Tueng T. Shen, MD, PhD

Dr. Shen was born in China.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wellesley College.  She earned her PhD in medical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She completed her medical degree at Harvard Medical School.  Following her internship in internal medicine at Mount Auburn Hospital at Harvard Medical School, she completed her residency in ophthalmology at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.  Dr. Shen completed an NIH research fellowship in the Department of Radiology at Harvard.  She also completed a fellowship in cornea, refractive and external disease at the Moran Eye Center, University of Utah in Salt Lake.

Dr.Shen is a UW associate professor of ophthalmology and an adjunct in bioengineering and global health. She directs the Refractive Surgery Center at UW Medical Center. She specializes in refractive surgery, cataract surgeries and medical and surgical management of corneal disorders. She also established this region's artificial cornea transplant program to treat severe corneal blindness.

Dr. Shen is committed to delivering the best eye care possible by providing the most advanced treatment options and by developing better technologies to restore vision for patients with challenging corneal conditions.

She specializes in refractive surgery, cataract surgeries and medical and surgical management of corneal disorders in refractive surgeries (laser and non-laser surgeries) in order to minimize refractive errors and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses, cataract surgeries, corneal surgeries and medical management of all areas of corneal diseases. Dr. Shen established this region's artificial cornea transplant program to treat severe corneal blindness.

Dr. Shen’s goal is to help patients achieve their best visual potential. She finds the severe corneal blind population to be especially challenging and rewarding. She treats end-stage corneal blindness patients through the UW artificial cornea program; this motivates her bench research in order to offer better clinical solution to our patients in need.

Dr. Shen’s research projects include: developing the next generation of artificial cornea using advanced polymer research, microelectronic sensing technology for continuous wireless monitoring of the intraocular pressure and controlled intra-ocular drug delivery system to prevent post-operative infections in developing nations.

Her lab collaborates broadly with engineering departments (bioengineering, electric engineering) and other departments with expertise in visual science research (such as department of biological structure).

Dr. Shen enjoys teaching residents in clinic, in the operating room and in the research lab. She also teaches medical students and engineering students (undergraduate and graduate) through lectures and research projects. She particularly enjoys introducing ophthalmic surgeries first-hand to medical students and engineering students. These allow engineers to understand the design criteria related to ophthalmological devices.

For undergraduate students interested in medicine, the lab offers a good opportunity to learn both the science/engineering and clinical aspects of ophthalmology.

Dr. Shen lives in Woodinville, Washington and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She expresses herself artistically through Chinese calligraphy, Chinese watercolor, photography and sculpture. She frequently donates her artwork to local communities and organizations in order to raise funds for vision care.