Angelique Pillar, MD is a fellowship trained and board certified ophthalmologist specializing in cataract, cornea, and refractive surgery. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Pillar is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Medical School. She completed her Ophthalmology residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore and fellowship in corneal and refractive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. She then returned to Baltimore and joined a busy private practice while serving as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland.
Dr. Pillar has performed thousands of cataract, cornea, and laser vision correction procedures, and has special expertise in the newest technological advances. She offers her patients state-of-the-art care including laser-assisted cataract surgery, LASIK and PRK laser vision correction, and implantable contact lenses (Visian ICL) for highly nearsighted patients. She offers cataract surgery using advanced laser techniques as well as lenses including toric, multifocals, and the light adjustable lens.
Dr. Pillar is an expert in cornea transplantation surgery, corneal crosslinking, and corneal Intacs for keratoconus. She specializes in all types of corneal transplant including:
- PKP (full-thickness replacement)
- DSEK / DMEK (replacement of the endothelial layer for Fuchs and Bullous Keratopathy)
- DALK (replacement of all stroma anterior to Descemet’s for Keratoconus, Scars, and Stromal Dystrophies)
She has experience treating dry eye patients and offers both pharmacologic therapy as well as procedure therapies for dry eye including TearCare by Sight Sciences. She is pleased to provide a second opinion for your complicated anterior segment patients and enjoys treating the following medical and surgical diagnoses:
Medical Diagnoses:
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Blepharitis
Chemical Injury
Conjunctivitis – chronic and acute
Contact Lens Complications
Dry Eye Syndrome
Glaucoma – Angle closure, open angle
Herpes (HSV Simplex and HZO Zoster)
Neurotrophic Keratitis
Pemphigoid
Persistent Epithelial Defects
Refractive Surgery Complications
Refractory Red Eye
Rosacea
Scleritis/Episcleritis
Thygeson’s
Ulcers
Uveitis
Surgical Diagnoses:
Band Keratopathy
Bullous Keratopathy
Cataract – Standard and Complex
Cataract Complications
Conjunctival Neoplasm
Corneal Dystrophies
Corneal Edema
Corneal Laceration
Corneal Scar
Dermoid
Fuchs Dystrophy
Keratoconus
Recurrent corneal erosions
Dermoid
Pterygia
Wound Dehiscence
Specialty Procedures:
Complex cataract surgery
Conjunctival biopsies
Contoura Topo-guided LASIK
Corneal Crosslinking (for keratoconus)
Corneal transplantation
Intacs (for keratoconus)
LASIK/PRK (including after cataract surgery)
Lens Reposition or Exchanges
Premium cataract surgery
Pterygium removal
Superficial keratectomy
Visian ICLs (for high myopia)
Read about one of Dr. Pillar’s patients and her journal through corneal transplantation
Dr. Pillar lives in San Diego with her husband, 8 year old son and 4 year old daughter. Beyond her unique surgical skills, what sets Dr. Pillar apart is her award-winning teaching ability. She takes great pride in listening to her patients carefully and educating them thoroughly about their eye problems and treatment choices – a perfect fit with this practice’s longstanding “One-to-One” philosophy of highly personalized and compassionate care.
Dr. Pillar says, “I really enjoy ophthalmology because it is so satisfying to provide medical and surgical treatments and technology that have a direct benefit on patient’s quality of life.”