty techniques—including DSEK, DMEK, and DSO—for patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy and corneal edema.

In addition, Dr. Soiberman has extensive expertise in complex cataract surgery and provides patients with premium intraocular lens options, including toric and multifocal lenses. His surgical practice also includes management of dislocated intraocular lenses and secondary intraocular lens implantation.

Dr. Sorkin is Director of Specialty Contact Lens Services at Corneal Associates of New Jersey in Fairfield, New Jersey. He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry. He lectures extensively throughout the country and internationally on contact lenses, ocular therapeutics and corneal disease. He has a special interest in difficult to fit contact lens patients, such as those with keratoconus and post-surgical cases and manages many patients with complex anterior segment conditions.

Dr. Sorkin currently serves as President of the Essex County Optometric Society and Vice President of the New Jersey Society of Optometric Physicians. He also serves as a member of the Medical Advisory Board of the International Keratoconus Academy and the Advisory Board of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute and is a Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society. He is adjunct clinical faculty at Pennsylvania College of Optometry and the New England College of Optometry. He was named New Jersey Optometrist of the Year in 2018 by NJSOP and Preceptor of the Year by PCO in 2025.

Loretta Szczotka-Flynn OD, PhD is the Philip F. and Elizabeth G Searle - Suber Huang Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) with a secondary appointment in the Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences. She is also the Director of the Vision Research Coordinating Center and the Contact Lens Service at the University Hospitals Eye Institute at University Hospitals of Cleveland and CWRU. She received her Doctor of Optometry and Masters of Physiological Optics from The Ohio State University and her PhD in Epidemiology from CWRU. She is the primary instructor for semester-long graduate level course “Clinical Trials” at CWRU since 2019. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and Diplomate in the Academy’s Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies where she is Past Chair of the Section. She is a Vice-President in the International Society for Contact Lens Research; Vice President of the American Academy of Optometry Foundation, serves on the Board of International Keratoconus Academy and the Eye and Contact Lens Association; and is an Associate Editor for Eye & Contact Lens Journal. Her clinical and research interests include contact lens associated corneal inflammation and infection, keratoconus, and corneal transplantation which have been funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI). She was/is Director of the Coordinating Center for two large multicenter NEI funded trials in corneal transplantation; the Cornea Preservation Time Study from 2011-2017 and since 2021, the Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study (DEKS). She was also funded by NEI to study the genetic susceptibility to contact lens associated microbial keratitis.