Michael J Ammar, MD
Michael Joseph Ammar, MD
| Fellowship | Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA |
| Residency | University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA |
| Internship | Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA |
| MD | University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA |
| BS | The Barrett Honors College at ASU, Tempe, AZ |
| Board Certified | American Board of Ophthalmology, 2020 |
“Dr. Ammar saved my vision. His kindness and dedication made me feel well cared for at a time when I was most afraid. He calmly walked me through every step of my eye procedure and made sure I was comfortable and pain free. He is such a remarkable doctor and I feel so grateful for his skilled hands and warm heart!”
Michael Joseph Ammar, M.D., is a board-certified vitreoretinal surgeon and partner at Retina Consultants San Diego where he is co-director of clinical research. He is also chief of the Ophthalmology department at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla. He majored in genetics, cell, and developmental biology at The Barrett Honors College at ASU, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was honored as the top graduating student in his class. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Southern California where he received the Dean’s Recognition Award for clinical and surgical excellence each of his medical years. His achievements and accolades resulted in his induction into Alpha Omega Alpha, the nation’s highest honor society, and graduating Summa Cum Laude with the USC Highest Distinction Award. He continued his training with an Ophthalmology residency in the Ivy League at the University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute, where he served as Co-Chief resident. He then pursued a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, the top ranked fellowship in the country.
At the Wills Eye Hospital, Dr. Ammar performed and taught thousands of procedures and surgeries for retinal conditions and complex ocular trauma. He served as the attending physician in the Wills Eye Hospital Emergency Room, one of the only dedicated eye ERs in the United States. He has been involved in cutting edge clinical trials and has authored numerous book chapters and studies. He has presented his work nationally and abroad. He has also served as a reviewer for multiple academic journals such as Retinal Cases and Brief Reports, American Journal of Ophthalmology and RETINA and is on the editorial board of Eyes on Eyecare.
Dr. Ammar works closely with charity groups such as Project Access San Diego providing medical and surgical care to patients who are unable to afford healthcare. He treats his patients with warm-heartedness, dedication, and compassion. He believes that each patient should be treated as family. He was awarded the Champions for Health Physician of The Year Award for his dedication to the community and underserved populations. He has also been selected as a top doctor locally and nationally.
At home, Dr. Ammar's world revolves around his wife and little girl. They enjoy exploring the outdoors and world together. He’s an avid runner, having completed over 15 half marathons. He also has a passion for tennis, soccer, and formula one.
Local and National Leadership Positions.
The physicians at RCSD take an active role in leading and advancing our field.