Dr. Svetlana Pilyugina: Opthamologist and Retinal Specialist / Surgeon

Dr. P.’s vast experience and unique background are a great example of achieving the American dream. At the age of 16, Dr. P. moved on her own from Ukraine to the United States. Here, she taught herself English, completed her undergraduate degree with the highest Summa Cum Laude honors, and went on to earn her Medical Degree from Stanford University. 

She continued her training at Stanford Medical Center for Ophthalmology residency, followed by a specialized two-year retina-vitreous surgical fellowship at the University of California at San Diego.

As a member of an elite group of only 3,000 retina-vitreous specialists in the United States, Dr. Pilyugina brings to AGEI over a decade of clinical experience and a unique skill set in the medical and surgical treatment of retinal diseases. Dr. P. has an interest in research, participates in multiple clinical studies, and presents at national and international scientific meetings.

She is an active member of the American Society of Retinal Specialists, and currently serves as Chief Editor of New Retinal Physician. In 2019, she was featured in Angeleno Magazine’s “Los Angeles Power Players” section.

Perhaps Dr. P’s most notable achievement, however, is her warm and caring relationship with her patients. She makes an effort to get to know her patients as an individual.

Dr. P prides herself on personalized care, patient education, and devoting extra time during the visit to explain to her patients their eye condition and how she proposes to treat it.

On a personal note, when Dr.P isn’t treating patients, she treasures her time with her husband, her toddler son, and their two Rhodesian Ridgebacks. She is also an athlete and an avid salsa dancer who has performed in dance musicals and competed in multiple dance championships.

Dr. Pilyugina sees patients in both office locations: Beverly Hills and Santa Monica and specializes in the treatment of:

• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic eye diseases
• Eye floaters and flashers
• Retinal tears and detachments
• Macular holes and macular puckers
• Eye strokes

PUBLICATIONS

• Pilyugina SA. Ocular Dietary Supplementation-Food for Thought. New Retinal Physician. May 2014
• Pilyugina SA, Fischbein N, Liao YJ, McCulley TJ. Abducens Nerve Aplasia Visualization with Fast Imaging Employing Steady-State Acquisition (FIESTA) Sequence. J Neuroophthalmol 2007; 27: 127-8
• Pilyugina SA, Moshfeghi DM, Goldsmith J, Kaiser PK. Macular Hole with Retinal Pigment Epithelium Hyperplasia Simulating Neoplasm. Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging 2006; 37(6):484-5
• Pilyugina SA. Phakic Lens Concerns, Challenges and Successes. Eye World. March 2003.
• Pilyugina SA. Artisan Phakic IOL Update. Ophthalmology Times. Article #3239. Pilyugina SA, Katzenstein D, Bergen M, Usichenko N, Schapiro J. HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Care Workers in Odessa, Ukraine. Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. ThPeB5215

CLINICAL TRIALS

• ORBIT Study: Ocriplasmin Research to Better Inform Treatment Study by ThromboGenics, Inc. Multicenter, prospective, observational study to assess clinical outcomes and safety of JETREA administered for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion
• HARBOR Study: Phase III, multicenter, randomized study of safety and efficacy of 0.5mg and 2.0mg of Ranibizumab administered monthly or on an as-needed basis for subfoveal neovascular ARMD
• Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2): a multicenter, randomized trial of Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Omega-3 fatty acids in Age-Related Macular DegenerationDiabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCRnet)
• Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study (EDIC)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

• Clinical Research, Stanford Department of Ophthalmology 2007
  PI: M.S. Blumenkranz, M.D., Professor and Chairman
  Subject: Primary Rhegmatogenous Detachment: Scleral Buckle vs. Pneumatic Retinopexy
• Clinical Research, Stanford Department of Ophthalmology 2006
  PI: M.S. Blumenkranz, M.D., Professor and Chairman
  Subject: Modified Scleral Buckle: Extraconjunctival Approach
• Medical Scientist Scholars Fellowship
  Stanford Department of Ophthalmology 2002 - 2003
  PI: C.N. Ta, M.D., Assistant Professor, Program Director
  Subject: Epithelialization of a Synthetic Polymer for the Development of Corneal Onlay and Keratoprosthesis
• Clinical Research Assistant
  Stanford School of Medicine/National Retina Institute
  MD 2002PI: S. Mansour, M.D., Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology
  Subject: A Randomized Study Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Two Doses of Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide for Diabetic Macular Edema
• Clinical Research Assistant
  Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Santa Clara, CA 2002-2004
  PI: R. Jariwalla, Ph.D., California Institute for Medical Research
  S. Mansour, M.D., Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology
  Subject: Immune Restoration by Lipoic Acid in AIDS Patients clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00033176
• Traveling Scholars Fellowship
  Stanford University School of Medicine 1999 - 2000
  PI: J. Schapiro, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases
  D. Katzenstein, M.D., Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases
  Subject: HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Care Workers in Odessa, Ukraine

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• Neuroanatomy Teaching Assistant, Stanford University School of Medicine 2000
• Histology Teaching Assistant, Southwestern University 1998

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

• Jornada de Ojo, Ophthalmology Mission Trip, Santo Tomas, Guatemala September 2006
• Fluorescein Conference, Stanford Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford, CA 2005 - 2007
  Organized and coordinated monthly resident angiography conference
• Mentor, Quest Scholar Summer Program, Stanford University Summer, 2002
  Counseled and provided career guidance for gifted low-income high school students
• Volunteer, Arbor Free Clinic, Menlo Park, CA 1999-2003
  Provided free healthcare to a medically underserved population in a student-run clinic
• Admissions Committee Member, Stanford Medical School 1999-2000
  Conducted applicant interviews and reviewed applications
• Physician Coordinator/Steering Committee Member, Arbor Free Clinic, Stanford, CA 1999-2000
  Russian/Ukrainian Medical Interpreter, Stanford Medical Center 1999-2003
• International Counselor/Interpreter for U.S. Human Rights and Rural Justice Center Summer, 1997

LANGUAGES

• English (fluent)
• Russian (native speaker)
• Ukrainian (native speaker)
• Spanish (fluent)