Get to Know Dr. Reena Garg, Incoming Chair of the GRF Ambassadors
Dr. Reena A. Garg is a board-certified, fellowship-trained glaucoma and cataract surgeon with Visionary Eye Doctors in Rockville, Maryland.
Glaucoma Research Foundation is delighted to welcome her as the new Chair of our GRF Ambassadors Program — a role for which her clinical excellence, academic leadership, and visible dedication make her exceptionally well suited.
GRF Ambassadors are a national leadership group of eye doctors dedicated to ensuring that all glaucoma patients have access to the information they need to care for their vision. They advocate for patients, assist with the development of learning materials, and make patient education a key component within their practices.
What makes serving as Chair of the GRF Ambassador Program personally meaningful to you?
I am honored to serve as Chair of the GRF Ambassador Program. As a glaucoma specialist, this role is deeply meaningful to me because I work closely with patients who are navigating the realities of glaucoma every day. I see firsthand how the disease affects not only vision, but also daily function, independence, and emotional well-being.
The Glaucoma Research Foundation plays a vital role in helping patients reframe a diagnosis that can feel overwhelming into one grounded in knowledge, empowerment, and hope. GRF provides trusted education and a sense of possibility at a time when patients often need it most. Being able to support and advance that mission is both professionally and personally rewarding.
Why is patient education especially important for people living with glaucoma?
Glaucoma remains a largely unfamiliar condition to the general public, so many patients are diagnosed with little to no prior understanding of the disease. That initial lack of awareness can create fear and uncertainty about what the diagnosis means for their future. Patient education is essential because it helps replace fear with understanding. When patients are informed, they are better equipped to participate in their care, adhere to treatment, and appreciate the importance of long-term follow-up. Education also helps foster connection—both between patients and their care teams, and among patients themselves. Creating opportunities for patients to connect and share experiences increases awareness, and greater awareness leads to earlier diagnosis, stronger engagement in care, and better outcomes overall.
What message would you share with grateful patients who want to give back and accelerate hope by supporting glaucoma research?
I would share how impactful their support truly is. Every contribution—whether through advocacy, education, financial, or research—helps drive progress and brings us closer to improved treatments and, ultimately, a cure. By supporting glaucoma research, patients are investing not only in their own future, but in the future of countless others who will be affected by this disease. Their generosity helps turn gratitude into meaningful progress and ensures that hope continues to move forward.
Dr. Garg earned her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine, completed her internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and served as Chief Resident during her ophthalmology residency at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she received the Humanism in Ophthalmology Award. She went on to complete one of the most intensive glaucoma fellowships in the world at Columbia University in New York City.
Clinically, Dr. Garg specializes in the full spectrum of glaucoma care, including medical, laser, and surgical treatment, as well as routine and laser-assisted refractive cataract surgery. She frequently performs minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), often in conjunction with cataract surgery, to help patients preserve sight and quality of life. She also serves as the Ophthalmology Residency Program Director at Georgetown University, where she mentors and trains the next generation of ophthalmologists.
Dr. Garg has been a long-time advocate and friend of Glaucoma Research Foundation. She has served as a GRF Ambassador, a medical reviewer for our patient education materials, and a featured speaker at the annual Glaucoma Patient Summit. Beyond her work with GRF, Dr. Garg also serves on the Board of the Prevention of Blindness Society.
At GRF we are also grateful to our outgoing Chair, Dr. Sahar Bedrood, for her recent two years of dedicated service.
Education and empowerment are a key pillar of GRF’s mission. We share knowledge, insight, resources, and inspiration, empowering people affected by glaucoma. The value of patient education can be summarized as:
- Improved understanding of one’s medical condition, diagnosis, and disease
- Improved understanding of methods and means to manage the multiple aspects of glaucoma
- Improved self-advocacy when working in cooperation with one’s eye doctor
Additional benefits of patient education:
- Increased compliance — effective communication and patient education increase patient motivation to comply with their treatment plan
- Patient outcomes — patients are more likely to respond well to their treatment plan with fewer complications
- Informed consent — patients feel the doctor has provided the information they need
- Satisfaction and referrals — patients are more likely to stay with the doctor’s practice and refer other patients
Posted on February 13, 2026.