Biographical Info

Vinay Aakalu, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery Service
Director, Lacrimal Cell Biology Laboratory

Mailing Address:
Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary
1855 W. Taylor Street, M/C 648
Chicago, IL 60612
Email: vaakalu@uic.edu

Sees patients at:
Specialty Care Building (SCB)
Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery Service
and the Illinois Center for Thyroid Eye Disease
1009 S. Wood St.
Chicago, IL 60612

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” I treat every patient as a whole person and see them as more than their disease.  I hope to exceed my patient’s goals through education and the careful application of the most advanced medical and surgical treatments available anywhere.” – Vinay Aakalu, MD, MPH

Dr. Aakalu is a fellowship-trained, oculofacial plastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive oculofacial and orbital surgery.  He is one of only 500 surgeons worldwide to have completed an American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery approved fellowship. His clinical interests include diseases of the eyelids, lacrimal system and orbit. His specific interests include thyroid eye disease and ocular surface reconstruction. Dr. Aakalu is engaged in various research endeavors such as understanding lacrimal (tear gland) cell biology, evaluating imaging modalities for the orbit and developing new tools and methods to treat patients with orbital disease. His research is supported by an individual K08 grant from the National Eye Institute. Dr. Aakalu is board certified in ophthalmology and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

News
ISPB Seed Grants Awarded to Six IEEI Researchers

Education

BA—Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
MD —Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York University
MPH—Columbia University, New York
Residency—Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, Chicago
Clinical Fellowship in Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery—Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary

Recent Publications

Patel RM, Aakalu VK, Joe S, Setabutr P. An abscess causing a delayed optic neuropathy after decompression for thyroid eye disease. Orbit. 2014 Feb;33(1):65-7. doi: 10.3109/01676830.2013.842256. Epub 2013 Oct 21. PubMed PMID: 24144317.

Sepahdari AR, Politi LS, Aakalu VK, Kim HJ, Razek AA. Diffusion-weighted imaging of orbital masses: multi-institutional data support a 2-ADC threshold model to categorize lesions as benign, malignant, or indeterminate. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2014 Jan;35(1):170-5. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A3619. Epub 2013 Jul 18. PubMed PMID: 23868150.

Wallace KM, Alaraj A, Aakalu VK, Aletich V, Setabutr P. Endovascular Preoperative Embolization of Orbital Hemangiopericytoma With n-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Glue. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Dec 5. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24317100.

Kang JJ, Aakalu VK, Lin A, Setabutr P. Orbital granuloma annulare as presentation of systemic sarcoidosis. Orbit. 2013 Dec;32(6):372-4. doi: 10.3109/01676830.2013.812125. Epub 2013 Jul 29. PubMed PMID: 23895369.

Sivaraman KR, Aakalu VK, Sajja K, Cortina MS, de la Cruz J, Setabutr P. Use of a Porous Polyethylene Lid Spacer for Management of Eyelid Retraction in Patients with Boston Type II Keratoprosthesis. Orbit. 2013 Aug;32(4):247-9. doi: 10.3109/01676830.2013.788664. Epub 2013 May 10. PubMed PMID: 23663113.

Lim JM, Hou JH, Singa RM, Aakalu VK, Setabutr P. Relative incidence of blepharoptosis subtypes in an oculoplastics practice at a tertiary care center. Orbit. 2013 Aug;32(4):231-4. doi: 10.3109/01676830.2013.788673. Epub 2013 May 10. PubMed PMID: 23662688.

Krakauer M, Aakalu VK, Putterman AM. Treatment of malar festoon using modified subperiosteal midface lift. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Nov-Dec;28(6):459-62. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0b013e3182696902. PubMed PMID: 23138206.

Shah RD, Singa RM, Aakalu VK, Setabutr P. Evisceration and enucleation: a national survey of practice patterns in the United States. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. 2012 Sep-Oct;43(5):425-30. doi: 10.3928/15428877-20120725-01. PubMed PMID: 22978523.

Hou JH, Aakalu VK, Setabutr P. Quantitative characterization of growth rate of an incidental deep dermoid cyst in a child using sequential magnetic resonance imaging. J AAPOS. 2012 Aug;16(4):403-5. doi:  10.1016/j.jaapos.2012.04.007. PubMed PMID: 22929455.

Singa RM, Aakalu VK, Putterman AM, Epstein GA. Lower-eyelid tarsal ectropion repair with the Putterman ptosis clamp for lower-eyelid conjunctival Mueller’s muscle resection and lateral tendon tuck. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 May-Jun;28(3):224-7. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0b013e31824a4b0c. PubMed PMID: 22460682.