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Dr. Christopher M. Aderman is a vitreoretinal surgeon who treats the full spectrum of medical and surgical retinal disease. He cares for patients with age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and detachments, and other complex macular disorders, offering leading-edge imaging, in-office therapies, and microsurgical repair when needed. Patients value his thoughtful explanations and collaborative approach to decisions, whether considering injections, laser treatment, or surgery. Dr. Aderman graduated magna cum laude in biochemistry from Bowdoin College and earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. After an internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, he completed ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Francisco. He then pursued vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital, where he received the Ron Michels Foundation Fellowship Award; he is also a Heed Fellow. He is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and was recognized as a Top Doctor in Portland in 2020.

Dr. Marcus Altman is a vitreoretinal surgeon with additional fellowship training in uveitis and ocular immunology. He earned his medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine, completed an internal medicine internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and an ophthalmology residency at the OHSU Casey Eye Institute. He went on to dual fellowships in uveitis and vitreoretinal surgery at the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah. Dr. Altman cares for patients with the full spectrum of retinal disease—including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal tears and detachments—and manages complex inflammatory eye conditions such as uveitis. He offers both clinic-based treatments and advanced microsurgery, and he prioritizes education so patients understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and recovery expectations. As an assistant professor at OHSU, he brings an evidence-driven approach and a calm, collaborative manner to every visit.

Dr. Steven Saraf is a retina specialist who brings a wealth of experience from his training and practice across the country. He was raised in southern Washington and has traveled widely, completing his medical degree at UCLA and his ophthalmology residency at Henry Ford Hospital. He then pursued two advanced fellowships, one in uveitis at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and another in retina and vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Washington. After training, Dr. Saraf was recruited by the University of Washington to serve as faculty and was appointed assistant professor. He has won multiple teaching awards and served as the medical director of the Karalis Johnson Retina Center, a busy referral center that provided him with extensive experience in managing complex retinal conditions. His clinical expertise includes medical and surgical management of retinal diseases as well as advanced care for uveitis with immunomodulatory therapies and surgical interventions. Beyond clinical care, Dr. Saraf is an active researcher with over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and he has participated in clinical trials. His work has been presented at national and international conferences. In his free time, he enjoys ice hockey, exploring the outdoors, cooking, drinking coffee, playing chess, and traveling.

Dr. Elizabeth Verner-Cole is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in retinal disorders at EyeHealth Northwest. She has been recognized as one of Portland's Top Doctors in 2017 and 2025 by Portland Monthly Magazine, highlighting her dedication to patient care. Her expertise includes diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, with a focus on conditions such as macular degeneration. Dr. Verner-Cole serves patients across multiple locations in the Portland metropolitan area, including Northwest Portland, Sunnybrook, Tigard, Peterkort, and Milwaukie, making eye care accessible and convenient. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she completed her undergraduate studies in music at Pomona College before pursuing ophthalmology. Her extensive training includes medical school and residency at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School, where she gained experience at one of the busiest trauma centers in the country. Following residency, she completed an ophthalmic pathology fellowship in Houston and a two-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery at OHSU Casey Eye Institute, equipping her with specialized skills for complex eye conditions.

Dr. Benjamin K. Young is a vitreoretinal surgeon at the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, caring for both adults and children with medical and surgical diseases of the retina and vitreous. He earned his M.D. at Brown University, completed ophthalmology residency at Yale University—where he served as chief resident—and pursued fellowship training in adult and pediatric vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center. He also holds a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Young treats diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy of prematurity, and a wide range of complex retinal disorders, offering advanced imaging, in-office therapies, and microsurgical care. His clinical philosophy emphasizes careful explanation, shared decision-making, and compassionate follow-through. In addition to patient care, he is active in research on AMD, diabetic eye disease, and ROP, and is passionate about creating educational tools that improve clinical training and patient outcomes.

Dr. Everett grew up in Port Angeles, Washington, and she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Biochemistry from the University of Washington. She completed her medical school and graduate degree training in Human Genetics at the University of Michigan Medical School as part of the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD). Dr. Everett completed her ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Francisco, then returned to the University of Michigan for a Medical Retina Fellowship at the Kellogg Eye Center. She trained in medical and peri-operative retina care, uveitis, ocular oncology, and inherited retinal diseases. Dr. Everett joined the Casey Eye Institute as a faculty member in the Ophthalmic Genetics and Retina Divisions. Her clinical and basic research interests focus on inherited retinal diseases, genetic disorders of retinal vascular development, retinal vascular imaging, and novel gene therapy approaches for the treatment of degenerative retinal disease. As a Pacific Northwest native, she enjoys spending time outside with family and friends, and she values building lasting partnerships with patients to provide excellent care and counseling.

