Dr. Brian Hafler

Dr. Brian Hafler is a vitreoretinal specialist at Yale who cares for people with complex retinal disease, including age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal degenerations. As Director of the Inherited Retinal Disorders Service, he oversees advanced ophthalmic electrophysiology testing and collaborates across specialties to deliver precise diagnoses and thoughtful treatment plans. Patients appreciate his clear explanations, collaborative style, and focus on preserving vision and quality of life. Dr. Hafler graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, then earned his MD and PhD at Harvard Medical School. He completed ophthalmology residency at Yale School of Medicine/Yale–New Haven Hospital and a retina fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear as a Heed Fellow. In the lab, his team helped build a single-cell human retinal transcriptomic atlas to identify cell types driving macular degeneration, with the goal of translating discoveries into new therapies. His recognitions include the American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician Scientist Award, the Thome Memorial Foundation Award for AMD Research, the William R. Orthwein, Jr. ’38 Yale Scholar designation, and a Cushing Foundation Award. He welcomes patients seeking comprehensive, evidence-based retina care.