Tennessee Retina Physicians

Dr. Carl Awh (pronounced "Oh") is an internationally recognized clinician, surgeon, and educator. He completed a fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Research at the Duke University Eye Center with Dr. Robert Machemer, the "father of modern vitreous surgery." Dr. Awh began his career as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University, where he was Director of the Retina Service at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and the founding co-director of the Johns Hopkins Microsurgery Advanced Design Laboratory. In 1994 he moved to Nashville to join Tennessee Retina (then Retina Vitreous Associates).

Dr. Awh’s special interests include macular surgery, macular degeneration, and the development of surgical devices and techniques. He is an active investigator in industry-sponsored and National Eye Institute-sponsored clinical trials, holds twelve U.S. patents for retinal surgical devices and treatments, and has designed dozens of instruments in widespread use by vitreoretinal surgeons. He is a consultant to numerous ophthalmic companies and has lectured in over twenty countries and on every continent (except Antarctica!). He serves on the Executive Committee and is the President of the American Society of Retina Specialists. He is a past member of the board of EURETINA, the European Retina Society.

Dr. Awh has been named one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 2007 and is the recipient of Honor Awards from both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists.  In 2004, he received the Senior Honor Award of the American Society of Retina Specialists. In 2015, he received the Senior Achievement Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is an Associate Examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and is the founding Director of the Retina Fellows' Forum, an annual national educational meeting for vitreoretinal specialists-in-training. Dr. Awh was inducted as an inaugural member of the Retina Hall of Fame in 2017.

Dr. Awh is happily married and is the father of three children. He enjoys golf, running, and travel.