Demodex Blepharitis and the Ocular Surface: Setting the Stage for Surgical Success
Dr. Dagny Zhu, a cataract and refractive surgeon, provides an in-depth exploration of the critical role eyelid and ocular surface health play in successful eye surgery. She explains how subtle eyelid inflammation, including blepharitis and Demodex lash mite infestation, can impact preoperative measurements, surgical planning, and postoperative outcomes for both cataract and LASIK procedures. Drawing on her extensive experience performing hundreds of surgeries each month, Dr. Zhu shares practical, evidence-based strategies to optimize the ocular surface before surgery, including pharmacologic treatments, in-office interventions, and patient-guided eyelid hygiene. Her approach emphasizes personalized care, educating patients on treatment adherence to enhance comfort, satisfaction, and long-term visual results.
Learn more about Dagny Zhu, MD
Dr. Dagny Zhu, born in Shanghai and raised in Southern California, graduated valedictorian from high school and earned a full-tuition Regents scholarship to UCLA, graduating Summa Cum Laude in molecular, cell, and developmental biology. She received her M.D. from Harvard Medical School, where she conducted corneal immunology research and co-founded a Medical Mandarin course for trainees. During medical school, she also participated in a medical mission treating burn victims in Mumbai, India.
Dr. Zhu completed her ophthalmology residency at Doheny Eye Institute/USC & Los Angeles County Medical Center and fellowship training in cornea and refractive surgery at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. She now serves as Medical Director and Partner of NVISION Eye Centers in Rowland Heights, CA, holds a clinical faculty position at Western University School of Osteopathic Medicine, and contributes to major ophthalmology publications and professional societies, including the AAO and ASCRS. She is also an inductee of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences, AECOS, and Cedars Aspens societies.
