Mark Fernandez, MD
Education
- Duke University School of Medicine
- Duke Hospital Internship in Internal Medicine
- Duke Eye Center Residency in Ophthalmology
- Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University Fellowship in Corneal, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery
- Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Eastern Virginia Medical School
About Me
Dr. Mark Fernandez is an ophthalmic surgeon specializing in Corneal, Cataract, and Refractive surgery. He is a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine, where he then completed a one year internship in Internal Medicine. He received his residency training in Ophthalmology at the Duke Eye Center, also at Duke University, and was awarded the prestigious Robert Machemer Research award for his work in limbal epithelial cell transplantation for patients with severe ocular surface disease.
He then completed a one year fellowship in Corneal, Cataract and Refractive surgery at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University. In his fellowship, Dr. Fernandez gained advanced training in the diagnosis and management of corneal disease, corneal transplantation, complex cataract surgery, and laser vision correction.
Dr. Fernandez has the distinction of having reported the first successful use of partial thickness corneal transplantation, known as Descemets Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK) in a child. He has published numerous articles in the peer reviewed literature including The American Journal of Ophthalmology, The British Journal of Ophthalmology, The Middle Eastern and African Journal of Ophthalmology, The Journal of Neuroimaging, and Current Opinions in Ophthalmology.
Dr. Fernandez began practicing in Norfolk in 2012 and, in 2015 was named a Hampton Roads “Top Doc” in Ophthalmology by Coastal Virginia Magazine. This distinction was based on a survey of over 4,000 doctors in the area and he was the first ophthalmologist to earn this award after only three years in practice.
In 2015, Dr. Fernandez also became the first surgeon in Hampton Roads to perform Descemets Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). This is a minimally invasive form of corneal transplantation that provides patients with faster recovery of vision and a lower risk of rejection than older surgical techniques.
In 2016, Dr. Fernandez became the first surgeon in Hampton Roads to implant the Boston Keratoprosthesis, an artificial cornea designed to restore vision to patients who are at high risk of rejecting traditional corneal transplants.
Dr. Fernandez performs a wide range of procedures including cataract surgery, laser vision correction, and corneal transplantation including both full thickness transplants (Penetrating Keratoplasty) and partial thickness transplants (Descemets Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty, and Descemets Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty). When performing cataract surgery, he implants standard lenses, Toric lenses for the correction of astigmatism, and multifocal and accommodating lenses for patients who are appropriate candidates.
In addition to corneal and cataract surgery, Dr. Fernandez’s clinical interests include the diagnosis and management of dry eye, glaucoma, and diabetic eye disease.