Meet Dr. Janet Sunness

Dr. Janet Sunness is a low vision and retina specialist who serves as Medical Director of the Richard E. Hoover Rehabilitation Services for Low Vision and Blindness at GBMC. She is recognized as a pioneer in understanding how patients adapt after developing blind spots in their vision. Dr. Sunness provides comprehensive evaluations, visual function testing, and low vision evaluations, working closely with occupational therapists to maximize patients' independence.

Dr. Sunness treats a wide range of conditions affecting vision, including macular disease, retinal disease, glaucoma, optic nerve disease, and corneal disease. She is a world-renowned authority on advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (geographic atrophy) and has conducted landmark natural history studies that guide clinical trials. She is also one of few U.S. ophthalmologists specializing in Stargardt disease, a form of macular degeneration affecting younger individuals, and has expertise in retinitis pigmentosa.

In addition to clinical care, Dr. Sunness is actively involved in research and offers genetic testing for her patients through collaboration with leading geneticists. She also treats wet macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, providing a holistic approach to retinal and low vision care.