Dr. Matthew M. Laughon

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 Retinopathy of Prematurity. Her top areas of expertise are Retinopathy of Prematurity, Strabismus, Brown Syndrome, Trabeculectomy, and Cataract Removal.

I specialize in the medical and surgical management of pediatric eye disorders and adult/childhood strabismus. I have a special interest in amblyopia, congenital/pediatric cataracts, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), pediatric strabismus and ocular motility disorders secondary to cranial nerve palsies, thyroid ophthalmopathy, and trauma. I am interested in public health ophthalmology and international health. I am a former Fulbright Scholar and have worked with ORBIS International (on a Flying Eye Hospital). I have worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on topics including infantile cataracts and congenital Zika virus infection. I have also received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to work on studies focused on ROP and Ebola. Dr. Prakalapakorn is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity. Her top areas of expertise are Retinopathy of Prematurity, Strabismus, Brown Syndrome, Amblyopia, and Cataract Removal.

Pediatric ophthalmology is a fascinating field, and I have personal interests in amblyopia, strabismus (pediatric and adult forms), pediatric cataracts, retinal dystrophies, retinopathy of prematurity, pediatric uveitis, and ocular genetics. Eye conditions in children can be complex, and I strive to ensure that my patients’ families have a good understanding of the diagnosis so that we can work together to improve their child’s vision. I am interested in improving eye care in the developing world and have ongoing involvement with projects in Nicaragua for several years. The best part of my job is knowing that improving a child's vision through medical or surgical treatment has a positive and lasting impact on the rest of their life. Dr. Grace is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity. Her top areas of expertise are Esotropia, Strabismus, Brown Syndrome, and Retinopathy of Prematurity.