Justin Etzel, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist providing comprehensive eye care in Eugene, Oregon. Raised in the Willamette Valley, he first discovered his interest in medicine while working as a clinic assistant at a local optometry office during high school. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Willamette University in 2012, where he completed thesis research as a Murdock Scholar at the Oregon Health Sciences University, studying embryonic development. Dr. Etzel spent two years as a research scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle before attending medical school at the Penn State University College of Medicine, graduating in 2018. His interest in eye care grew during medical school as he participated in research projects aiming to uncover the origins of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. He completed his internal medicine internship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and his ophthalmology residency at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania before returning to Oregon to provide comprehensive ophthalmologic care. Dr. Etzel enjoys partnering with patients to understand their goals and explain treatment options clearly, whether for routine eye care or surgical consultation. Outside of the clinic, he spends time with his wife and their two Vizslas, and enjoys cycling, photography, camping, hiking, and traveling outdoors across the Pacific Northwest.

Tomas A. Lopez, M.D. is an ophthalmologist specializing in medical retina. He was born and raised in Napa, California. Dr. Lopez received a bachelor degree of science in chemistry from Pacific Union College. He completed medical school at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, graduating with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. He then completed a transitional internship at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio. Dr. Lopez returned to Loma Linda University for his ophthalmology residency followed by a medical retinal fellowship. Dr. Lopez has a background in treating comprehensive ophthalmology problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye, and ocular trauma. He is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal conditions including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular diseases, chorioretinal degenerations, and uveitis. His patient care philosophy is to provide up-to-date evidence-based care while tailoring it to each individual's unique background and needs. In his free time, Dr. Lopez and his wife enjoy hiking in national parks, photography, and trying new restaurants.

Dr. Mehrdad Malihi is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellow member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Academy of Facial Esthetics. He is the founder of NELSI, INC., an eye care center in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Malihi is a comprehensive ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon. He provides a broad range of eye care services including ocular surface disease treatment (dry, burning, or irritating eyes), glaucoma care, cataract surgery, injections for retinal swelling and wet macular degeneration, and retina surgery. He strives to help his patients reach their goals in life through skilled and compassionate eye care, understanding how critical vision is to each person’s potential and health. He is an avid supporter of scientific advancement in eye care and has authored many manuscripts and presented at meetings. Dr. Malihi’s life goal is to improve his patients’ quality of life by providing exceptional eye care in a compassionate and understanding way.

Dr. Merina Thomas went to medical school at Vanderbilt University, then went on to complete her residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center. Her current research interests are tele-ophthalmology, clinical informatics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in ophthalmology. Her clinical interests include age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. She is the co-vitreoretinal fellowship director, the CEI clinical informaticist and EPIC Physician Champion, and the co-chair of the CADIO (Casey Advancement in Diversity and Inclusion in Ophthalmology) committee. Dr. Thomas enjoys discovering new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Dr. Sandhu is a native of Vancouver, Canada. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in chemistry from Harvard College before attending Harvard Medical School. He performed his residency in ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Ear and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, and his fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery and diseases at the Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sandhu was a full-time faculty member in ophthalmology and physiology at the University of Louisville for four and a half years where he was an attending on the retina service, the uveitis service, and the ocular trauma service. He also served as the uveitis fellowship director and trained multiple fellows in retinal surgery and uveitis. While in academic ophthalmology, he was an NIH-sponsored investigator with research spanning ocular immunology, diabetic physiology, pharmacoepidemiology, and artificial intelligence applications to ophthalmic imaging. He has published over 100 scientific papers, abstracts, and book chapters in total. In his free time, Dr. Sandhu enjoys playing tennis, spending time with his family both near and far, watching a wide range of sports, and reading non-fiction, particularly international relations history.

Dr. Aristomenis Thanos is a retina and vitreous specialist who earned his medical degree from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Harvard Medical School investigating vision loss after retinal detachment, followed by an ophthalmology residency at Harvard Medical School Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary and fellowship training in adult and pediatric vitreoretinal surgery at Associated Retinal Consultants of William Beaumont Hospital. In 2016, he received the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Award, the highest honor for a vitreoretinal surgery fellow in the United States. His clinical and research interests include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, macular hole repair without face down positioning, and complex retinal detachment.