Ophthalmologist Raises Awareness About the Diabetes and Blindness Connection

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults aged 18-64 years. Dr. Jessica Randolph MD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Virginia Commonwealth University discusses the risks of diabetes and diabetes-related eye disease such as diabetic retinopathy, prevention, and the importance of access to care.

Jessica D. Randolph, MD, is an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and practicing vitreoretinal surgeon at VCU Health System in Richmond, VA. She has been a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists Women in Retina (WinR) section since 2014 and joined the WinR Board in 2017. She currently serves as Treasurer.

Dr. Randolph is an advocate for improving medical education and completed a post-baccalaureate program in Adult Medical Education at VCU and is the AUPO Medical Student Educator. Her other contributions to the VCU residency program include redesigning the curriculum to include alternate learning activities, such as POGIL, patient simulation, and flipped-classroom style activities.

Beyond residency program improvement and surgical practice, Dr. Randolph is passionate about diversity and inclusion in both medicine and healthcare. She brings this passion to ASRS, having recently served as a recruitment and mentoring program developer for the ASRS Ad-Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

An active member of the National Medical Association, Dr. Randolph has chaired the retina section of the annual NMA meeting for two consecutive terms and is a faculty participant in the Rabb Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program. She looks to expand her work as a new member of the AAO Sub-Task Force on Enhancing Workforce Diversity and as a mentor for the AAO Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Program.