Kanika Agarwal, MD

Professional Education, Practice, and Affiliations

Kanika Agarwal, M.D. is a cataract and refractive surgeon with the Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Service at Mass Eye and Ear. She provides expert care for both routine and complex eye conditions.

Dr. Agarwal earned her MD from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society and recognized with multiple awards for service and global health. She completed her ophthalmology residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School, serving as chief resident, followed by a two-year Anterior Segment Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear under Dr. Kathryn Hatch.

Dedicated to advancing global eye care, Dr. Agarwal spent nearly a year volunteering abroad as a surgical ophthalmologist in low-income countries, where she also trained local providers to build sustainable eye care systems prior to starting her practice. For this work, she received the Young International Service Grant from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and continues to collaborate with international programs.

Her research in refractive surgery, cataract surgery, keratoconus, and ocular surface disease has been recognized with national awards, and she has presented at major conferences and published in leading journals and textbooks.

Service with SEE International

Dr. Agarwal has worked with SEE International since 2022, leading surgical programs in Guatemala, Honduras, and the Philippines. Additionally, she has been to Ghana with our Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) Level 2 course and Mexico in conjunction with Hawaiian Eye Foundation.

Global & Local Health Initiatives

Dr. Agarwal is the fellowship director of the 2-year anterior segment fellowship at Hospital de la Familia in Nuevo Progresso, Guatemala. This program trains ophthalmologists from Guatemala and surrounding countries in complex MSICS, phacoemulsification, glaucoma and cornea surgeries with the support of US and Guatemalan surgeons as faculty mentors.

She also travels yearly to lecture in China in partnership with Lifeline Express, a foundation focused on enhancing the clinical and surgical knowledge of Chinese ophthalmologist in rural regions.

“The ability to transform a patient’s life from darkness to joyful independence is truly a privilege and an honor.”

Active Roles and Recognitions

• Young Eye Surgeons International Service Grant – American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (2023)
• John R. & Maureen J. Pesavento Community Service Award (2016)
• Jennifer A. Sidari M.D. Global Health Award (2015)
• Arnold P. Gold Foundation – Gold Humanism Honor Society (2015)
• Geisinger School of Medicine Research Travel Grant for humanitarian work in Ecuador (2014)