Associate Professor, Ophthalmology
School of Medicine

Global Ophthalmology, Corneal Transplantation, Ocular Surface Disease, and Keratoconus

Research interests include Keratoconus, Pediatric Corneal Collagen Crosslinking,
Severe Ocular Surface Disease including Ocular Graft Versus Host Disease, Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid, Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency, and Dry Eye.

Dr. Behshad received the Annual C.S. O'Brien Professorship Award for Outstanding Research and Resident Presentation in both 2014 and 2015. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, Eye Banking Association of America, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and a member-in-thesis of the Cornea Society.

Dr. Behshad is the founder of the Clarkston Community Health Center's Eye Clinic, a free clinic helping thousands of uninsured and underinsured patients in Georgia. In 2019 and 2020, Dr. Behshad was recognized by Emory University School of Medicine as Doctor of the year. In May 2021, he was an Honoree of the lights award established by President George Bush for his local and international humanitarian work. In 2022, Dr Behshad was the recipient of the Real World Ophthalmology Ophthalmologist of the year award. In 2021, 2022, and again in 2023 Dr. Behshad was recognized as Atlanta’s Top Ophthalmologist.

Soroosh Behshad, MD, MPH is a board-certified ophthalmologist and associate professor who specializes in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery. Prior to joining the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, UCI department of Ophthalmology in October 2023 he was on faculty at the Emory Eye Center for 7 years in Atlanta, Georgia. During his tenure at Emory University, Dr Behshad was the chief of Ophthalmology for Emory St Joe’s Hospital and also involved in supervising the training numerous ophthalmology residents and cornea fellows.

Dr. Behshad received his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson and Phoenix, AZ in 2011. He completed a transitional year internship at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, followed by a residency in ophthalmology at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, that included one year as chief resident. His fellowship in cornea, refractive and external disease was completed at Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine.

His master’s degree in public health is from the University of Arizona, Tucson, with a concentration in healthcare management.

Dr. Behshad has been very active within global ophthalmology and international humanitarian programs. He has traveled across the globe to perform specialized eye surgeries and train local doctors on cataract and corneal surgical techniques. He has worked with international hospitals and ministries of health to develop national eye care plans in developing countries. Dr Behshad is faculty with Orbis, the flying eye hospital and has continued to be involved with blindness prevention programs in Ethiopia. In 2020, he was recognized by the Kingdom of Jordan for his service and work developing a sustainable refugee eye care program for Syrian Refugees living in refugee camps

Behshad S, Jacobsen BH, Pinney E, Wade M, Garg SS. Endothelial Keratoplasty Safety-Basket Suture for Management of Difficult Cases. Cornea. 2016 Jun;35(6):908-10.

Behshad S, Weil NC, Ho ST, Mayhall GK, Valenzuela AA. A Cyst You Can't Miss: A Rare Presentation of an Orbital Apocrine Hidrocystoma. Orbit. 2015;34(4):229-31. doi: 10.3109/01676830.2015.1014514.

Behshad S, Sethi P, Valenzuela AA. The malignancy masquerader: hyperostosis and bone marrow hypertrophy after pleomorphic adenoma removal. Can J Ophthalmol. 2015 Dec;50(6):e104-6.

Behshad S, Tucker J, Garg SS. Toric Intraocular Lens Alignment: Manual Versus Automated Alignment Techniques for Toric IOLs. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2016 Summer;56(3):71-84. doi: 10.1097/IIO.0000000000000115. PMID: 27257723.

Zhang Z, Behshad S, Sethi-Patel P, Valenzuela AA. Glasses: Hiding or causing skin cancer? Orbit. 2016 Oct;35(5):262-6. doi: 10.1080/01676830.2016.1193525.

Behshad S, Wade M, Farid M, Garg S. Surgical outcomes of endothelial keratoplasty safety-basket suture for management of difficult cases. Can J Ophthalmol. 2019 Dec;54(6):746-750. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2019.04.013. Epub 2019 Aug 9. PMID: 31836110

Peragallo JH, Weil NC, Behshad S. Conjunctival incision management for strabismus surgery in the post-corneal neurotization patient. J AAPOS. 2021 Feb;25(1):40-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2020.09.002.

Gorham JP, Behshad S, Weil NC. Comparison of Two Photoscreeners in a Population of Syrian Refugee Children. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2021 Nov-Dec;58(6):396-400. doi: 10.3928/01913913-20210428-01.

Morel M, DeGrazia T, Ward L, Behshad S, Kim HJ, Feldman R. Single Center Retrospective Study of Patients with Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid (MMP). Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2022 Jan 2;30(1):256-261. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1783322.

Morel M, Severinsky B, Kim HJ, Behshad S. Semiscleral Contact Lens Use After Direct Corneal Neurotization for Neurotrophic Keratopathy. Eye Contact Lens. 2023 Aug 24. doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000001028.

Warren N, Sun L, Behshad S, Kim J, Thulasi P. Retrospective Study of Preoperative Laser Peripheral Iridotomy Versus Intraoperative Surgical Peripheral Iridectomy in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty. Cornea. 2023 Sep 28. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003384.

American Academy of Ophthalmology

American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)

Cornea Society - Member in thesis

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Emory University 2016—2023

Ophthalmology

Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=7205

Last updated
11/28/2023