Lisa Olmos de Koo, MD, MBA

Undergraduate Education: AB, Chemistry, Harvard University,2000
Medical School: MD, Baylor College of Medicine, 2005
Post Graduate Education:  MBA, Rice University, 2005
Internship: Transitional, Georgetown University, 2006
Residency: Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, 2009
Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Surgery, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, 2010
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology, 2011
Memberships: American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (WAEPS) Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Sub Specialty Societies: American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Vit-Buckle Society (VBS)

Lisa C. Olmos de Koo, MD, is a Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of the Retina Division, and Director of Fellowship Education at the University of Washington in Seattle.  Previously, she served as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Doheny Eye Institute and the USC Roski Eye Institute of the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, CA.

Dr. Olmos is a native of Washington, DC, where she grew up in a bilingual household speaking Spanish as well as English. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University, where she was a member of the Varsity Swim Team and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society. During her undergraduate years, she spent summers conducting basic science research in ophthalmic genetics at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. She then earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, along with an MBA from Rice University.  She completed her internship at Georgetown University, with rotations at the Walter Reed Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) and the LV Prasad Eye Hospital in Hyderabad, India. After completing her ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami, she was selected to serve a one-year term as Chief Resident and Co-Director of Ocular Trauma at BPEI. 

Dr. Olmos’ clinical and research interests include ocular trauma, diabetic retinopathy, central serous retinopathy, and vision restoration via retinal prostheses. She served as the Primary Investigator for the Argus II device clinical trials while at USC. She has dedicated her career to ophthalmic and surgical education, currently serving as the Retina Fellowship Program Director at the UW, a position she previously held at USC. In 2023, she received the Lifetime Mentorship Award from the Vit Buckle Society. She sits on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) and serves as the ASRS delegate to the AUPO Fellowship Credentialing Committee (FCC). She regularly lectures at both national and international meetings. 

Dr. Olmos lives in Seattle with her husband and two children. Her outside interests include swimming, classical music, ballet, and opera. 

Eye Institute at Harborview

Location: Harborview Medical Center 908 Jefferson St., 7th Floor Seattle, WA

Clinic Phone: 206-744-2020

Clinic Fax: 206-520-9310

Mailing Address: Box 359608 325 Ninth Ave. Seattle, WA 98104

206-543-7250

“As a retina surgeon, I am committed to excellence, drawing upon my experience and training as well as the latest scientific and technological advances to provide the best individualized care for my patients. As a medical educator and researcher, I also hope to benefit future generations of patients.”

2023 Lifetime Mentorship Award, Vit-Buckle Society
2016 Best Female Surgeon, Vit-Buckle Society
2012 - 2016 “Top Doctor,” Pasadena Magazine
2013 Rising Star Award,” Los Angeles Magazine

Dr. Olmos specializes in both the medical and surgical care of vitreoretinal diseases. She cares for patients with retinal detachment, eye trauma, diabetic eye disease, macular pucker, macular hole, macular degeneration, hereditary retinal degenerations, and central serous retinopathy, among other conditions. 

Dr. Olmos’ areas of research include artificial vision and retinal prostheses, novel therapies for macular degeneration and inherited retinal degeneration, screening methods and treatment strategies for diabetic retinopathy, and advanced retinal imaging modalities.