Board-certified, fellowship-trained retina surgeon dedicated to restoring and preserving sight for patients with complex retinal disease.
Serving patients searching for a Dallas Retina Specialist, Fort Worth Retina Specialist, and North Texas Retina Specialist.
Dr. Sai H. Chavala is a board-certified, fellowship-trained retina surgeon and physician-scientist with more than 20 years of experience caring for patients with complex retinal disease. His clinical work includes advanced vitreoretinal surgery, macular disease, diabetic eye disease, retinal detachment repair, retinal vascular disease, and complex medical retina care.
Dr. Chavala completed ophthalmology residency training at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute and vitreoretinal surgery fellowship training at Duke University. He also completed stem cell and regenerative medicine research training through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Weill Cornell, with a focus on retinal repair and vision restoration.
Today, Dr. Chavala combines private-practice access with academic-level expertise. He is a Full Professor at the TCU Burnett School of Medicine, an NIH/NEI R01-funded clinician-scientist, founder of CiRC Biosciences, and one of a select number of retina specialists worldwide who are members of both the Macula Society and Retina Society. These distinctions reflect a rare combination of high-volume retina procedure experience, national research funding, and peer-recognized leadership in macular and vitreoretinal disease.
Dr. Chavala is internationally recognized for contributions to clinical optogenetics, a cutting-edge approach using light-sensitive molecules to restore visual function in retinal disease. This research background informs his approach to advanced retinal imaging, careful diagnosis, and future-facing treatment discussions.
As founder of CiRC Biosciences, Dr. Chavala helps lead development of first-in-class regenerative approaches for dry age-related macular degeneration and Parkinson's disease. This work reflects a long-term commitment to retinal repair and treatment strategies beyond today’s standard options.
Dr. Chavala is an author or contributor on more than 100 publications, presentations, and patents, including work appearing in Nature and The New England Journal of Medicine. His academic background brings research-level thinking to everyday retina care.
Despite academic leadership, Dr. Chavala remains committed to practical, compassionate, patient-centered care. Patients receive clear explanations, individualized treatment planning, and timely access for urgent retinal symptoms whenever possible.
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