Dennis M. Marcus, MD

Dr. Marcus has been practicing vitreoretinal surgery in the CSRA since 1994 and is the owner and managing physician of Southeast Retina Center. Dr. Marcus came to Augusta after extensive training at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School in Boston. His 6 years of Harvard Medical School training included a research fellowship in ophthalmic pathology/ocular oncology, ophthalmology residency, and surgical fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery. Dr. Marcus served as Director of the Retina Service at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta from 1994-2005 where he was a tenured Professor of Ophthalmology, Vice-Chairman and recipient of the Outstanding Young Faculty Award. Dr. Marcus has been treating patients at the Southeast Retina Center full time since 2005.

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 and Dr. Poley participate 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.