Dr. Leyla Saricay

Biography

Leyla Yavuz Saricay, MD, FEBO, is an Assistant Professor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences. She specializes in adult and pediatric cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery with a focus on clinical research related to corneal nerves, ocular surface disease, and regenerative therapies. Dr. Saricay completed her medical degree at Trakya University in Turkey, followed by residency training in ophthalmology. She pursued advanced fellowship training in the United States, completing a two-year fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Genetics at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, followed by another two-year fellowship in Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Her research concentrates on translational approaches to corneal disease, including limbal stem cell deficiency and ocular pain, and she is particularly interested in the relationship between corneal innervation and ocular surface health. Dr. Saricay is actively involved in developing advanced imaging biomarkers and exploring AI-driven diagnostic models in her field. Moreover, she is committed to patient-centered care and medical education, mentoring medical students and residents in advanced corneal imaging and genetics research. Dr. Saricay's work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Claes Dohlman Research Grant and the Arvo Foundation Travel Grant.

Research Interests

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Awards