Bio

Bio

Dr. Chaudhary is a vitreo-retinal surgeon, Chief of Ophthalmology & Professor of Surgery at Hamilton Regional Eye Institute, McMaster University.
As an educator, he acts as Retina Chair for the McMaster University Ophthalmology residency training program and has been the recipient of the surgical and medical Teacher of the Year Award three times.

As a researcher, he has secured multiple peer-reviewed grants for research in tele-ophthalmology, age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and posterior segment drug delivery systems. He is the site Principal Investigator for the international DRCR network and sits on the steering committee for multi-national clinical trials in retina. Dr. Chaudhary supervises Master's level thesis students in translational retinal research and was appointed Associate Member, McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering.

He acts as Editor-in-Chief for the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. He was awarded the Senior Honor Award by the American Society of Retinal Specialists.

His administrative experience extends to the provincial level as regional physician lead for ophthalmology and as clinical advisor for multiple provincial ophthalmology working groups. At the national level, he acts as CPD Director for the Canadian Retina Society and serves as a board member for the Canadian Retina Society.

Clinical Interests

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Retinal Detachment Repair and Macular Surgery
• Retinopathy of Prematurity

Research Interests

Awards

• McMaster Surgical Association Research Grant, Dept of Surgery, McMaster University (2019)
• 2018 Senior Honor Award Recipient, American Society of Retina Specialists (2018)
• Surgical Teacher of the Year, Ophthalmology Residency Program, McMaster University (2018)
• C20/20 Research Grant, Ontario Research Fund (2017)
• 2014 Honour Award Recipient, American Society of Retina Specialists (2014)
• Clinical Teacher of the Year, Ophthalmology Residency Program, McMaster University (2013)
• Clinical Teacher of the Year, Ophthalmology Residency Program, McMaster University (2011)
• Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation Research Grant (2011)
• Barbara Tuck MacPhee Research Grant, CNIB (2011)
• Surgical Associates Research Grant, Dept of Surgery, McMaster University (2010)
• E.A. Baker Fellowship Scholarship – Pediatric Vitreoretinal Fellowship, CNIB (2008)
• E.A. Baker Fellowship Scholarship – Adult Vitreoretinal Fellowship, CNIB (2007)
• 1st Prize, Annual Research Day, Dept. of Ophthalmology, UWO, (2006 & 2005)
• 1st Prize, Canadian Ophthalmological Society (2005)
• Internal Research Fund Award University of Western Ontario (2005)
• Harvard Medical School / Dr. Henry Witelson Memorial Award in Ophthalmology (2001)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research Award (2001)
• American Pediatric Society - Research Travel Award (2001)
• Harvard Medical School / National Institutes of Health Research Scholarship (2000)
• Medical Research Council of Canada - Research Scholarship (2000)

Appointments

• Editor-in-Chief - Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 
• Board Member, Canadian Retina Society
• Member, CPD Council, Canadian Ophthalmological Society 
• Co-Investigator: Diabetes Action Canada. CIHR funded S.P.O.R. network. Diabetic Retinopathy Initiative
• Clinical Lead - Retinopathy of Prematurity Treatment & Screening Program
• Lead Investigator -Telemedicine & ROP Initiative
• Active Staff - St. Joseph's Health Care, Hamilton Ontario

Selected Health Care System Leadership and Administration Positions

• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Integrated Retinal Care Quality-Based Procedure Expert Group
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Corneal Surgery Quality-Based Procedure Expert Group
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Paediatric Strabismus Working Group
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Corneal Transplant Working Group
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Provincial Vision Task Force on Cataract Surgery Decision Tool

