Penn Medicine Provider
Ophthalmology
Ahmara G. Ross, MD, PhD
4.9
(411)
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 12 and up
Scheie Eye Institute Penn Presbyterian
View 1 additional location
Make an appointmentCall 215-662-8100

About me

  • Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in Neurology

Dr. Ross is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology who completed ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh then fellowships in Neuro-ophthalmology and Glaucoma at the Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania. She also has a PhD from Thomas Jefferson University. In addition to caring for patients with both glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmologic disorders, she also performs ocular surgery ranging from cataracts, minimally invasive, and incisional glaucoma surgery.

Dr. Ross diagnoses, treats, and manages optic neuropathies beyond the spectrum of glaucoma, but views this disease as another neuro-degenerative disease in need for sight changing therapy. Her interests and professional strengths go beyond basic science research with a clinical approach also aimed at addressing socio-economic barriers to the treatment of healthcare.

She joined the faculty in 2017 and is currently funded by an NIH K08 Career Development award to investigate the neuroprotective potential of gene therapy directed at retinal ganglion cells and neighboring support cells to treat chronic glaucoma. She is also collaborating on similar research using gene therapy to treat other mouse models of optic neuropathy such as trauma, compression, and inflammation.

Education and training

  • Medical School: Jefferson Medical College
  • Residency: Lankenau Hospital
  • Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

What my patients think about me

Average Rating
4.9

411 reviews

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

July 2025
5.0
5.0
took time to explain everything
July 2025
5.0
5.0
she covers every angle of care. with her you feel there is hope for your vision and that you will be fine
July 2025
5.0
5.0
she's the best!
July 2025
5.0
5.0
the way Dr Ross took her time to explain to us about everything of the laser.

Insurance accepted

My Locations

Penn Medicine hospital privileges

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Dr. Ross is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

My research

Chaqour B, Rossman JB, Meng M, Dine KE, Ross AG, Shindler KS. SIRT1-based therapy targets a gene program involved in mitochondrial turnover in a model of retinal neurodegeneration , Sci Rep, 15: 2025,13585

Brown JS, Mumford S, Alexis DA, Ross AG, Higginbotham EJ. Gender Differences in Patient-Physician Communication in Ophthalmic Practice, Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Period , Am J Ophthalmol, 275: 2025,114-120

O'Neill N, Khan RS, Abd Alhadi S, Dine KE, Geisler JG, Chaqour B, Ross AG, Shindler KS. Mitochondrial Uncoupler, 2,4-Dinitrophenol, Reduces Spinal Cord Paralysis and Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss in the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Model of Multiple Sclerosis , Biomolecules, 15: 2025,189

Brahim Chaqour, Jacob B. Rossman, Miranda Meng, Kimberly E. Dine, Ahmara G. Ross & Kenneth S. Shindler SIRT1-based therapy targets a gene program involved in mitochondrial turnover in a model of retinal neurodegeneration , Scientific Reports: 2025

Suad Abd Alhadi, David Camacho, Brahim Chaqour, Jacob B. Rossman, Jennifer C. Pham, Kenneth S. Shindler, Ahmara G. Ross Neuroprotective Effects of SIRT1 in Human RGCs Derived from iPSCs Following Oxidative Stress Induction at Early and Late Stages of Differentiation , Experimental Eye Research: 2025

O'Neill N, Meng M, Chaqour B, Dine K, Sarabu N, Pham JC, Shindler KS, Ross AG Comparison of SNCG and NEFH Promoter-Driven Expression of Human SIRT1 Expression in a Mouse Model of Glaucoma , Translational Vision Science Technology (TVST), 13(8): 2024

Ross AG, Higginbotham EJ Adopting More Precise Metrics to Move Everyone Closer to Eye Health , JAMA Ophthalmology, 142(6): 2024,546-547

Meng M, Chaqour B, O'Neill N, Dine K, Sarabu N, Ying GS, Shindler KS, Ross AG Comparison of Brn3a and RBPMS Labeling to Assess Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss During Aging and in a Model of Optic Neuropathy , Investigations Ophthalmology Vision Science (IOVS), 64(4): 2024

Chaqour B, Duong TT, Yue J, Liu T, Camacho D, Dine KE, Esteve-Rudd J, Ellis S, Bennett J, Shindler KS, Ross AG. AAV2 vector optimization for retinal ganglion cell-targeted delivery of therapeutic genes , Gene Ther, 31(3-4): 2024,175-186

Verma SS, Gudiseva HV, Chavali VRM, Salowe RJ, Bradford Y, Guare L, Lucas A, Collins DW, Vrathasha V, Nair RM, Rathi S, Zhao B, He J, Lee R, Zenebe-Gete S, Bowman AS, McHugh CP, Zody MC, Pistilli M, Khachatryan N, Daniel E, Murphy W, Henderer J; Regeneron Genetics Center; Kinzy TG, Iyengar SK, Peachey NS; VA Million Veteran Program; Taylor KD, Guo X, Chen YI, Zangwill L, Girkin C, Ayyagari R, Liebmann J, Chuka-Okosa CM, Williams SE, Akafo S, Budenz DL, Olawoye OO, Ramsay M, Ashaye A, Akpa OM, Aung T, Wiggs JL, Ross AG, Cui QN, Addis V, Lehman A, Miller-Ellis E, Sankar PS, Williams SM, Ying GS, Cooke Bailey J, Rotter JI, Weinreb R, Khor CC, Hauser MA, Ritchie MD, O'Brien JM. A multi-cohort genome-wide association study in African ancestry individuals reveals risk loci for primary open-angle glaucoma , Cell, 187: 2024,464-480