Faruk Orge, MD

About

Faruk H. Örge MD, FAAO, FAAP, is the William R. and Margaret E. Althans Chair and Professor in Pediatric Ophthalmology; Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University; and the Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s. After completing a two-year research fellowship, internship, residency and clinical fellowship at Indiana University, Dr. Örge returned to his native country, Turkey, to join the faculty at Yeditepe University. He has been at UH Rainbow since 2007.

Dr. Örge is widely recognized for his clinical expertise and is listed among the Best Doctors of America (since 2009), Top Doctors (since 2011), and Who’s Who (2014). Dr. Örge has served on and led many committees of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) and joined in 2018 as a Director-at-Large. He has served as an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and serves as the AAPOS liaison to the board.

He is currently the Fellowship Program Director and the Residency Associate Director at UH Eye Institute. His innovations in teaching include work with Orbis-Cybersight, AAPOS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), with interests in telemedicine, live webinars, online journal clubs, and unique learning tools such as an interactive strabismus and retinoscopy simulators. He is the Editor-in-Chief for the AAO’s newly formed Knights Templar Eye Foundation Pediatric Ophthalmology Virtual Education Center. As the largest online educational source in the world for pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, it has been visited more than one million times from more than 200 countries since its inception in 2015.

Research Interests

Dr. Örge’s research interests comprise almost all aspects of pediatric ophthalmology (ocular imaging, drug release, ROP, glaucoma, microsurgery, cataract, genetic conditions, eyelid trauma, consultation, sedation, strabismus, nystagmus, amblyopia, etc.). His dedication to research has garnered grants, including the prestigious Knights Templar Eye Foundation Research Grant for his project in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP); Cleveland Foundation grants (new glaucoma device formation, suture sterilization, resident microsurgery course assessment) through the Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery Center; UH Rainbow research awards; Case Western Reserve University PFI funding (for I-Strab objective strabismus measurement device); the Ohio Amblyope Registry; and a UH Innovation Day award for his new designed eye speculum. He holds a patent for a novel glaucoma device and also filed several patents on drug delivery, eye imaging, wound healing and other therapeutic technologies.

Since joining the faculty, pediatric ophthalmology research has increased at a local level within the division as well as through combined research with neonatology, neurology, neurosurgery and oncology departments. Research has also increased regionally, including serving as co-principal investigator for the design and evaluation of a ROP screening device in collaboration with NASA, Case Western University, UH and UH Rainbow. Dr. Örge is a member of the Ohio Amblyope Registry; and has led several studies with the NEI-funded pediatric eye disease investigation group (PEDIG), as well as pharmaceutical studies with Alcon, Bausch and Lomb.

Other Notable Achievements

Dr. Örge is active regionally and nationally in his field. He regularly lectures at the Cleveland Ophthalmological Society meetings. He has presented more than 50 papers at AAO, AAPOS and ARVO meetings, as well as at international meetings, including the World Pediatric Ophthalmology Congress, the International Strabismus Association and the National Turkish Ophthalmic Society. Following his efforts with the AAPOS, he was invited as the youngest member for the Long-Range Planning Retreat. This retreat is held every 4-5 years, with 14 selected members to set the future direction of the organization.

Dr. Örge graduated from the University Hospitals in 2012 and a separate UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Leadership Development Program in 2018, and he was a member of the AAO Leadership Development Program 2015 class. He currently serves as the Vice President of the International Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council (IPOSC), the international supra-organization that has representatives from more than 80 countries. Through this council he is helping to further educational efforts for pediatric eye disease worldwide. Dr. Örge sees patients at our Landerhaven and Westlake locations, and the UH Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women & Children in MidTown Cleveland.