Featured Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

• Isaza G, Donaldson L, Chaudhary V. Increased incidence of retinopathy of prematurity and evolving treatment modalities at a Canadian tertiary centre. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2019;54(2):269-74.
• Moinul P, Ligori T, Qian J, Tin E, Calotti M, Ceyhan T, Barbosa J, Chaudhary V. Evaluating Patient Preparedness for Cataract Surgery and Satisfaction with Pre-operative Care. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology (in press). 
• Moinul P, Barbosa J, Qian J, Chen ML, Mohaghegh M, Kaur H, Holmes J, Radman H, Robinson T, Chaudhary V. Does Patient Education Improve Compliance to Routine Diabetic Retinopathy Screening? J Telemed Telecare. 2018 Oct: https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X18804749 [ePub ahead of print].
• McLaughlin C, Biehl M, Chan B, Mullen S, Zhao L, Donaldson L, Sivachandran N, Moinul P, Barbosa J, Chaudhary V. Ophthalmology referrals from optometry: a comparative study (the R.O.C.S study). Can J Ophthalmol. 2018 Oct;53(5):491-496.
• Chaudhary V, Brent M, Lam WC, Devenyi R, Teichman J, Mak MY, Kaur H, Barbosa J, Carter R, Farrokhyar F. Genetic Risk Factors are not Associated with Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment Response to Ranibizumab. Ophthalmologica. 2018; 239(4): 240.
• Chan BJ, Barbosa J, Moinul P, Sivachandran N, Donaldson L, Zhao L, Mullen SJ, McLaughlin CR, Chaudhary V. Patient satisfaction with wait times at an emergency ophthalmology on-call service. Can J Ophthalmol. 2018; 53(2): 110-116.
• Chaudhary V, Barbosa J,  Lam WC, Mak M, Mavrikakis E, Mohaghegh M. Ozurdex in Age Related Macular Degeneration as Adjunct to Ranibizumab (The OARA Study). Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. Aug 2016.
• Chaudhary V, Brent M, Lam W, Devenyi R, Teichman J, Mak M, Barbosa J, Kaur H, Carter R, Farrokhyar F. Genetic Risk evaluation in wet age related macular degeneration treatment response. Ophthalmologica. Jul 2016. 10.1159/000446819.
• Chaudhary V, Popovic M, Holmes J, Robinson T, Mohaghegh P MS, Eino D, Mann K, Kobetz L, Gusenbauer K, Barbosa J. Predictors of functional vision changes following cataract surgery: The PROVISION study. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. Aug 2016.
• Popovic M, Chaudhary V, McKay BR, Moinul P, Mohaghegh P MS, Beattie A, Fava M, Eino D, Mann K, Kobetz L, Barbosa J. Discrepancies in Physician-Patient Agreement in Reporting Past Ocular History. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. Jun 2016.
• Manreet Alangh, Varun Chaudhary, Christopher McLaughlin, Brian Chan, Sarah Mullen, Joshua Barbosa. Ophthalmic Referrals from Emergency Wards—A Study of Cases Referred for Urgent Eye Care (The R.E.S.C.U.E Study). May 2016.
• Chaudhary V, Gusenbauer K, Mak M, Barbosa J, Mogaghegh P SM, Popovic M. The effect of waiting room educational media on pre-injection anxiety for initial intravitreal injections. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 2016;51(2):71-75.
• Isaza, G., Modabber, M., Arora, S., Chaudhary, V. Zone I and posterior zone II retinopathy of prematurity. Journal of Clinical Neonatology 2015;4(4):237-43.
• Berger AR, Cruess AF, Altomare F, Chaudhary V, Colleaux K, Greve M et al. Optimal treatment of retinal vein occlusion: Canadian expert consensus. Ophthalmologica 2015;234(1):6-25.
• Isaza, G., Aorora, S., Bal, M., Chaudhary, V. Incidence of retinopathy of prematurity and risk factors among premature infants at a neonatal intensive care unit in Canada. Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Stabismus 2013;50(1):27-32.
• Noble J, Chaudhary V. Five things to know about Ranibizumab and the eye. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2011;185 (7):822.
• D’Souza, M, Chaudhary, V, Devenyi, R, Kertes, PJ, Lam WC. Reoperation of idiopathic full-thickness macular holes after initial surgery with internal limiting membrane peel. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2011 Nov. 95(11):1564-7.
• Noble, J, Chaudhary, V. Five things to know about age-related macular degeneration. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2010;182(16):1759.
• Noble, J, Chaudhary, V. Five things to know about diabetic retinopathy. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2010;182(14):1646.
• Koushan, K, Chaudhary, V. Comment on Ophthalmology article: Are Myopic Eyes Less Likely to Have Diabetic Retinopathy? Evidence Based Ophthalmology 2010;11(3):146-7.
• Jivraj, I, Lam WC, Chaudhary, V, Singal, N. Repair of Descemet’s Membrane Detachments with Intracameral injection of long-acting gases. University of Toronto Medical Journal 2009;86(2):68-70.
• George B, Chen S, Chaudhary V, Gonder J, Chakrabarti S. Extracellular matrix proteins in epiretinal membranes and in diabetic retinopathy. Curr Eye Res. 2009 Feb;34(2):134-44.
• Chaudhary, V, Heathcote, JG, Nichols, BD. Acanthamoeba keratitis complicating orthokeratology. Clinical & Surgical Ophthalmology 2008;26: 286-87.
• Chaudhary, V, Mao, A, Hooper, P, & Sheidow, T. The effect of triamcinolone acetonide as an adjunctive treatment to verteporfin therapy in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A prospective, randomized, placebo controlled pilot clinical trial. Ophthalmology 2008;114:2183-9.
• Chaudhary, V, Kertes, PK. Comment on Nature article titled: Sequence and target independent angiogenesis suppression by siRNA via TLR3. Evidence Based Ophthalmology 2008;9(4):242-32.
• Chaudhary, V, Hansen R, Lindgren H, & Fulton, A. Effects of Telazol and Nembutal on retinal responses. Documenta Ophthalmologica 2003;107:45-51.
• Chaudhary, V, Hansen, R, & Fulton, A. Anesthetic drugs have different effects on the adult rat retina. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2001;42 (suppl.):72.
• Fata, JE, Chaudhary, V, Khokha, R, Cellular turnover in the mammary gland is correlated with systemic levels of progesterone and not 17beta-estradiol during the estrous cycle. Biology of Reproduction 2001;65(3):680-8.

Health Policy Reports

• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Retina Quality Based Procedure Expert Group. Quality­-based procedures clinical handbook for integrated retinal care. Toronto, Canada: Dec 2015

Submitted for Publication

Journal Articles

• Chaudhary, V, Brent, M, Lam, W, Devenyi, R, Teichman, J, Mak, M, Kaur, H, Farrokhyar, F, Carter, R, Barbosa, J. One Year Results – Genetic Risk Evaluation in Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration Treatment Response. Retina