Richard A. Garfinkel, M.D.

Retina Specialist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon

Fellowship
Associated Retinal Consultants at Wayne State University
William Beaumont Hospital

Residency
W. K. Kellogg Eye Center (University Of Michigan)

“I pride myself on my commitment to quality; my patients expect and deserve that. We are regarded as the best in the field, and we accept the responsibility of setting the standard for medical treatment and patient care. And we can’t rest on our laurels. We need to maintain that quality in everything we do.”

Dr. Garfinkel is a graduate of the Honors program at the University of Michigan where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. He continued his studies at the New York University School of Medicine—where he received his Doctor of Medicine—before returning to the University of Michigan for his residency at the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, where he also served as Chief Resident. He then completed a fellowship in Vitreoretinal Diseases with the Associated Retinal Consultants at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the William Beaumont Hospital.

Board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, with licenses from the states of Virginia and Maryland and the District of Columbia, Dr. Garfinkel has hospital appointments at Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital. He also is a clinical assistant professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Garfinkel is a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists and served on its Practice Management Committee. He is also a member of the University of Michigan W.K. Kellogg Alumni Advisory Board.

Dr. Garfinkel has published articles in numerous publications and has generated more than 40 abstracts and presentations in his professional career. He is active in clinical research, having been the principal investigator in many national multi-center clinical trials and the sub-investigator in more than 25 additional research studies. He has received Honor Awards from the American Society of Retinal Specialists and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and has been named a Washingtonian Magazine “Top Doctor,” a Northern Virginia Magazine “Top Doctor,” and a “Best Doctor in America.” His alma mater presented Dr. Garfinkel with the University of Michigan-Kellogg Eye Center Alumni Achievement Award, as well as the Walter R. Parker Resident Teaching Award. He also is the recipient of the Professional Service Award from the Prevention of Blindness Society, where he has served as medical advisor to the group’s macular degeneration network.

In his free time, Dr. Garfinkel enjoys his family, golf and running.

Media Appearances & Activities/Accomplishments

Dr. Reginald Sanders and Dr. Richard Garfinkel present at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

Drs. Sanders and Garfinkel presented on “Private Equity in Retinal Practices” at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), in New Orleans. The AAO annual meeting is the largest organized meeting of ophthalmologists in the world. The talk was given in front of over 3,000 retinal specialists.

Dr. Sanders later also gave a talk on “MACRA in a large sub-specialty practice” at the same meeting.

Doctors Levinson, Berinstein, and Garfinkel Present At the Annual Meeting of the Retina Society

Dr. Joshua Levinson, Dr. Daniel Berinstein & Dr. Richard Garfinkel of The Retina Group of Washington presented on “Improving the Safety of Intravitreal Injections” at the annual meeting of the Retina Society in Boston, MA. Intravitreal injections are frequently used to treat vision loss from diabetic macular edema and exudative (“wet”) macular degeneration. The RGW team analyzed the group’s collective experience with over 35,000 injections performed in 2016 and identified strategies to improve the safety of intravitreal injections. As a result of the study, these techniques have been adopted by academic centers and private practices across the country.

Drs. Joshua Levinson, Richard Garfinkel & Michael Lai Publish Article Entitled “Bilateral Uveitis following Typhoid Fever”

Dr. Joshua Levinson, Dr. Richard Garfinkel & Dr. Michael Lai published an article entitled “Bilateral Uveitis following Typhoid Fever” in the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases. Typhoid fever is caused by a bacterial infection endemic in many developing nations. During recovery from the illness, patients may develop an autoimmune syndrome affecting multiple organs including the eyes. In this paper, the RGW doctors describe one of the first cases of typhoid-related uveitis ever reported in the United States.

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