USC, Doheny Eye Institute

What USC, Doheny Eye Institute does

Doheny Eye Institute is an independent, nonprofit vision research organization headquartered in Pasadena, California, founded in 1947 and affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute for research and with UCLA Health for clinical service delivery. The institute's mission centers on the conservation, improvement, and restoration of human eyesight, with research programs spanning artificial intelligence in retinal imaging, gene therapy for retinal disease, vitreoretinal surgery, and mechanisms of diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration. Core research infrastructure is organized around three wholly-owned operating centers: the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) and DIRRL, which provide specialized retinal imaging reading and analysis for clinical trials, and the Retinal Imaging Research Laboratory (RIMR), which focuses on retinal imaging research. Notable published work includes mechanistic findings on the LOX enzyme's role in diabetic eye disease initiation, published in the journal Diabetes.

Doheny operates as a research, education, and clinical-affiliation organization rather than a product company. It does not sell commercial products or services; instead, revenue is generated through charitable donations, planned giving programs, competitive research grants (including R01 awards from the National Eye Institute), and clinical activity routed through the Doheny Eye Center UCLA affiliation, which operates multiple California locations including a newly opened Pasadena site in December 2025. The institute runs accredited continuing medical education (CME), an international fellowship program, the Doheny Professional Alumni Association (which has supported next-generation vision science leaders through research awards at ARVO for 25 years), and the International Retinal Imaging Society (INTReS). It also maintains a Distinguished Lecture Series and an active calendar of community and donor events.

Doheny serves multiple stakeholder groups: patients with vision impairment and eye disease (via Doheny Eye Center UCLA), vision science researchers and clinician-scientists, medical professionals seeking CME, and philanthropic donors and supporters. Leadership includes CEO Marissa Goldberg, Chief Scientific Officer Deborah A. Ferrington, PhD, and Chief Development Officer Alicia Cleaver (appointed April 2026). Headcount sits in the 251-500 range, with clinician-scientists actively publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at major conferences including AAO and ARVO.

Name

USC, Doheny Eye Institute

Legal name

Doheny Eye Institute

Website

https://doheny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Doheny Eye Institute is an independent nonprofit vision research organization affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute, conducting retinal disease research and AI imaging studies while delivering clinical care through UCLA Health and training ophthalmologists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Research and Clinical Vision Care

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512), Offices of Optometrists (62132)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retina & Vitreous Specialists (HLAKAKAE), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN)

Keywords

• Ophthalmology research
• Vision science
• Retinal imaging
• Clinical ophthalmology
• Eye disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The institute relies on donations from supporters to fund vision research programs. Donations can be one-time or recurring and are used to advance urgent priorities and support breakthroughs in research.
2. Grants and Research Funding: Research funded through grants such as R01 grants from the National Eye Institute and other funding bodies supporting scientific discovery.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Doheny Eye Institute is an independent, nonprofit vision research organization that conducts scientific research on blinding eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, delivers accredited continuing medical education and international fellowship programs for clinicians, and operates patient care services through its affiliated Doheny Eye Center UCLA locations. Its research infrastructure includes specialized centers for retinal imaging (DIRC, DIRRL) and molecular medicine research (RIMR).

Product overview

Doheny Eye Institute is a nonprofit independent vision research organization affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute, dedicated to conserving, improving, and restoring human eyesight. Founded nearly 80 years ago, the institute offers a portfolio of research programs, education services, and clinical affiliations. Its research infrastructure includes specialized centers for retinal imaging (DIRC, DIRRL) and molecular medicine (RIMR). The education arm provides accredited continuing medical education and international fellowship programs through its network. Patient care services are managed by UCLA Health through the Doheny Eye Center UCLA locations. The institute also hosts professional development through the Distinguished Lecture Series and International Retinal Imaging Society (INTReS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC): Center specializing in retinal image reading and analysis for clinical trials
• DIRRL
• RIMR

