Dr. Pratap Challa

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.

I am a native North Carolinian, having grown up in Raleigh, NC. I went to UNC-Chapel Hill for my undergraduate degree in Biology and attended Medical School there as well. I remained at UNC to complete my residency in Ophthalmology. I then came to the school with a deeper shade of blue to complete my fellowship year in Glaucoma and joined the faculty at the Duke Eye Center in July of 1996. I knew I wanted to be an eye doctor in 9th grade when I received my first pair of glasses. I could see clearly now, and I decided to dedicate my life to helping others improve and/or maintain their vision. My approach with patients is to put them at ease, as often they are concerned about going blind. I give them an opportunity to share with me their concerns, then I make recommendations based on the best available literature and my personal experience. Dr. Herndon is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Aniridia. His top areas of expertise are Glaucoma, Ocular Hypertension (OHT), Cataract, Trabeculectomy, 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.