About

Martha Howard, MD, is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Science at Yale School of Medicine. She is a pediatric ophthalmologist who cares for children and adults with a variety of eye disorders, including amblyopia, strabismus, congenital eye abnormalities, genetic disorders, eyelid capillary hemangiomas, dermoid cysts, blocked tear ducts, and diplopia. Dr. Howard is skilled in the surgical correction of strabismus in children and treats adults with strabismus using prisms or surgery with adjustable sutures. Her clinical approach emphasizes listening to patients, answering questions, and ensuring they are well-informed about their conditions. She is dedicated to helping children achieve their visual potential and assisting adults in regaining independence through both nonsurgical and surgical treatments. In addition to her clinical practice, she serves on the executive board of the Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians and is a liaison for the Status of Women in Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Howard has a strong commitment to education, having taught Yale medical students and ophthalmology residents for many years, and has participated as an invited lecturer and volunteer surgeon internationally. Her research includes studies on pediatric vision screening and amblyopia treatment, and she is involved in investigations related to eye disease diagnostics and management.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Family medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Surgery
• World Wide Web
• Optometry
• Internet privacy
• Anatomy

Selected publications

• Realities of Children with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities

  Pediatric nursing · 2024-01-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of the GoCheck Kids and Spot Screener photoscreening devices for the detection of amblyopia risk factors using 2021 AAPOS recommendations

  Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2024-11-09 · 2 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Vision screening practices of pediatric primary care providers in New Haven County, Connecticut

  Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2021-08-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Inferior Rectus and Inferior Oblique Muscle Transections with Medial Rectus Muscle Partial Avulsion, following Metal Hook Injury

  Journal of Binocular Vision and Ocular Motility · 2021 · 1 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Anatomy
  • Surgery

  Avulsion or transection of three extraocular muscles following trauma is a rare finding, and there are few case reports and series discussing the approach to surgical repair. The authors report a case of a penetrating metal hook injury resulting in partial avulsion of a medial rectus muscle and transection of the inferior rectus and inferior oblique muscles. This case highlights the importance of identification and primary repair of a complete inferior rectus muscle transection and a partial medial rectus muscle avulsion with an excellent functional outcome.

  PublisherDOI

• 2020 Evaluation of Portable Vision Screening Instruments.

  The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine · 2021 · 11 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Medicine
  • Optometry

  Amblyopia is the most common cause of preventable visual impairment in children and occurs as a result of unilateral or bilateral impairment in best-corrected visual acuity. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are crucial to prevent poor visual outcomes in adulthood. Advances in technology have provided more objective diagnostic tools, which can now be used by a wide range of healthcare providers. Here, we highlight tools that have gained popularity in the past two decades and compare clinically relevant parameters to guide primary care providers seeking to incorporate instrumental vision screening in pediatric patient care.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Quality analysis of publicly available videos for pediatric strabismus surgery

  Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2020 · 16 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Medicine
  • Internet privacy
  PublisherDOI

• Management of Periocular Infantile Hemangioma

  Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus · 2019-11-01 · 3 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Quality analysis of youtube videos for pediatric strabismus surgery

  Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2019-08-01 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Visual prognosis in compressive optic neuropathy secondary to sphenoid sinus mucocele: A systematic review

  Orbit · 2018-01-05 · 32 citations

  review

  Sphenoid sinus mucoceles (SSMs) are rare, benign lesions that can expand, often presenting with ocular symptoms-decreased vision, diplopia, visual field defects, proptosis, and external ophthalmoplegia. Reported cases are few, visual compromise varies, and factors affecting visual prognosis are poorly characterized. We investigate whether prompt surgical intervention (within 2 weeks of visual symptom onset) affects best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) regained in patients with vision loss secondary to compressive SSM. We present a retrospective review of three cases and published literature to date. Our primary outcome was BCVA regained after surgical intervention; secondary outcomes included change in visual field defect and ophthalmological symptoms other than vision loss. Our three cases of SSM varied in onset, ranging from several hours to several months with patients aged from 13 to 80 years. All patients had severe vision loss to light perception (LP) or worse. Rapid neuro-imaging and urgent surgical intervention improved vision to count fingers at best. Of the two patients who underwent prompt decompression, one improved from no LP to LP and the other did not recover any vision. The patient who had visual loss for 3 months before intervention improved from LP to 20/400. Findings from our literature search, which yielded 12 cases of urgent intervention, supported the variability in visual prognosis despite prompt surgical intervention. SSMs are rare, pathologically benign lesions which can expand to cause ocular involvement. Prompt diagnosis and surgical decompression are recommended, but visual recovery may be limited even with urgent intervention.

  PublisherDOI

• Orbital cellulitis with choroidal detachment following strabismus surgery in an adult

  Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2018-08-29 · 4 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Anuoluwapo Sopeyin

  Johns Hopkins University

  3 shared

• Benjamin K. Young

  Oregon Health & Science University

  3 shared

• Renelle Pointdujour‐Lim

  2 shared

• Cara Sisk

  2 shared

• Nancy Christmas

  2 shared

• S Skolik

  Retina Research Foundation

  2 shared

• Robert L. Lesser

  New York University

  2 shared

• Peter C. Rubin

  Emory University

  2 shared

Labs

• Ophthalmology Interest Group (OIG)PI

Education

• B.A., Biology

  Duke University

• M.D.

  Brown University

Awards & honors

• Marvin Sears Award for Clinical Excellence (1991)