Veena R. Raiji, MD, MPH
“Ocular inflammatory and retinal diseases have always intrigued me because they represent the intersection between vision and medicine. I often diagnose patients with underlying infectious, autoimmune, or vascular disorders from their eye examination. I truly enjoy my practice and love getting to know patients, their stories, and their families along the way. My goal is for patients to be involved in their care, balancing their goals of requiring the least amount of therapy necessary, with protecting their long-term vision and health.”
Veena Raiji, MD, MPH, specializes in diseases of the retina and macula, as well as ocular inflammatory disease. She joined Illinois Retina Associates in 2021, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Uveitis and Inflammatory Disease Section at the Department of Ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Raiji is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
After completing her undergraduate studies, Dr. Raiji earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, and then attained her medical degree from Michigan State University. Following medical school, Dr. Raiji completed an ophthalmology residency at George Washington University, where she served as chief resident. She completed her fellowship training at the University of Southern California’s prestigious Doheny Eye Institute, in Los Angeles. Dr. Raiji was the recipient of the Dr. Sacit Eren Award for Bedside Manner and Compassion from Harbor Hospital, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Raiji enjoys collaborating with her colleagues and attending national and international ophthalmology conferences. She has co-authored numerous medical journal articles and textbook chapters on topics such as hypertensive retinopathy, infectious scleritis, sympathetic uveitis, and non-neovascular age related macular degeneration. She frequently presents her research at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Dr. Raiji has been awarded several research grants including one from the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness that supports the study of ocular and non-ocular sarcoidosis. Dr. Raiji is a member of the American Uveitis Society, the American Society of Retina Specialists, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Raiji has provided ophthalmic care to underserved populations internationally, as a volunteer at the Lions Eye Hospital-Department of Ophthalmology, in Blantyre, Malawi and at the Tarabai Desai Eye Hospital, in Jodhpur, India. These outreach efforts have included screening patients for eye disease, assisting in pediatric and adult cataract surgery, and attending and giving lectures to local students and residents. Dr. Raiji sees patients in our Rush, Loop and Oak Park offices.
When Dr. Raiji is not caring for patients, she enjoys running, practicing hot yoga, reading historical fiction, traveling and spending time with her husband and two children.