Products and services

• Vision Research Programs Investigator-initiated and grant-funded research programs targeting retinal diseases and vision loss, spanning AI imaging, gene therapy, vitreoretinal surgery, diabetic retinopathy, and AMD, delivered through specialized research centers (DIRC, DIRRL, RIMR) for the scientific community.
• Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accredited continuing medical education programs designed for clinicians to maintain certification and stay current with evolving science and technology in ophthalmology and vision science.
• International Fellowship Program International fellowship training program led by world-renowned scientists, supporting the next generation of vision science leaders through structured research awards and training opportunities.
• International Retinal Imaging Society (INTReS) Global professional organization focused on retinal imaging that facilitates international networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among vision researchers.
• Doheny Eye Center UCLA Clinical Services Patient care services managed by UCLA Health, providing clinical ophthalmology diagnosis and treatment for blinding eye diseases including diabetic retinopathy, AMD, cataracts, and glaucoma at multiple California locations.
• Distinguished Lecture Series Regular lecture series featuring prominent researchers in vision science, providing intellectual development and knowledge-sharing opportunities for the vision research community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research published in high-impact journals including Diabetes and Aging Cell on mechanisms of diabetic eye disease and age-related changes in the retina
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• UCLA Stein Eye InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoheny Eye Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute. The two institutions collaborate on research, education, and clinical programs in vision science and ophthalmology.
• UCLA HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient care services at Doheny Eye Center UCLA are managed by UCLA Health. The partnership provides clinical care delivery alongside Doheny's research mission.
• Envision ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExecutive search firm that supported the hiring process for Alicia Cleaver as Chief Development Officer at Doheny Eye Institute.
• Northern TrustminorOthersErik Hendrickson, ChFC of Northern Trust provided year-end tax planning insights at Doheny's Tax Planning Seminar & Breakfast event.
• Doheny Professional Alumni AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Doheny Professional Alumni Association has supported the next generation of vision science leaders through research awards at ARVO for 25 years.
• American Academy of OphthalmologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoheny Eye Institute participates in the AAO Annual Meeting where its clinician-scientists present research. In 2025, 10 affiliated clinicians presented on topics including AI, vitreoretinal surgery, and gene therapy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Duke Eye Center: Duke Eye Center is Duke's ophthalmology clinical and research enterprise with strong retinal and surgical programs — comparable to Doheny in combining research, clinical care, and fellowship training at a major academic medical center.
• Wills Eye Hospital: Wills Eye is one of the oldest and largest U.S. specialty eye hospitals, combining clinical ophthalmology, vision research, and residency/fellowship training — closely paralleling Doheny's research-plus-clinical-affiliation model.
• Wilmer Eye Institute: Wilmer is Johns Hopkins' ophthalmology research and clinical institute, with deep retinal disease and gene therapy programs — a direct peer given Doheny's emphasis on retinal research, AI imaging, and translational ophthalmology.
• Massachusetts Eye and Ear: Mass Eye and Ear is Harvard's specialty hospital for ophthalmology and otolaryngology, integrating research, clinical care, and education — directly comparable to Doheny's research institute affiliated with a major academic medical center.
• Jules Stein Eye Institute (UCLA): UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute is Doheny's actual partner affiliate for research and clinical programs — directly comparable in mission, retinal disease focus, and patient care delivery via UCLA Health.
• Moran Eye Center: The University of Utah's Moran Eye Center is an academic ophthalmology research and clinical institute with significant retinal research and fellowship training — comparable to Doheny in scale and academic-affiliation model.
• Casey Eye Institute: OHSU's Casey Eye Institute combines vision research, clinical care, and education with strong retinal disease focus — closely comparable to Doheny in mission structure and therapeutic-area concentration.
• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: Bascom Palmer is the University of Miami's ophthalmology research and clinical care institute — the most direct peer to Doheny, with a similar model combining vision research, retinal specialization, clinical service, and fellowship training.

Broad incumbents

• Mayo Clinic Department of Ophthalmology: Mayo's ophthalmology department combines specialty clinical care with translational research within a major multi-specialty system — a broader incumbent comparable in clinical-research integration though embedded in a much larger institution.
• Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute: Cole Eye Institute is Cleveland Clinic's specialty eye hospital and research center — a broader incumbent with system-wide clinical scale that overlaps Doheny's clinical and research activities within a much larger healthcare delivery system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dohenyeye
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC22fRLJKbcD64v1vjxMHmnw
• Facebookfacebook.com/275741325915526
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/doheny-eye-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/dohenyeye

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about USC, Doheny Eye Institute