Sun Young Lee, MD, PhD

Dr. Sun Young Lee is a board-certified retina surgeon and clinician-scientist at the University of Southern California, where she serves as a tenured Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Physiology & Neuroscience. She has extensive expertise in diagnosing and managing complex, vision-threatening retinal conditions. Dr. Lee specializes in age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal diseases, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and surgical complications. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her surgical precision, clinical expertise, and seamless dedication to patient care.Dr. Lee’s patient care is empowered by cutting-edge research funded by the National Eye Institute. Her laboratory investigates the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the pathogenesis and treatment of retinal disease. She leads the development of EV-based intraocular therapies, a transformative approach to targeted drug delivery, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine for blinding retinal disorders such as age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal diseases, diabetic retinopathy. Her research is deeply committed to restoring and preserving vision in patients with challenging conditions and limited treatment options.For more information on Dr. Lee’s work, visit LeeRetinaLab.com

• American Society of Retina Specialists: Fellow, 2024
• Alcon Research Institute: Young Investigator Award, 2023
• Women in Retin (WinR)/ American Society of Retina Specialist (ASRS): Mina Chung Research Award, 2021
• Presbyterian Health Foundation (PHF): Clinician Scientist Development Award, 2019
• Fellowship Research Award: The Retina Society, 2017
• Women in Retina (WinR) Mentoring Program: Travel Grant, 2016
• Los Angeles Ophthalmology Society (LASO): Dr. Henry & Lilian Nesburn Award for Best Research by a Resident, 2016
• ARVO Foundation: Eye Research/Retina Research Foundation Travel Grant, 2009

