Sila Bal MD, MPH

Associate Scholar

  •  Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellow | Harvard
  •  Ecuador | Jordan
  •   Eye care | Vision impairment

Languages: English (native), Turkish (fluent), Spanish (basic)

Bio statement

Dr. Sila Bal, MD, MPH is a cornea fellow at Harvard. She received her medical degree and Master's in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania where she was awarded the United States Excellence in Public Health Award for her work on disparities in eye health both locally and globally. Her research interests include eye health disparities, the epidemiology of vision impairment, and the impact of social determinants on health outcomes.

Next year, Dr. Bal will be a global ophthalmology fellow and hopes to continue her work in health equity through community-based service delivery models, advocacy, and capacity building.

Recent global health projects

Ecuador, board member of international non-profit PACH. I have mentored multiple medical students on eye-related research projects (two of these students are presenting their work at CUGH in April and one was published)
Developed partnership with SAMS/Jordanian ophthalmologists to bring corneal donor tissue to displaced Syrian refugees living in Jordan

Selected publications

Bal S, Duckles A, Buttenheim A. Visual Health and Visual Healthcare Access in Refugees and Displaced Persons: A Systematic Review. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Feb;21(1):161-174. doi: 10.1007/s10903-018-0766-x. PMID: 29860671.

Bal S. Vision-related quality of life and access to eye care among recently resettled Syrian refugees in Philadelphia. J Glob Health Rep 2018; 2: e2018013.

Last Updated: 28 March 2023