Cataract surgeries
Pediatric cataract, secondary IOL implantation, surgical complication management.
Associate Professor Muhammet Derda Özer, F.I.C.O.
Expert Ophthalmologist · Ocular Oncology & Vitreoretinal Specialist
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Derda Özer specialises in ocular oncology, vitreoretinal diseases, cataract, refractive, corneal transplantation, glaucoma, and pediatric ophthalmic surgery — having performed more than 30,000 ophthalmic operations across a 14-year clinical career.
- 30,000+Ophthalmic surgeries
- FICOICO Advanced · 2020
- Kansas + Wills EyeUSA fellowship-trained
- 40+Peer-reviewed publications
Verified and listed across leading directories and authorities
About Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Derda Özer
Ophthalmic surgeon — specialist in ocular oncology, retina, and advanced eye surgery.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Derda Özer is an ophthalmologist working in advanced eye surgery and ocular disease management. Drawing on the experience of more than 30,000 ophthalmic operations, his areas of expertise are ocular oncology, surgical and medical retina, cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, and uveitis.
Born in Bolu in 1986, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer graduated from Istanbul Medical Faculty in 2010 and completed his ophthalmology residency at the same institution between 2011 and 2016. During his training, he broadened his clinical experience as an observer at the Wills Eye Hospital Ocular Oncology Unit in Philadelphia, an academic referral centre for ocular oncology. His early career also included participation in numerous international phase studies, contributing to advancements in ophthalmic research.
After fulfilling his mandatory service at Hakkari State Hospital (2016–2018), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer joined Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Medical Faculty as a Lecturer, where he taught and trained ophthalmology residents. He earned the FICO (Fellow of the International Council of Ophthalmology) title in 2020 after passing the Advanced ICO examinations.
In 2021, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer became an active member of the Turkish Ophthalmology Association, Uvea-Behçet Unit. In 2024, he earned ECFMG (US Medical License) certification.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer continues to combine clinical practice with academic work in ophthalmology.
Surgical Experience
Operative log across university clinics, training rotations and private practice. Volume alone is not a quality marker — what these figures reflect is consistent exposure across subspecialties, unusual for a single surgeon.
Refractive surgeries
Femto-LASIK, PRK, no-touch surface ablation, cross-linking, intrastromal ring placement.
Vitreoretinal surgeries
Pediatric vitrectomies, ROP surgeries, complex vitreoretinal repair, combined procedures.
Keratoplasty surgeries
DALK, DMEK and PKP corneal transplantation across acute and chronic indications.
Strabismus surgeries
Adult and pediatric strabismus correction including reoperations and complex restrictive cases.
Glaucoma surgeries
Ahmed valve implantation (pediatric + adult), trabeculectomy, trabeculotomy, combined procedures.
Plaque radiotherapy
Plaque brachytherapy placement for uveal melanoma — a procedure performed by few surgeons in Türkiye.
Orbital surgeries
Lid and orbital reconstruction, oncologic excision and orbital trauma repair.
Areas of Expertise
- Ocular Oncology
- Vitreoretinal Surgery
- Cataract Surgery
- Refractive Surgery
- Corneal Transplantation
- Glaucoma
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Uveitis · Behçet
Education & Training
From Istanbul Medical Faculty to Wills Eye Institute and the University of Kansas — a structured progression across Türkiye, the United States and the international academic community.
- 2022 – present
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Istanbul Yeni Yüzyıl University, Faculty of Medicine — Department of Ophthalmology. Clinical practice, academic teaching and surgical mentorship.
- 2021
Associate Professorship (Doçent)
Awarded by the Turkish Inter-University Council (Üniversitelerarası Kurul) — Certificate №79111, 9 November 2021.
- 2018 – 2021
Associate Professor
Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine — Department of Ophthalmology. High-volume surgical practice and residency teaching.
- 2020
FICO · ICO Advanced Examination
Awarded Fellow of the International Council of Ophthalmology after passing the Advanced Examination — the most senior of the ICO assessments. July 2020.
- 2020
ICO-STAAR Surgical Fellowship — Vitreoretinal Surgery
University of Kansas Medical School, Prairie Village, KS — three-month surgical rotation under Prof. Radwan Aijlan (6 April – 5 July 2020).
- 2017 – 2018
ICO Examinations (Basic, Optics, Clinical)
ICO Basic Sciences (April 2017), Optics & Refraction (April 2017), Clinical Sciences (April 2018) — all passed on first sitting.
- 2016 – 2018
Mandatory Service
Hakkari State Hospital, Türkiye — clinical service in an underserved region following ophthalmology residency.
- 2012
Wills Eye Institute Observership — Ocular Oncology
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia — observership in the Ocular Oncology Unit, an academic referral centre for ocular oncology. Aug – Sep 2012.
- 2011 – 2016
Ophthalmology Residency
Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine — Department of Ophthalmology (August 2011 – March 2016).
- 2004 – 2010
Doctor of Medicine
Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine — six-year MD programme (September 2004 – July 2010).
Credentials & Certifications
International examinations, equipment-specific surgical training and professional memberships.
FICO — Fellow of ICO
International Council of Ophthalmology Advanced Examination, July 2020.
ECFMG Certification
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates — December 2024. Certificate №0-745-233-7.
USMLE Step 1 · Step 2 CK
United States Medical Licensing Examination — Step 1 (Jan 2021, 221 pts) + Step 2 CK (Aug 2021, 214 pts).
Doçentlik (Associate Professor)
Turkish Inter-University Council — 29 September 2021. Certificate №79111.
IntraLase FS Laser
Johnson & Johnson Vision — Femtosecond laser surgical training, September 2023.
STAR S4 IR Excimer Laser
Johnson & Johnson Vision — Excimer laser refractive surgery training, September 2023.
WaveLight EX500
Alcon — WaveLight EX500 Streamlight + Wavefront Optimized LASIK & PTK training, October 2024.
TOA Uvea-Behçet Unit
Active membership, Turkish Ophthalmology Association — Uvea-Behçet Unit, 2021.
Documents & Diplomas
Original certification, examination and surgical training documents — from medical school to ICO, ECFMG and equipment-specific qualifications.
Research & Publications
Over 40 peer-reviewed articles in national and international ophthalmology journals — across ocular oncology, vitreoretinal, anterior segment, pediatric ophthalmology and uveitis.
The full publication record — including ocular oncology, vitreoretinal, pediatric and uveitis articles — can be reviewed at the ORCID record above. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer also serves as a peer reviewer for several international ophthalmology journals including Photodiagnosis & Photodynamic Therapy, International Ophthalmology, and the Journal of Current Ophthalmology.
Request a written care plan with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer
Send your most recent prescription, OCT scans or a brief description of what you need. Our patient care team relays clinical questions to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özer and replies with a written care plan, typically within two working hours, in your language.