You might not know her name today, but Dr. Kia Washington is making waves in the revolutionary field of eye transplant surgery. Working as a research with VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Washington has gained the attention of the Department of Defense and will be honored.

The main goal of Washington’s work is to return sight to soldiers who have been blinded in the line of duty. This is a tall order, but work she feels is more than necessary.

Washington has been working with animal models thus far for the eye transplants, but is exploring ways to reconnect the microscopic blood vessels and optic nerves to a transplanted eye. Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but the reality is getting closer and closer.

[ADSENSE2]Washington has been working with animal models thus far for the eye transplants, but is exploring ways to reconnect the microscopic blood vessels and optic nerves to a transplanted eye. Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but the reality is getting closer and closer.

This work will be honored and part of the spotlight at the DOD’s annual Military Health System Research Symposium held Aug 17th-20th in Fort Lauderdale, FLA.

Her research is a joint effort between teh VA Pittsburgh and UPMC.

Source: BizJournals.com