• An Eye on Extracellular Vesicles: Trends and Clinical Translations in Vision Research. Ophthalmol Sci. 2025 Jan-Feb; 5(1):100619.. View in PubMed
• A perspective from the National Eye Institute Extracellular Vesicle Workshop: Gaps, needs, and opportunities for studies of extracellular vesicles in vision research. J Extracell Vesicles. 2024 Dec; 13(12):e70023.. View in PubMed
• Preretinal Deposits in a Keratoprosthesis-Associated Bacterial Endophthalmitis. Ophthalmol Retina. 2024 Nov; 8(11):e42.. View in PubMed
• Dynamics of microRNA secreted via extracellular vesicles during the maturation of embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium. J Extracell Biol. 2024 Sep; 3(9):e70001.. View in PubMed
• Unveiling Drivers of Retinal Degeneration in RCS Rats: Functional, Morphological, and Molecular Insights. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Mar 28; 25(7).. View in PubMed
• Isolation and Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles Through Orthogonal Approaches for the Development of Intraocular EV Therapy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2024 Mar 05; 65(3):6.. View in PubMed
• Scaling up polarized RPE cell supernatant production on parylene membrane. Exp Eye Res. 2024 Mar; 240:109789.. View in PubMed
• Retinitis Pigmentosa Masquerades: Case Series and Review of the Literature. J Clin Med. 2023 Aug 28; 12(17).. View in PubMed
• Polarized RPE Secretome Preserves Photoreceptors in Retinal Dystrophic RCS Rats. Cells. 2023 06 22; 12(13).. View in PubMed
• Fiji-Assisted Automatic Quantitative Volumetric Analysis of Choroidal Neovascularization in a Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Mouse Model. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2023 04 03; 12(4):10.. View in PubMed
• Advanced Retina Implants. Ophthalmol Retina. 2022 10; 6(10):899-905.. View in PubMed
• Utility of No-Charge Panel Genetic Testing for Inherited Retinal Diseases in a Real-World Clinical Setting. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2022 Sep-Oct; 6(5):351-357.. View in PubMed
• Intraocular RGD-Engineered Exosomes and Active Targeting of Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV). Cells. 2022 08 18; 11(16).. View in PubMed
• Proteomic Insight into the Role of Exosomes in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Development. J Clin Med. 2022 May 11; 11(10).. View in PubMed
• ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER TRANSCONJUNCTIVAL PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY: A 6-year Experience Without Prophylactic Intraoperative Subconjunctival Antibiotics. Retina. 2021 Mar 01; 41(3):531-537.. View in PubMed
• Increased Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein and Vimentin in Vitreous Fluid as a Biomarker for Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020 05 11; 61(5):22.. View in PubMed
• Wide-Field Swept-Source OCT and Angiography in X-Linked Retinoschisis. Ophthalmol Retina. 2019 02; 3(2):178-185.. View in PubMed
• Choroidal Features of Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy via Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography and Correlation With Serial Multimodal Imaging. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2017 11 01; 135(11):1177-1183.. View in PubMed
• Clinical and laboratory characteristics of ocular syphilis: a new face in the era of HIV co-infection. J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2015 Dec; 5(1):56.. View in PubMed
• OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY OF RETINAL VENOUS OCCLUSION. Retina. 2015 Nov; 35(11):2323-31.. View in PubMed
• Drusen and RPE atrophy automated quantification by optical coherence tomography in an elderly population. Eye (Lond). 2015 Feb; 29(2):272-9.. View in PubMed
• Drusen and RPE atrophy automated quantification by optical coherence tomography in an elderly population. Eye (Lond). 2015 Feb; 29(2):300.. View in PubMed
• Effect of angle of incidence on macular thickness and volume measurements obtained by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Aug 07; 53(9):5287-91.. View in PubMed
• Intravitreal bevacizumab alone versus in combination with photodynamic therapy for the treatment of neovascular maculopathy in patients aged 50 years or older: 1-year results of a prospective clinical study. Acta Ophthalmol. 2012 Feb; 90(1):61-7.. View in PubMed
• Automated characterization of pigment epithelial detachment by optical coherence tomography. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Jan 20; 53(1):164-70.. View in PubMed
• Overexpression of SOD in retina: need for increase in H2O2-detoxifying enzyme in same cellular compartment. Free Radic Biol Med. 2011 Oct 01; 51(7):1347-54.. View in PubMed
• N-Acetylcysteine promotes long-term survival of cones in a model of retinitis pigmentosa. J Cell Physiol. 2011 Jul; 226(7):1843-9.. View in PubMed
• Constituents of bile, bilirubin and TUDCA, protect against oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration. J Neurochem. 2011 Jan; 116(1):144-53.. View in PubMed
• Randomized, sham-controlled trial of dexamethasone intravitreal implant in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. Ophthalmology. 2010 Jun; 117(6):1134-1146.e3.. View in PubMed
• Rapid progression of subclinical age-related macular degeneration in the untreated fellow eye after intravitreal bevacizumab. Acta Ophthalmol. 2009 Sep; 87(6):685-7.. View in PubMed
• NADPH oxidase plays a central role in cone cell death in retinitis pigmentosa. J Neurochem. 2009 Aug; 110(3):1028-37.. View in PubMed
• Ocular sarcoidosis in a Korean population. J Korean Med Sci. 2009 Jun; 24(3):413-9.. View in PubMed
• Increased expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase 2 reduces cone cell death in retinitis pigmentosa. Mol Ther. 2009 May; 17(5):778-86.. View in PubMed
• Bilateral toxoplasma retinochoroiditis simulating cytomegalovirus retinitis in an allogeneic bone marrow transplant patient. Korean J Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep; 22(3):197-200.. View in PubMed
• Inhibitory effect of bevacizumab on the angiogenesis and growth of retinoblastoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Jul; 126(7):953-8.. View in PubMed
• The therapeutic effects of bevacizumab in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Korean J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jun; 22(2):92-9.. View in PubMed
• Optical coherence tomography evaluation of detached macula from rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and central serous chorioretinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jun; 145(6):1071-1076.. View in PubMed
• Efficacy of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for eyes with postvitrectomy diabetic vitreous hemorrhage. Korean J Ophthalmol. 2007 Dec; 21(4):208-12.. View in PubMed
• Clinical and OCT features in spontaneously progressive idiopathic choriovitreal neovascularization. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. 2007 Mar-Apr; 38(2):151-3.. View in PubMed
• Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide in eyes with recurrent postvitrectomy diabetic vitreous hemorrhage. Am J Ophthalmol. 2006 Sep; 142(3):501-3.. View in PubMed
• Mitomycin C, ceramide, and 5-fluorouracil inhibit corneal haze and apoptosis after PRK. Cornea. 2006 Jan; 25(1):55-60.. View in PubMed
• Mitomycin C-induced reduction of keratocytes and fibroblasts after photorefractive keratectomy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Sep; 45(9):2978-84.. View in PubMed
• Pars plana vitrectomy for exuduative retinal detachment in coats-type retinitis pigmentosa. Retina. 2004 Jun; 24(3):450-2.. View in PubMed

• Humayun, Mark
• Moshfeghi, Andrew
• Rao, Narsing
• Nagiel, Aaron
• Shahidi, Mahnaz
• Berry, Jesse