Alexander Melamud, M.D., M.A.

Retina Specialist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon

Fellowship
Duke University

Residency
Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute

“I’m proud of our track record for providing top caliber teaching and training to residents and fellows. That helps us attract the best and brightest physicians, which means the practice will be in capable hands for many years to come.”

A graduate of Columbia University (Bachelor of Arts degree), Dr. Melamud went on to earn both his Master of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University. His post-graduate education included an internship in Internal Medicine at the New York University Hospital and a residency in Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute, where he was elected to serve as the chief resident. He then completed a surgical and medical fellowship in Retinal Disease at the Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Melamud is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retinal Surgeons. He is licensed in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

As a complement to his clinical care, Dr. Melamud is actively involved with research at both the national and regional level, acting as a principal and co-investigator in a number of clinical trials. He has over a dozen peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and abstracts to his credit and presents regularly at national and regional conferences. He is the co-director of the fellowship program administered by The Retina Group of Washington in conjunction with Georgetown University and the Washington Hospital Center, and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgetown. Dr. Melamud has received several grants to pursue training and research, and has secured a U.S. patent for the development of a device for use during retinal surgery. He is highly respected by his professional peers, who selected him one of the area’s top ophthalmologists in the annual Washingtonian “Top Doctors” rankings.

Dr. Melamud has a passion for international volunteerism and regularly travels abroad to provide surgical care to patients in Africa, Asia and South America.

Media Appearances & Activities/Accomplishments

Dr Alex Melamud Authors Chapter on Techniques for Pars Plana Lensectomy.
RGW doctors Kevin Broderick and Alex Melamud published, “Pars Plana Lensectomy: Indications, techniques for dropped and subluxed cataract” in The Duke Manual of Vitreoretinal Surgery First Edition 2020.

Dr. Alex Melamud and Dr. Sam Kim Investigate Endophthalmitis Risk Factors, Finding Ways to Significantly Reduce Risk of Post-Surgery Infection
Dr. Alex Melamud and Dr. Sam Kim from the Retina Group of Washington investigated the risk factors for a severe infection known as endophthalmitis, which can occur after vitrectomy surgery. The authors found that using a vitreous substitute material such as air, gas or silicone oil, at the time of surgery significantly reduced the risk of infection after surgery. The initial results of this study were also presented in 2016 at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting. The paper was published in the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases in July 2017.

Doctors Alexander Melamud, Sam Kim, and Gayatri S. Reilly Presented Paper on Endophthalmitis After Vitrectomy Surgery
Dr. Alexander Melamud, Dr. Sam Kim and Dr. Gayatri S. Reilly presented the results of a paper entitled Endophthalmitis After Vitrectomy Surgery: A Case Control Analysis at the annual meeting of the American Society of Retinal Surgeons in San Francisco, CA. Although infections are rare after vitrectomy, it is a potentially serious condition that warrants careful prevention measures both before and after surgery. The current study is the largest analysis of risk factors for infection at the time of vitrectomy surgery conducted to date. The authors evaluated the use of peri-operative antibiotics, the effect of surgical instrumentation and other factors on the likelihood of endophthalmitis. The study found that the usage of endotamponade was protective against post operative infection.

Dr. Alex Melamud publishes paper on lens surgery and patient outcomes in American Journal of Ophthalmology
Dr. Alex Melamud has published a paper evaluating the safety and efficacy of complex secondary intraocular lens surgery in patients who also undergo pars plana vitrectomy surgery. The study is entitled “Pars Plana Vitrectomy Combined with Either Secondary Scleral Fixated or Anterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantation” and reviews outcomes in patients who require surgical visual rehabilitation. The paper reports excellent visual outcomes with two techniques of secondary intraocular lens implantation. It has been published ahead of print on the website of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a prestigious peer-reviewed publication.

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