Rahul Bhola, MD

An internationally recognized expert in pediatric ophthalmology, Dr. Bhola has over 15 years experience specializing in the complete array of pediatric vision conditions and eye diseases. Dr. Bhola is board certified in ophthalmology with expertise in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. Dr. Bhola has received numerous awards both nationally and internationally and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. He has participated as an investigator in many NIH sponsored trials and has been elected “Best Doctors in America” and “America’s Top Ophthalmologist” consecutively for many years. Dr. Bhola brings to CHOC a wealth of experience and expertise and has contributed immensely to the advancement of pediatric ophthalmology. Dr. Bhola completed his medical degree and ophthalmology residency from University of Delhi, India and a second residency in ophthalmology from University of Louisville, Kentucky where he served as chief resident. Dr. Bhola was visiting assistant professor and research fellow in ophthalmology at Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA and completed a clinical fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at University of Iowa. Dr. Rahul Bhola serves as the division chief of CHOC Specialists Ophthalmology and is an associate clinical professor at UC Irvine School of Medicine. Dr. Bhola provides comprehensive ophthalmology care including vision screening for refractive errors, screening and treatment of amblyopia (lazy eye), ocular motility disorders like strabismus, tearing eyes, infantile and childhood cataract, childhood glaucoma, pediatric uveitis, traumatic eye injuries in children, retinopathy of prematurity and its complications, ocular manifestations of systemic diseases like Diabetes, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, sickle cell diseases, craniosynostosis, pseudotumor cerebri, genetic and metabolic disorders. Dr. Bhola’s research interests are focused on diseases resulting in irreversible vision loss in pediatric population such as amblyopia, strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity and pediatric glaucoma. He is also involved in research projects on better understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of Graves’ disease (thyroid eye disease) and its involvement on ocular motility. Dr. Bhola is also involved in research on dry eyes in pediatric population.