Dr. Catherine Pham is a Board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Her specialty is in cataract surgery, premium lens implantation, retina diseases such as diabetes and macula degeneration, ocular trauma and lid surgeries.
Dr. Pham was born in Vietnam and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from the competitive 7-year combined Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine (BS- MD Program) at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her internal medicine internship was completed at St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center in San Francisco. She then went on to complete her ophthalmology residency at Emory University Eye Center in Atlanta, GA.
Dr. Pham has received several types of professional recognition including a UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute Research Grant to work on infection control after Cataract surgery (“Efficacy of Topical Povidone-Iodine during the first week after Ophthalmic surgery” American Journal Of Ophthalmology. 1997, 124 : 31-35) ; a Retina Research grant from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology for her research on Silicone Oil in Macular Hole Surgery which was presented at ARVO conference in 2000; certifications of recognition from the Surgical Eye Expedition International and Fight Against World Blindness for volunteer work in Vietnam and Cambodia over the years.
Why Ophthalmology?
Growing up in Vietnam, a family member of Dr. Pham’s had a painful acute angle closure of her left eye. There was no laser technology available, so part of her iris had to be surgically removed leaving the family member legally blind in that eye. Another family member had thyroid eye disease, which also required extensive treatment.
After moving to the U.S., Dr. Pham served as a translator at their eye appointments. Because of her interest in medicine, the many ophthalmologists who cared for Dr. Pham’s family members were kind enough to allow her to look at their slit lamp exams and explained the findings to her in detail. She was enthralled by all the technologies utilized in ophthalmology and fascinated by how many systemic diseases can be detected by examining the eyes.
As a medical student at UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, Dr. Pham worked with and observed the ophthalmologists in clinic and in the operating room. Viewing eye microsurgeries and witnessing how happy patients were with their vision at their postoperative appointments sealed the deal on making ophthalmology her choice of specialty.
Dr. Pham believes her secret to thriving comes through serving her community. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she signed on to be in the California Medical Reserve Corps and volunteered for several public service organizations, including one that provided education about COVID and raised funds for handwashing stations.
In her past medical missions, Dr. Pham immensely enjoyed volunteering at Rose Children Hospitals in Phnom Peng and Siem Riep, Cambodia as well as small hospitals in rural villages in Vietnam where she performed various eye surgeries on those who have no access to eye care otherwise. After the recent Maui fire in 2023, Dr. Pham raised almost 40k for the Red Cross and Maui Food bank. She also volunteered for the Red Cross to help Maui evacuees for months. She hopes to be able to do more medical mission trips in the near future.
Outside of work, she enjoys tennis, hiking, running, traveling, yoga and Pilates.
Dr. Pham is fluent in both English and Vietnamese
