Dr. Pilyugina (or Dr. P, as her patients like to call her) received her ophthalmology training at Stanford University and completed a specialized two-year retina-vitreous surgical fellowship with the University of California at San Diego, the same institution and faculty with whom Dr. Assil had trained.
As a member of an elite group of only 3000 retina-vitreous specialists in the United States, Stanford trained Dr. Pilyugina brings to AEI a unique skill set in the treatment and surgery of retinal disease. Her academic credentials include numerous research papers, conference presentations, medical publications, and clinical trials.
In recognition of her expertise, Dr. Pilyugina was asked to serve as Chief Editor for New Retinal Physician, a supplement published by the Retinal Physician Journal.
In addition, she has spent the past decade in private practice with various prestigious ophthalmology groups throughout California. Dr. Pilyugina’s clinical interests include the treatment of macular degeneration and other macular disorders, diabetic retinopathy and the repair of retinal detachments.
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, and not just as an eye condition. In fact, Dr. P limits the number of patients she sees on a daily basis in order to devote adequate time to explaining to her patients their eye condition and how she proposes to treat it.
Dr. P has been practicing as a retina specialist in Southern California for ten years and joined AEI as Director of the Retina Division in 2013. She is a native speaker of Ukrainian and Russian and is fluent in Spanish.
When Dr. P isn't treating patients, you can find her hiking the Malibu canyons with her husband, jogging at the beach, and trying to keep her two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs properly exercised so they don’t drive both her and her husband crazy.
WORK EXPERIENCE |
Director of Retina Division Assil Eye Institute, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, CA. July 2013-present
Retina Service, EYE-Q Vision Center Fresno, CA. September 2014 - September 2015
Retinal Consultants of Southern California Medical Group Santa Monica, Encino, Westlake Village, CA. January 2009 - September 2014
Chief Editor, New Retinal Physician Supplement to Retinal Physician Journal, PentaVision LLC. 2013 - 2017 |
EDUCATION |
Surgical Vitreo-Retinal Fellowship University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA. 2007 - 2009
Ophthalmology Residency Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA. 2004 - 2007
Transitional Internship Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Santa Clara, CA 2003 - 2004
Doctor of Medicine Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 1998 - 2003
Bachelor of Science (Biology/Chemistry), Summa Cum Laude Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX 1995 - 1998
Great Books Program interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM 1993 - 1995 |
LICENSURE / CERTIFICATION |
American Board of Ophthalmology October, 2008
California State Medical License October, 2004 |
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS |
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Surgical Vitreo-Retinal Fellowship
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.
2007 - 2009
Ophthalmology Residency
Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA.
2004 - 2007
Transitional Internship
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Santa Clara, CA
2003 - 2004
Doctor of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
1998 - 2003
Bachelor of Science (Biology/Chemistry), Summa Cum Laude
Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX
1995 - 1998
Great Books Program
interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum
St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM
1993 - 1995
Medical Scientist Scholar Fellowship
Stanford School of Medicine, 2002
Stanford Medical Scholar
Stanford School of Medicine, 2000
Traveling Scholar Research Fellowship
Stanford School of Medicine, 1999
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
1998
Alpha Chi National College Honor Society (top 10% junior/senior class nationally)
1998
USA Today All-USA College Academic Team Nomination
1998
World of Knowledge Foundation Scholarship
1998
Undergraduate Research Scholarship
Southwestern University, 1997
Premedical Studies Scholarship
Southwestern University, 1996 - 97
Pilyugina SA, Granet D, Goldbaum M. Long-Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase April, 2009
(LCHAD) Deficiency, Retinal Manifestations. Case report.
Pilyugina SA, Ferreyra H., Goldbaum M. Giant Macular Hole in Juvenile X-Linked March, 2009
Retinoschisis. Western Retina Study Club Meeting, San Diego, CA
Pilyugina SA, Goldbaum M. “OCT Features of Idiopathic Juxtafoveal Retinal Telangiectasis.” Dec, 2008
San Diego Fluorescein Angiography Conference, La Jolla, CA
Pilyugina SA, Ferreyra H, Goldbaum M. “Coats-Like Retinitis Pigmentosa.” Case Presentation. Sept, 2008
San Diego Fluorescein Angiography Conference. La Jolla, CA
Pilyugina SA, Freeman WR, Nigam N, Goldbaum M. “Verteporphin Photodynamic Therapy April, 2008
for ARMD- Associated Choroidal Neovascularization after Initial Treatment Course with
Bevacizumab.” Poster Session. ARVO Annual Meeting. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Pilyugina SA, Goldbaum M. “Autofluorescence in Macular Dystrophy.” Case presentation. January, 2008
San Diego Fluorescein Angiography Conference. La Jolla, CA
Pilyugina SA, Freedlander M. “Atypical Choroidal Nevus.” Case presentation. San Diego August, 2007
Fluorescein Angiography Conference. La Jolla, CA
Pilyugina SA, Gariano R. “Retinal Vasculopathy, Unknown.” Case presentation. May, 2006
Bay Area Fluorescein Angiography Conference. Palo Alto, CA
Pilyugina SA, Fischbein NR, Liao YJ, McCulley TJ. “Cranial Nerve Visualization with May, 2006
FIESTA Sequence.” Poster Session. ARVO Annual Meeting. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Pilyugina SA, Manche EE. “Prospective Evaluation of the Efficacy, Safety and Stability March, 2006
of the Artisan Phakic IOL for Extreme Myopia: Five-Year Follow Up.” Paper session. ASCRS Annual Symposium. San Francisco, CA
Pilyugina SA, Chien F, Blumenkranz MS. “Retinal Pigment Epithelium Tear After March, 2006
Intravitreal Avastin Injection.” Case presentation. Western Retina Study Club Meeting. San Francisco, CA
Pilyugina SA, Manche EE. “Prospective evaluation of the Efficacy, Safety and Stability of April, 2005
the Artisan Phakic Intraocular Lens for Extreme Myopia.” Paper session. ASCRS Annual Symposium. Washington, D.C.
Pilyugina SA, Lavoie A, Huie P, Derr K, Smith AJ, Noolandi J, Waymouth RM, Ta CN. “In Vitro May, 2003
Epithelialization of a Synthetic Polymer for Generation of Corneal Onlay/Keratoprosthesis.”
Poster session. ARVO Annual Meeting. Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pilyugina SA, Katzenstein D, Schapiro J. “HIV-related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of April, 2001
Health Care Workers in Odessa, Ukraine.” Paper session. International Medicine Conference,
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA