Dr. Matthew S. Oliva is the Board Chair of Cureblindness Project, an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Oregon Health & Science University, and medical director of the Medical Eye Center, where he leads global initiatives to eliminate preventable blindness. A corneal and cataract specialist, he has dedicated his career to bringing high-quality eye care to some of the world’s most underserved communities.
Dr. Oliva’s commitment to global ophthalmology began early in his career through research experiences in Tanzania and mentorship from leaders in international blindness prevention at Johns Hopkins University and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. For more than two decades, he has worked closely with partners in Nepal, India, Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Eritrea and beyond to advance sustainable eye-care systems by training surgeons, strengthening eye-care infrastructure, developing internationally recognized eye-banking programs, and advocating for eye health resources.
An accomplished clinician, Dr. Oliva has performed over 75,000 sight-restoring cataract surgeries—many in remote settings using manual small-incision techniques—as well as thousands of corneal transplants in both clinical and teaching environments throughout Asia and Africa. These experiences have shaped his deep understanding of the challenges faced by patients and clinicians in resource-limited environments, while reinforcing his belief in the life-changing impact of restoring sight.
In addition to global work, Dr. Oliva provides state-of-the-art corneal and cataract care in the United States as a specialist at the Medical Eye Center in Medford, Oregon. His academic appointments include roles at the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Nepal, and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. He also serves on the board of the ASCRS Foundation. He previously served as medical director of the SightLife eye bank for a decade, which at the time was the world’s larges eye bank providing corneal tissue for transplant.
Dr. Oliva’s leadership has been recognized with humanitarian awards from both Duke University and the University of Washington. His work has been featured by NPR, HBO’s VICE TV, Outside Magazine, and Reddit, helping bring international attention to the global crisis of preventable blindness.
Dr. Oliva continues to dedicate several months per year to clinical service abroad. He is committed to developing practical, scalable solutions that ensure millions of people worldwide can access the sight-restoring care they need—and the opportunity to reclaim their lives.
