Dr. Brian Hafler
Areas of Expertise
About Me
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.
Training

Medical Doctor (MD)
2019Harvard Medical School
Medical School
PhD
2019Harvard Medical School
Masters / PhD
Retina
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (Harvard Medical School)
FellowshipOphthalmology
Yale School of Medicine/Yale–New Haven Hospital
Residency
Undergraduate (Magna Cum Laude)
Princeton University
Undergraduate
Awards & Honors
Young Physician Scientist Award
American Society for Clinical Investigation
Thome Memorial Foundation Award for AMD Research
Thome Memorial Foundation
William R. Orthwein, Jr. ’38 Yale Scholar
Yale School of Medicine
Cushing Foundation Award
Cushing Foundation
Publications & Press
Certifications & Licensure
- Licensed In
- CT, MA
- License Numbers
- 63687, 258561
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Dr. Brian Hafler
Ophthalmology • Comprehensive Ophthalmologist
Ophthalmology • Comprehensive Ophthalmologist


