Started by John E. Gilmore, M.D., an internationally renowned innovator of Ophthalmology, the Santa Monica Eye Medical Group has been providing medical and surgical eye care since 1948. Dr. Gilmore was joined by Donald E. Dickerson, M.D., a well established Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, in 1965.
They started the first course in Cataract and Intra-ocular lens surgery, teaching hundreds of Ophthalmologists from around the country and around the world. Dr. Gilmore eventually retired in 1991 as did Dr. Dickerson in 2007.
Sadiqa Khawaja Stelzner, M.D., M.A., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Stelzner joined the Santa Monica Eye Medical Group in 2004. After the retirement of Dr. Dickerson in January of 2008, she became the successor of the practice. Initially trained as a cellular biologist, Dr. Stelzner has published many scientific, peer- reviewed articles in respected scientific journals. Upon completion of her undergraduate and graduate studies at UCLA, Dr. Stelzner was invited to Milan, Italy, to perform scientific research on a grant from the Italian Council of Science. She subsequently received her medical school education at Boston University. Dr. Stelzner was granted a research fellowship by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the Harvard Medical School/ Brigham and Women's Hospital. After completion of her research fellowship, Dr. Stelzner accepted a residency training position in Ophthalmology at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. She has completed executive managment training with the Yale School of Management.
Dr. Stelzner worked as an ophthalmologist with Dr. David McIntyre at an internationally known practice in Seattle, Washington. While there, Dr. Stelzner performed cataract, LASIK and cosmetic eyelid surgeries. In addition to her work at the practice, she traveled with humanitarian organizations to perform surgeries, giving the gift of sight to patients and teaching her safe and innovative surgical techniques to local eye doctors in Mexico and El Salvador.
In 2003, Dr. Stelzner and her family moved back to Los Angeles. Dr. Stelzner is currently the Director of Eye Care at the Greater Los Angeles Veteran's Hospital and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine/Jules Stein Eye Institute where she teaches the UCLA residents.
Dr. Stelzner has been recognized in "Who's and Who" and in Consumer's Report as one of Americas Best Ophthalmologists. Her area of interest is in comprehensive eye care including cataract, Laser and eyelid surgeries. Dr. Stelzner is a Fellow of American Academy of Ophthalmology; a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Medical Association, the California Medical Association and the American Society of Anti-Aging. She is the staff surgeon at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica UCLA, Santa Monica Surgery Center and Laser Eye Associate in Beverly Hills.
Dr. Stelzner is a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist. She lives on the Westside with her husband and two children. Dr. Stelzner was the recent recipient of the Best Teaching Award from the Jules Stein Eye Institute/UCLA.
