Dr. Leon W. Herndon

I was born and raised right here in Durham, NC. After attending college at Duke, I ventured north to Boston, where I completed most of my medical training, and was fortunate to meet and marry the love of my life, my husband Neil (also on faculty as a cardiologist here at Duke). I returned to Durham for my Glaucoma fellowship, briefly joined the faculty “across the street” at UNC-Chapel Hill, and then returned “home” to Duke Eye Center in 1995, where I have been on the faculty ever since. Dual fellowship-trained in both Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus as well as in Glaucoma, I have a clinical and research focus on pediatric glaucoma and cataracts, as well as retinopathy of prematurity, but enjoy providing care for myriad pediatric problems of the eyes, including treatment of “grown children” with ocular alignment issues. My modus operandi is very simple – I simply try hard to treat each and every patient the way I would like someone to treat me. It works every time, and I am privileged to be a clinician and educator at Duke Eye Center and in Duke University Health System. Dr. Freedman is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Aniridia. Her top areas of expertise are Retinopathy of Prematurity, Strabismus, Brown Syndrome, Trabeculectomy, and Cataract Removal.

Pratap Challa is an Ophthalmologist in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Challa has been practicing medicine for over 32 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Aniridia. His top areas of expertise are Glaucoma, Ocular Hypertension (OHT), Pigment-Dispersion Syndrome, Iridectomy, and Cataract Removal.

I am dedicated to helping people of all ages preserve, restore, and maximize their vision. I perform all types of refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, ICL, and refractive lens exchange) so that I can offer my patients a treatment customized to their needs. I also specialize in cataract surgery, including premium lenses, corneal transplants, and other procedures of the eye surface. In addition to my work at Duke Health, I am heavily involved in humanitarian eye care in Africa and around the world. I am the founder of HelpMercy International, a founder of the Moran CORE education website, and was one of the surgeons featured in the award-winning movie Duk County. I live in Chapel Hill with my wife and three children who helped me write and produce a full-length musical called “RISE.” We also enjoy cycling, rock climbing, and building and playing guitars, basses, and drums. Dr. Williams is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Aniridia. His top areas of expertise are Cataract, Hereditary Keratitis, Cloudy Cornea, Interstitial Keratitis, and Corneal Transplant.