#  Joan W. Miller, MD 

David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology

 

 

 



   ![Joan W. Miller, MD](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/2025-07/Miller-Joan_400x400_0.jpg?itok=ixB5RY-z) 

 



 

 location\_on 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114 

 



 

Research Area(s): [AMD](/amd), [Diabetic Eye Disease](/diabetes),[Glaucoma](/glaucoma), [Ocular Genomics](/ogi), [Ocular Oncology](/oncology), [Ocular Regenerative Medicine](/ormi)

### Mass Eye and Ear

Co-director, Laser Laboratory  
Co-director, Ines and Frederick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory  
Senior Scientist

**BIOGRAPHY**

**Joan W. Miller, MD,** is the David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology and former Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School (HMS), Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Massachusetts General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Miller earned her medical degree and received her ophthalmology residency training from HMS, and then completed fellowships in ophthalmology research and vitreoretinal surgery at Mass Eye and Ear. In 2002, Dr. Miller became the first female physician to achieve the rank of Professor of Ophthalmology at HMS. In 2003, she became the first woman to serve as Chair of the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology. She was also the first woman appointed as Chief of Ophthalmology at both Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Hospital.

Dr. Miller is an internationally recognized expert on retinal disorders, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Over the last two decades, she and her colleagues at Mass Eye and Ear/HMS pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy using verteporfin (Visudyne®), the first approved pharmacological therapy able to reduce and slow vision loss in patients with AMD. The group also identified the key role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ocular neovascularization, leading to the development of anti-VEGF therapies now administered to millions of children and adults with sight-threatening retinal diseases annually around the world. Dr. Miller’s current studies focus on the genetics of AMD, strategies for early intervention in AMD, and neuroprotective therapies for retinal diseases.

Dr. Miller has authored more than 200 original research articles and nearly 80 book chapters, review articles, or editorials. She is on the editorial board for the journals *Ophthalmology* and *Ophthalmology Retina,* and an editor of several textbooks, including the 3rd edition of Albert and Jakobiec’s *Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology* (Saunders). Dr. Miller is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the Academia Ophthalmologica lnternationalis, and the Dowling Society, as well as a Gold Fellow of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Among her numerous honors, Dr. Miller delivered the 2012 Edward Jackson Lecture for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and was a co-recipient of the 2014 António Champalimaud Vision Award, the highest distinction in ophthalmology and visual science. In 2015, Dr. Miller became the first woman to receive the Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology from ARVO; in 2018, she became the first woman awarded the Charles L. Schepens Award from AAO. Recently, Dr. Miller was awarded the 2018 Lucien Howe Medal from the American Ophthalmological Society and the 2018 Gertrude D. Pyron Award from American Society of Retinal Surgeons.

### Profiles:

[Harvard Catalyst Profile](https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/57159)  
[Mass Eye and Ear Profile](http://www.masseyeandear.org/find-a-physician/m/miller-joan-w) (clinical)  
[Mass Eye and Ear Profile](https://researchers.masseyeandear.org/details/198/joan-joan_w_miller-miller-ophthalmology-boston?Index=12) (research)  
[Mass General Hospital Profile](http://www.massgeneral.org/surgery/doctors/doctor.aspx?id=18403)

[***Click here for the latest news about Joan W. Miller, MD***](/news/news-categories/joanmiller)



 

 

 





 

 

- ## Academic rank
    
     [Professor of Ophthalmology](/faculty/professor)
- ## All Faculty (Alphabetical by Last Name)
    
     [M](/alphabetical-last-name/m)
- ## Centers of Excellence and Institutes
    
     [AMD](/faculty/amd) [Diabetic Eye Disease](/faculty/diabetes) [Glaucoma](/faculty/glaucoma) [Ocular Oncology](/faculty/oncology) [Ocular Genomics](/faculty/ogi) [Ocular Regenerative Medicine](/faculty/ormi)
- ## Endowed Faculty
    
     [David Glendenning Cogan Professorship](/professorships/cogan)
- ## Affiliation
    
     [Massachusetts Eye and Ear](/affiliation/mass-eye-and-ear) [Massachusetts General Hospital](/affiliation/mass-general-hospital)
- ## Position
    
     [Faculty](/faculty-1) [Chair](/position/chair) [Alumni](/faculty/alumni)
- ## Ophthalmology Training Program(s)
    
     [International Research and Training Program Faculty](/faculty/irtp)