Dennis M. Marcus, MD
Vitreoretinal Surgeon
Dr. Marcus is devoted to the care of patients with diseases of the macula, retina and vitreous including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment. He is recognized nationally as leader in vitreoretinal surgery, clinical retinal research, teaching and laboratory investigation. Dr. Marcus has brought cutting edge clinical therapies to our region as lead investigator in multiple clinical trials. Dr. Marcus’ established the clinical trial unit at Southeast Retina Center which made now established therapies available to our patients prior to their approval to the general patient population. His dedication to innovative treatments such as anti-VEGF therapies for age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion has led to FDA approval of multiple drugs for these conditions. He continues to make newer therapies available to our patients as he participates in clinical trials studying new combination drugs for wet and dry macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion. Dr. Marcus also participates as a steering committee member and clinical site lead investigator for studies evaluating devices for sustained release of anti-VEGF drug into the eye in hope of decreasing the number of eye injections needed for patients with wet AMD and diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Marcus has coined the term and is the first in the world to evaluate “endolaserless” surgical vitrectomy for bleeding in the eye from proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Marcus is a leadership member of the executive committee for the National Eye Institute sponsored Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research network. He is currently study national chairman for the Diabetic Retinal Clinical Research Protocol AA which is a national multicenter trial evaluating the benefit of wide field imaging of diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Marcus is a nationally recognized teacher and innovator. He lectures throughout the country discussing the latest therapies for retinal diseases. He has presented scientific material at medical meetings on over 200 occasions and has published over 300 scientific publications. He has received the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Achievement Award, the American Society of Retina Specialist’s Honor Award and was Editor-In-Chief of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Focal Points, a modular updated text book for the practicing ophthalmologist. Dr. Marcus has an international patent for novel methods to deliver drugs to the retina.
Dr. Marcus is available to our patients or new referral consultations every day of the week. He is committed to excellent surgical and medical patient care and believes in the need for strong patient-doctor communication. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Marcus has lived in Augusta since 1994 with his wife, Ronda and their three children. He enjoys pilates, yoga, playing golf, reading and spending time with family and friends.
1983 B.S. State University of New York at Stony Brook
1987 M.D. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, N.Y.
1988 National Board of Medical Examiners
1988 Massachusetts License Registration
1994 State of Georgia Board of Medicine
1995 American Board of Ophthalmology
1997 South Carolina Board of Medicine
1988-1990 Research Fellow in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
1990-1994 Clinical Fellow in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
1993-1994 Assistant in Ophthalmology, Assistant Staff, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
1994-1998 Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
1994-2005 Director of Retina Service, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
1997-2001 Ophthalmology Practice Site Director, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
1998-2003 Associate Professor of Ophthalmology with Tenure, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2000-2005 Associate Member, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2001 Interim Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2001-2004 Vice-Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2003-2004 Special Assistant to the Dean for Clinical Trials, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2003-2005 Professor of Ophthalmology with Tenure, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia
2005-Present Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina
1994-2005 Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics, Augusta, Georgia
1999-2005 Children’s Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia
1999-Present Augusta Retina Laser Surgicare, Augusta, Georgia
1999-Present Doctors Hospital, Augusta, Georgia
1999-Present Southeast Retina Center, Augusta, Georgia
2000-2001 Beaufort Surgical Center, Beaufort, South Carolina
2005-2010 Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina
2005-Present University Hospital, Augusta, Georgia