Dr. Joseph Rizzo sees referred patients with complex neuro-ophthalmic disorders in New England and worldwide. Dr. Rizzo obtained his MD from Louisiana State University, and he then went on to complete his neurology residency at Tufts University and the New England Medical Center, as well as an ophthalmology residency at Boston University. After completing his resedencies, he joined Harvard's Ophthalmology Department as a Clinical Fellow in the Neuro-Ophthalmology unit, and has served there as a full-time faculty member since 1986. Dr. Rizzo's expertise in clinical settings continually informs his research, and a major effort in his professional focus is the development of new therapeutic options for patients with vision disorders. He focuses his research on furthering the understanding of the mechanisms of vision degredation, improving diagnostic methods for vision loss, and developing new treatments for blinding diseases. His clinical research particularly includes the study of both optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis, as well as the study of pseudotumor cerebri, ischemic optic neuropathy, and giant cell arteritis. He also founded the Boston Retinal Implant Project in the 1980s with the goal of developing a retinal prosthetic and to offer new therapeutic options for patients with acquired blindness. Each year, Dr. Joseph Rizzo supervises and mentors three clinical fellows and eight residents in the evaluation of neuro-ophthalmic disorders. As the Director of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, he also designs and oversees the Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship program. For over 25 years, he also directed the Neuro-Ophthalmology portion of the Lancaster Course in Ophthalmology, the oldest and largest educational designed for residents. He also serves as the Director of the Harvard Ophthalmology Alumni association. Dr. Rizzo has also founded Bionic Eye Technologies, Inc., and Visus Technologies, Inc.

Awards & Recognitions

• 2004: Bartimaeus Award

Experience

• Professor (2010 - present)

  Department of Ophthalmology

  Harvard Medical School

• Founder (1980s - present)

  Boston Retinal Implant Project

• Co-Director

  Boston Retinal Implant Project

• Associate Professor (1998 - 2010)

  Department of Ophthalmology

  Harvard Medical School

• Assistant Professor (1989 - 1998)

  Department of Ophthalmology

  Harvard Medical School

Education

• MD (1978)

  Louisana State University

• BS, Biology & Chemistry (1974)

  Louisana State University