It was vision research that initially drew Dr. Lauren Yancey to pursue a career in Ophthalmology but it is the reward of vision restoration that kept her focused on cataract surgery and lens exchange. “My first introduction to the field of Ophthalmology was through a Dean’s Summer Research Fellowship I was granted after my first year in medical school,” Dr. Yancey recalls. Dr. Yancey was fortunate enough to begin under the tutelage of the renowned researcher and Ophthalmologist Dr. Balamurali Ambati where she was involved in novel research with implications in both cancer treatment and vision loss. “I found myself drawn into the world of vision research and loving it. Dr. Ambati encouraged me to pursue a career in Ophthalmology.” It was the spark that ignited a passion for vision restoration.

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Throughout her time as a medical student and resident at the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University Medical Center, Dr. Yancey continued her interest in research while also developing keen surgical skills. It was a tough decision to depart from a research track and pursue a clinical career but ultimately the interactions with her patients during residency made the decision: “There is nothing quite like changing someone’s life overnight,” says Dr. Yancey. “Cataract surgery gives me that opportunity every week.”

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In the clinic, Dr. Yancey treats a wide variety of eye-related diseases including glaucoma, macular degeneration and ocular surface disease. Her history of cutting edge research translates to a desire to provide new but proven techniques and treatments in both her clinical and surgical practice. In 2014, Dr. Yancey and Dr. Berry were some of the first surgeons in Georgia to offer microincisional glaucoma surgery using the iStent, which is the smallest implantable human device available. With the opening of the newly renovated Georgia Cataract and Refractive Surgery center in 2018, Dr. Yancey provides the latest and best technology for cataract, refractive and microincisional glaucoma surgery.

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Outside the clinic, Dr. Yancey is an active member of the West Georgia community. She, her husband and their two children enjoy their 20 acre farmlet complete with chickens, horses and goats.

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“I’m passionate about what I do,” explains Dr. Yancey. “My children know that this isn’t a job – it’s a calling.”

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Dr. Yancey graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with degrees in both cellular biology and political science.  She earned her Doctorate of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. After medical school, Dr. Yancey remained at the Augusta University Medical Center where she completed her internship in Internal Medicine and her residency in Ophthalmology. Dr. Yancey is a board-certified Ophthalmologist and maintains membership in both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Georgia Society of Ophthalmology.

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Appointments for patients age 8 and beyond may be made with Dr. Yancey by contacting the Georgia Vision Institute at 770-834-1008.