Biography
Dr Vijitha S Vempuluru completed her medical education and ophthalmology residency at the Jawaharlal Institute of Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, followed by her fellowship in oculoplasty and ocular oncology at the L V Prasad Eye Institute.
She further honed her skills in ocular oncology under the mentorship of Dr Carol Shields and Dr Sara Lally at Wills Eye Hospital, USA. She worked as an Assistant Professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, before joining LVPEI as a consultant ophthalmologist.
Dr Vempuluru is a meticulous clinician and surgeon specializing in ocular oncology. Her areas of research interest include retinoblastoma, conjunctival melanoma, and other ophthalmic tumours. She has over 50 publications to her credit and has contributed to several book chapters.
She has presented her work at various national and international conferences. She was the first recipient of the International Victoria Cohen Scholarship for Young Ocular Oncologists from the Victoria Cohen Eye Cancer Charitable Trust in 2022, which she credits to her mentor, Dr Swathi Kaliki, at LVPEI.
During her residency, she received several awards, including the Prof E T Selvam Endowment Prize by the Tamil Nadu Ophthalmic Association and the XVIII Madras Ophthalmic Conference Medal for First Rank in the University Examination at JIPMER. Aside from work, she enjoys long-distance running and is a watercolor painting enthusiast.